Search Results (91)

Fileless malware is a type of malware that does not rely on executable files to persist or propagate. Unlike traditional file-based malware, fileless malware is more difficult to detect and remove, posing a significant threat to organizations. This paper introduces a novel hybrid analysis model that combines static and dynamic analysis techniques to identify fileless malware. Applied to four real-world and two custom-created fileless malware samples, the proposed model demonstrated its qualitative effectiveness in uncovering complex behaviors and evasion tactics, such as obfuscated macros, process injection, registry persistence, and covert network communications, which often bypass single-method analyses. While the analysis reveals the potential for significant damage to organizational reputation, resources, and operations, the paper also outlines a set of mitigation measures that cybersecurity professionals and researchers can adopt to protect users and organizations against threats posed by fileless malware. Overall, this research offers valuable insights and a novel analysis model to better address and understand fileless malware threats. Full article

The increasing pressure for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) accountability in publicly funded institutions has raised concerns about the authenticity and efficiency of ESG implementation. This study investigates the relationship between public ESG funding, disclosure quality, and organizational efficiency across Greek public and financial entities. Using a mixed-methods approach—data envelopment analysis (DEA), qualitative ESG content scoring, and bibliometric mapping—we reveal that symbolic compliance remains prevalent, often decoupled from actual sustainability outcomes. Our DEA findings show that technical efficiency is strongly associated with reporting clarity, the use of verifiable metrics, and governance integration, rather than the mere volume of funding. The qualitative analysis further confirms that many disclosures reflect reputational signaling rather than impact-oriented transparency. Bibliometric results highlight a systemic underrepresentation of the public sector in ESG scholarship, particularly in Southern Europe, underscoring the need for regionally grounded empirical studies. This study provides practical implications for improving ESG accountability in publicly funded institutions and contributes a novel approach that integrates efficiency, content, and bibliometric analysis in the ESG context. Full article

As climate change intensified water scarcity in Southern Europe, tourism-dependent regions such as Portugal’s Algarve faced growing pressure to adapt their water management systems. This study investigated how hotel groups in the Algarve have adopted and communicated water reuse technologies—specifically desalination and greywater recycling—under environmental, institutional, and reputational constraints. A comparative qualitative case study was conducted involving three hotel groups—Vila Vita Parc, Pestana Group, and Vila Galé—selected through purposive sampling based on organizational capacity and technology adoption stage. The analysis was supported by a supplementary mini-case from Mallorca, Spain. Publicly accessible documents, including sustainability reports, media coverage, and policy frameworks, were thematically coded using organizational environmental behavior theory and the OECD Principles on Water Governance. The results demonstrated that (1) higher organizational capacity was associated with greater maturity in water reuse implementation; (2) communication transparency increased alongside technological advancement; and (3) early-stage adopters encountered stronger financial, regulatory, and operational barriers. These findings culminated in the development of the Maturity–Communication–Governance (MCG) Framework, which elucidates how internal resources, stakeholder signaling, and institutional alignment influence sustainable infrastructure uptake. This research offered policy recommendations to scale water reuse in tourism through financial incentives, regulatory simplification, and public–private partnerships. The study contributed to the literature on sustainable tourism and decentralized climate adaptation, aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals 6.4, 12.6, and 13. Full article

As sustainability becomes increasingly central to organizational strategy, social economy organizations (SEOs) are rethinking their business models. This study employs stakeholder analysis using the value mapping (VM) tool developed by Short, Rana, Bocken, and Evans for the development of the VOLTO JÁ project. The objective of the VOLTO JÁ project is to operationalize a senior exchange programme between SEOs. The VM approach extends beyond conventional customer value propositions to prioritize sustainability for all stakeholders and identify key drivers of sustainable business model (SBM) innovation. The multi-stakeholder methodology comprises the following elements: (1) sequential focus groups aimed at enhancing sustainable business thinking; (2) semi-structured interviews; and (3) workshop to facilitate qualitative analysis and co-create the VM. The findings are then categorized into four value dimensions: (1) value captured—improved participant well-being, enhanced reputational capital, mitigation of social asymmetries, and affordable service experiences; (2) value lost—underused community assets; (3) value destroyed—institutional and systemic barriers to innovation; and (4) new value opportunities—knowledge sharing, service diversification, and open innovation to foster collaborative networks. The study demonstrates that the application of VM in SEOs supports SBM development by generating strategic insights, enhancing resource efficiency, and fostering the delivery of socially impactful services. Full article

Insider threats pose significant challenges to organizations, seriously endangering information security and privacy protection. These threats arise when employees with legitimate access to systems and databases misuse their privileges. Such individuals may alter, delete, or insert data into datasets, sell customer or client email addresses, leak strategic company plans, or transfer industrial and intellectual property information. These actions can severely damage a company’s reputation, result in revenue losses and loss of competitive advantage, and, in extreme cases, lead to bankruptcy. This study presents a novel solution that examines how organizational factors such as job satisfaction and security, organizational support, attachment, commitment, involvement in information security, and organizational norms influence employees’ attitudes and intentions, thereby mitigating insider threats. A key strength of this research is its integration of two foundational theories: the Social Bond Theory (SBT) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The results reveal that job satisfaction and security, affective and normative commitment, information security training, and personal norms all contribute to reducing insider threats. Furthermore, the findings indicate that employees’ attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms significantly influence their intentions to mitigate insider threats. However, organizational support and continuance commitment were not found to have a significant impact. Full article

In response to escalating societal and environmental expectations, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has evolved into a strategic imperative rather than a voluntary or peripheral activity. This study investigates the effect of employees’ CSR perceptions on job performance, with corporate reputation (CR) examined as a mediating variable. Drawing on Social Identity and Social Exchange Theories, the research explores how CSR, as an element of business innovation and sustainable organizational practices, fosters internal stakeholder engagement and performance enhancement. Data were collected from five-star hotel employees in İstanbul/Türkiye, a service sector context where customer satisfaction is highly dependent on frontline employee behavior. Using PROCESS Macro for SPSS 27, the findings reveal that CSR perceptions significantly and positively influence employee performance both directly and indirectly through the enhancement of CR. This mediating effect underscores the role of CSR not only as an ethical framework but also as an internal mechanism that strengthens employee commitment and output. The study contributes to CSR and the organizational behavior literature by empirically validating that internal CSR perceptions shape strategic outcomes such as employee performance, especially within high-contact service environments. Theoretical implications emphasize CSR’s integrative function in reputation-building and performance systems, while practical insights recommend embedding socially responsible practices into HR and internal communication strategies to achieve sustainable outcomes and societal well-being. These findings offer meaningful contributions to the scope of business innovation by linking CSR with strategic performance indicators in labor-intensive industries. Full article

In the digital age, consumer complaints have become significant indicators of operational vulnerabilities, with social media amplifying their impact. Mishandling such complaints has the potential to escalate minor issues into full-scale organizational crises, damaging brand reputation and eroding consumer trust. This study employs a case study approach to examine the Patiswiss Chocolate crisis, where a single consumer complaint led to widespread backlash, executive resignation, and boycotts. The crisis is analyzed through three key frameworks of analysis: communication, marketing, and ethics, offering a comprehensive understanding of its evolution. The findings reveal that defensive or dismissive responses exacerbate reputational damage, triggering the Streisand effect, where attempts to suppress criticism amplify its spread. Ethical concerns, including misleading corporate claims and governance issues, intensified consumer backlash. From a marketing perspective, brand trust declined as consumer activism influenced purchasing behavior and retailer decisions. This study emphasizes that organizations must adopt strategic, ethical, and consumer-centric approaches to crisis management to maintain long-term brand resilience. Full article

The automotive industry is a key driver of global economic growth. However, traditional management approaches, relying on statistical tools and continuous improvement methodologies from the 1990s, lack the agility needed to address today’s complex challenges. This study proposes the Agile Viable Model (AVM), which integrates Viable System Model (VSM), Soft Systems Methodology (SSM), and Agile Methodologies to enhance responsiveness, resilience, and strategic decision-making in quality management. Applied to the Problem Resolution Process in Quality Control, the study identified low network connectivity, confirming that the system operates under a Supercritical Regime, limiting efficiency. Analyst involved and his leader emerged as critical nodes, with 68% of interactions being conflictual, revealing the need for improved communication and collaboration. To address these challenges, agile tools such as virtual boards, product logs, and daily meetings were integrated, optimizing process flexibility. CATWOE analysis facilitated the development of conceptual models aligned with organizational objectives. The Problem Resolution Process is vital both pre- and post-sale, influencing customer satisfaction and warranty costs. Strengthening connectivity and collaboration will lead to faster problem resolution, reduced costs, and enhanced reputation. The AVM offers a structured yet adaptive solution, improving operational efficiency and decision-making in automotive quality management. Full article

Improving green behaviors has become an essential strategy for organizations due to its significant impact on organizational reputation, competitiveness, and performance. However, there is still a lack of understanding of how managers perceive green innovation practices in emerging economies. Therefore, this study examines whether managers are motivated, or deem it an ethical responsibility, or have social pressure, to improve green behaviors in organizations and how behavioral strategic control moderates these relationships. Based on data from 236 Chinese firms, our results indicate that top management motivation, ethical responsibility, and social pressure significantly enhance green behaviors within organizations. However, contrary to our expectations, we found that behavioral control strategies negatively moderate the relationship between top management support and green behaviors. Moreover, behavioral control strategies do not moderate the relationship between ethical responsibility and green behaviors. Interestingly, our findings reveal that behavioral control strategies significantly strengthen the relationship between social pressure and green behaviors in Chinese organizations. Based on these findings, we recommend that organizations maintain a balance between behavioral control strategies and green behaviors to ensure that managers effectively contribute to sustainable practices. Full article

Cybersecurity is critical for mitigating the economic and reputational impacts of cyberattacks. To address these risks, frameworks like the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (NIST CSF) provide standardized guidelines for managing and reducing cybersecurity threats. This paper presents a maturity assessment approach aligned with the NIST CSF, incorporating a dual-survey methodology. The first survey engages cybersecurity experts to calibrate question importance, while the second targets organizations across management, IT staff, and other roles. The approach employs algorithms to deliver consistent evaluations and facilitate cross-organization comparisons. Results from case studies illustrate cybersecurity maturity levels for each NIST CSF function and highlight priority controls for enhancing organizational cybersecurity. Full article

In construction, a large focus is placed on preventative safety measures to help mitigate workplace hazards. Traditionally, less focus is placed on communication strategies that address organizational risks should a major safety failure occur. Organizations can be exposed to financial, legal, and reputational risks following worksite fatalities. A crisis communication plan that considers incident attribution, organizational continuity, internal and external stakeholders, and messaging for short-term and long-term communications can help manage those risks. This study aimed to identify the extent that safety failures impact the financial, legal, and reputational aspects of a construction organization and the role of crisis communication planning in mitigating those risks. Through a survey of industry leaders, the perception of organizational impact was measured and compared to previous research. The results of this study indicate financial burdens are perceived as the most significant impact on organizations compared to legal and reputational consequences. The findings also show leaders agree crisis communication plans are useful in mitigating organizational risk. However, the results of this study highlighted numerous contradictions within the previous literature, which are areas for further education in the construction industry. To improve crisis management and communication planning, impacts of worksite fatalities should further evaluate indirect costs, legal repercussions, and the effects of stakeholder attribution on organizational reputation. There should be increased education on the purpose and functionality of crisis communication plans and a broader focus on response methods throughout the life cycle of a crisis to help mitigate organizational risks. Full article

This study proposes that MNCs might withdraw from the CSR concept to gain tangible benefits, like improved corporate financial performance (CFP), and intangible benefits, such as reputational capital (RC). This represents a paradigm shift from the philanthropic end of the spectrum to the strategic win–win side, where all investments are expected to yield a return. Being tacit, quests for reputational returns are discussed in terms of corporate social performance (CSP) with its currency being RC (an intangible asset). However, this requires a deep understanding of the CSP concept and ‘good management’. This study argues that CSR will change trajectory based on three facets. First, we argue for the replacement of CSR by CSP, where ESG becomes ‘business as usual’. Second, regulatory categories (voluntary or legislated) will merge. Third, ethics endorsing ‘good management’ will alter executive mindsets, making CSP deeply embedded in corporate behavior. Organizational behavior towards CSP must, therefore, be sincere yet not embedded overwhelmingly. We extend previous discussions regarding the relationship between CSP and CFP, who present robust evidence that (1) absent CSR embedment has no/neutral CSP and CFP effect; (2) inadequate CSR yields negative CSP and CFP; and (3) productive CSR positively affects CSP and CFP. Consequently, this study argues that (4) strategic CSR (SCSR) maximizes positive CSP and that (5) excessive CSR is detrimental, yielding negative effects on both CSP and CFP. This study, therefore, conjectures the existence of a ‘sweet spot’, where SCSR optimizes CSP and CFP outcomes. The contributions address ESG engagement as a ‘sweet spot’ concept and provide a model enabling SCSR discussion, CSP evaluations, and an implementation framework for its achievement. The framework gives executives a toolbox to influence their stakeholders toward improved CFP. Therefore, our perspective supports CSP embedment, enabling firms to address business growth and sustainability requirements. Full article

Insider threats pose a significant challenge to organizational cybersecurity, often leading to catastrophic financial and reputational damages. Traditional tools such as firewalls and antivirus systems lack the sophistication needed to detect and mitigate these threats in real time. This paper introduces a machine learning-based system that integrates real-time anomaly detection with dynamic user profiling, enabling the classification of employees into categories of low, medium, and high risk. The system was validated using a synthetic dataset, achieving exceptional accuracy across machine learning models, with XGBoost emerging as the most effective. Full article

There is no doubt that leadership is one of the most researched and disseminated topics in recent years, and over time, some distinguished models have developed a solid foundation and a reputable structure. From this perspective, this study analyzes the evidence of validity and reliability of a scale that assesses leadership styles in non-profit institutions. The study had an instrumental design. The sample consisted of 272 workers from nine Latin American countries, aged between 19 and 68 years (M = 34.08 and SD = 8.61), recruited through non-probabilistic sampling. A validity and reliability analysis of the scale confirmed the nine items and three original factors (servant, empowering and shared leadership). The KMO test reached a high level (0.898 > 0.70), and the Bartlett test reached a highly significant level (Sig. = 0.000). The scale also showed good internal consistency (α = 0.918 to 0.956; CR = 0.918 to 0.957; AVE = 0.755 to 0.880). Likewise, for the Confirmatory Factor Analysis, a measurement adjustment was performed, obtaining excellent and acceptable fit indices for Model 2 (CMIN/DF = 1.794; CFI = 0.993; SRMR = 0.023; RMSEA = 0.054; Pclose = 0.369). This study provides a brief and useful tool to measure leadership styles in Latin America, as a scale used specifically for this context would allow for a more accurate and valid assessment. This is crucial for generating effective organizational interventions, fostering the development of authentic leaders, and improving the competitiveness of non-profit institutions. Full article

The purpose of this research is to investigate the organizational reputation of public organizations, along with the views and attitudes of citizens in terms of their satisfaction. More specifically, a survey was carried out with the help of a structured questionnaire, distributed to all the citizens of Serres, regarding the image they have of the services provided by the Citizen Service Center (CSC) of the municipality of Serres, who are selected as research sample. The results show a better level of satisfaction with staff and service and a moderate level with environment. Also, non-significant and significant correlations were found between specific demographic variables and certain occupational characteristics, indicating some certain demographic factors do while others do not have a significant impact on the occupational profile of employees. Regarding the factors that shape a positive reputation, it was found that the main characteristic that citizens believe that the CSC of Serres has is the efficiency of the services offered, while what lags is the lack of bureaucracy. In conclusion, the research suggests that there are areas which must be emphasized and problems to be addressed; these are the attractive facilities, the modern equipment, the full staffing of employees, and the waiting time. Full article