Theory, Methodology, Practice – Review of Business and Management

Determinants of Dietary Supplement Consumption Among International Students in the University of Debrecen: Integrating Social Media Usage and Health Consciousness into the Theory of Planned Behavior

Abrar Ghaith, Omar Salem — Wed, 28 May 2025 00:00:00 +0200

Dietary supplements are popular globally and may be more susceptible due to specific challenges encountered abroad. This study looks at the factors affecting their consumption at the University of Debrecen using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB).

An online cross-sectional survey design measuring attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, health consciousness, social media usage, and intention to purchase dietary supplements was used. 320 international students provided data online for convenience sampling.

Due to social media use, health consciousness, and subjective norms, international students typically had positive attitudes regarding dietary supplements. A sense of behavioral control suggested self-assurance in acquiring and ingesting supplements.

The findings emphasized the significance of social media usage, attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and health consciousness in influencing purchase intentions. The results offer guidance for creating focused interventions that support responsible and well-informed supplement use.

An Analysis of the Financial Sustainability of Public Universities in South Africa

Lungelo Khumalo, Daniel Schutte — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0200

Purpose of the study: The purpose of this study is to analyse the financial sustainability of South African public universities from 2017 to 2021. The paper, therefore, seeks to analyse how these universities manage their resources amidst increasing student enrolment, increased costs, and limited state support.

Design/methodology/approach: The study follows a qualitative methodology. The research paper uses calculated and analysed financial ratios to analyse various aspects of financial sustainability, together with a methodical assessment of existing literature and a content analysis of the annual audited financial statements of 23 different public universities.

Findings: The research indicates that while several public universities have improved their financial stability over time, the extent of this improvement varies among universities. While some universities exhibit a high level of financial management, at the same time, others are exposed to financial risks. The improvement in reserve ratios also points towards better financial planning; however, the increasing operational costs, specifically those of personnel, are a cause for concern. The complex relationship between state support, own funding, and operational efficiency has been highlighted, besides pointing to an orientation towards innovative funding solutions for enhancing financial sustainability and education quality.

Recommendations/value: To secure financial sustainability, universities must adopt robust risk management strategies, improve liquidity by managing debt more effectively, and shift towards more diversified funding sources. Additionally, aligning financial strategies with operational efficiency will be crucial in maintaining educational quality amid growing fiscal pressures.

Managerial implications: The findings of this study have significant managerial implications for the contemporary field of higher education management. The findings underscore the urgent need for national policy reforms to ensure predictable and equitable funding allocations. Government should reassess the sustainability of current NSFAS funding models. Furthermore, policies promoting third-stream income generation such as research commercialisation and public-private partnerships should be prioritised to reduce reliance on government grants. Strategic policy alignment is essential to ensure that higher education institutions remain financially viable while fulfilling their social mandate of access and quality education

Social Acceptance of Nuclear Energy Among Y and Z-Generation Hungarian Residents

Péter Bihari — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0200

Governments all over the world are trying to find the balance between the constantly increasing electricity demand of their countries’ economy, while mitigating the negative effects of energy generation on the atmosphere (especially CO2 emission). Nuclear energy generation seems like a solid solution for both problems; however, the technology itself is considered as a two-edged sword by many people because of the negative effects of a possible accident. To understand people’s attitude, scholars and researchers developed several behavioral and technology acceptance models such as TPB, TAM, and Risk-Benefit Concept, which they used successfully in many countries to investigate energy-related topics. This study aims to scrutinize the social acceptance of nuclear energy generation among Y and Z generation Hungarian residents to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that could support the acceptance and promotion of the technology. For this purpose, a unique theoretical framework has been developed (by mixing the above-mentioned behavioral and technology acceptance models) and tested via survey method, where the gathered data has confirmed the importance of the influencing factors of the model.

Business Control System on Performance of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State Nigeria

Yinusa Olawale, Ebenezer Oluwadamilare Balogun — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0200

Nigeria's unfledged physical as well as social infrastructure has hampered SMEs growth of the country. Many small and medium-sized businesses supply their own basic infrastructure; those that cannot do so are forced out of business or rely on inefficiently provided public infrastructure. As a result, this study investigates the influence of a business control system on SMEs performance in the Ilorin metropolitan area. The study specifically; (i) investigate the influence of cultural control on SMEs sustainability in Kwara State; and (ii) investigate the impact of administrative control on SMEs growth in Kwara. Descriptive design was used. A straightforward random sample strategy was used to get the study's data. 278 of the 313 questionnaires that were given to the chosen SME owners or managers were completely filled out, recovered, and utilized in this investigation. The data gathered was experimentally and statistically assessed using descriptive as well as inferential statistics, and the hypotheses were tested using Statistical Products and Services Solutions (SPSS) version 23. Findings revealed administrative control variables have a substantial influence on SMEs' development (Belief [β=.360, p=.000], Values [β=.214, p=.000], and Norms [β=.494, p=.000]; with overall R² of 86.5%,) and cultural control has a considerable impact on SMEs' sustainability (Organizational structure control [β=.189, p=.000], Vision/Mission Control [β=.218, p=.000], and Governance System Control [β=.491, p=.000]; with overall R² of 82.6%). The study indicated that business control systems had a beneficial impact on the performance of SMEs. It was suggested, among other things, that SME owners use cultural control in their enterprises to guarantee that their employees share the same perspective and focus, norms, and values as the organization's aims, since this contributes to the sustainability of SMEs.