Purpose: Although social capital and positive reputation in organizations are essential for career success, there is a limited perspective in the literature on the political characteristics (motivation and ability) that enable one to acquire and develop the two elements. This study seeks to investigate the sequential role of political skill and network resources as serial mediators of the political will–personal reputation relationship.

Methodology: In total, what provided data for the study were 457 sales executives from 13 different sectors in the cities of İstanbul, Kocaeli, and Bursa, which is an economically leading region of western Turkey. Executives rated their political will, political skill network resources, and personal reputation. Based on the complementary theories of political influence, social network, and signaling, we analyzed the relationships between constructs with structural equation modeling.

Findings: Political skill mediated the relationship between political will and network resources,
network resources mediated the relationship between political skill and personal reputation, while political skill and network resources sequentially mediated the relationship between political will and personal reputation.

Implications: The data were collected from a single source.

Practical Implications: Political will, political skill training, and social networks may help individuals manage their personal reputation at work, thus benefiting their careers.

Originality/Value: This is one of the first studies to sequentially investigate how individuals’ characteristics (motivation and ability) develop their social network and personal reputation at work. Moreover, theories of political influence, social capital, and signaling were jointly used for the first time ever.

Purpose: The purpose of the research was to find out the correlation between the motivation and costs of internal or external locus of control and the propensity to mentor. Investment of time and per sonal energy was regarded as factors with an internal locus of control, whereas a lack of mentee’s achievement, problems caused by a mentee, unhealthy or unfriendly relation, and a risk to be replaced by a mentee were regarded as factors with an external locus of control. In the case of internal factors, their locus of control is the mentor him/herself while, in external factors, their locus is outside of the mentor and lies in a situation or an environment.

Methodology: A quantitative cross-sectional study among Polish managers.

Findings: First, the results show that uniquely intrinsic motivation relates to the propensity to men tor, while extrinsic motivation has no importance. Second, before deciding to mentor, managers estimate the costs of mentoring: the higher they are the lower the propensity to mentor. Third, the costs related to the internal locus of control – time and personal energy invested by a mentor in men toring – are most important when deciding to mentor. The risk of destroying a mentor’s reputation, problems caused by a mentee, unfriendly or unhealthy relationship and a risk to be replaced by a mentee emerged as of little importance. Fourth, previous experience as a mentor or mentee positi vely influences the propensity to mentor.

Value: The study contributes to existing research, theory, and practice in the field of organizational behavior in the context of mentoring. The findings shed light on decision patterns in managers’ pro pensity to mentor and thoroughly explore the role of the anticipated cost of mentoring.

Purpose: The willingness of consumers to engage in co-creation activities is affected by multiple factors, including intrinsic motivation, firm-level factors, and expected outcomes of the participation in co-creation process. However, the final decision of customer engagement in co-creation is determined by the level of brand attachment and love experienced by customers, product category, and the type of needs satisfied with the object of co-creation. The current research proposes a holistic view of the abovementioned factors and variables by exploring their relationships and mutual influence.

Methodology: This study analyzes the results of qualitative research on the dynamics between positive client attitude toward a brand and the willingness to engage in co-creation activities.

Results/Findings: The study reveals that the willingness to engage in co-creation activities is strongly related to the level of brand attachment except for when people conduct such activities to experience the process itself. The level of customer satisfaction from participation in co-creation processes influences their future sense of brand love and attachment. Moreover, the way and strength of customer engagement in co-creative projects are affected by the product category. The authors especially stress the importance of a strategic approach toward designing and implementing co-creation projects and the key role of appropriate communication with participants.

Purpose: This paper examines the consumers’ acceptance and usage of technology, which is an important and widely discussed topic. The aim is to explore the impact of moderators (gender, age, experience in using mobile Internet technologies) and trust towards one’s intention to use a mobile phone for purchases (to acquire goods).

Methodology: Empirical research was conducted among Warsaw students with the use of the UTAUT2 model (Unifed Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology), extended so as to encompass the concept of trust. Data was analysed using partial least squares path modelling (PLS-SEM) and the SmartPLS 3 programme. The multi-group analysis was employed (PLS-MGA) to measure the impact of moderating variables.

Findings: Research results indicate that trust has no signifcant impact on one’s intention to use a mobile phone for purchases. Gender is an important moderator of the relationship between the independent variable of price value and the independent variable of habit with the dependent variable of the intention to use a mobile phone for purchases. Age is an important moderator in the relationship between the independent variable of hedonic motivation and the independent variable of habit with the dependent variable of the intention to use a mobile phone for purchases. Experience is not an important moderator of any relationship specifed in the hypotheses.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to examine the motivational factors of propensity to be a mentor by managers in a formal mentoring in organisations. The author addresses the importance of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations and examines their relation to the propensity to mentor. The second objective was to critically analyse whether managers deciding to mentor do so for egoistic or altruistic reasons – for self-benefts or others’ benefts. The third task concentrates on the role of extrinsic motivational factors, especially additional remuneration on the propensity to mentor.

Methodology: For this study, the author applied quantitative research among Polish managers working in medium and large size organisations. The author examines the correlation between dependent and independent variables and addresses the impact of control variables as moderators.

Findings: First, the results support managers’ high propensity to mentor in a formal mentoring programme. Second, the study fnds that intrinsic motivation was the salient factor taken into consideration in the propensity to mentor, whereas extrinsic motivation exerted very little influence. Third, the study confrms a pattern of motivational pluralism based on the fact that both kinds of intrinsic motivators in the propensity to mentor – for the beneft of oneself or others – appear equally signifcant. Fourth, the research fnds that additional remuneration does not motivate managers to mentor. No moderation effects of age, gender, kind of organisation and carrier level on the propensity to mentor were observed.

Research implications: The confrmation of Polish managers’ high propensity to mentor contradicts conventional wisdom in some organisations that managers overloaded with work are unwilling to mentor. The fnding that managers want to be mentors may encourage organisations to implement mentoring programmes without fear of a shortage of prospective mentors. Based on observed behaviour and the importance of motivational factors, this study delivers valuable guidelines on the recruitment and selection of mentors for HR departments. The results that managers exclusively follow intrinsic motivation in the propensity to mentor should be considered in designing the methodology of mentors’ selection.

Purpose: This study investigates the benefits of being perceived as a socially responsible company. The main purpose of the research was to find out whether company managers consider that certain aspects of company activity may benefit from being perceived as socially responsible. Research limitations: The primary source of data used in this study was a survey of respondents’ views and opinions rather than an analysis of extensive numerical data.

Methodology: The research methods included a literature review and a survey conducted in several Polish companies regarded as socially responsible. The so-called RESPECT Index, including socially responsible companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange Main List, as well as annual rankings of responsible companies were used as a kind of reputation database for choosing survey respondents.

Findings: The most important benefits indicated by the respondents included better frm image/reputation, improved relations with stakeholders, increased employee motivation, better communication inside the company, as well as more effective management and control over new aspects not considered before. Additionally, the identified benefits were analyzed using different criteria, such as the size of the company or its feld of activity.

Originality: The problem analyzed in this study is important, yet it is still not a suffciently examined issue in many emerging markets including Poland. As benefits taken into consideration in the survey are also valid for other financial markets, the results can be used for comparative studies of Poland and other countries.

Purpose: This study is a contribution to the validation of the Motivation to Lead (MTL) scale proposed by Chan and Drasgow (2001) in order to measure three types of motivation to be a leader: affective, social-normative and calculative. This research examines the psychometrical properties of the MTL scale in the Estonian context.

Design/methodology/approach: The sample of 517 military and non-military individuals from the Estonian Defence Forces, Estonian Police and students from Tallinn University participated in the study. The original MTL scale was expanded by with the addition of ideological and patriotic dimensions proposed by Amit and colleagues (2007). The factorial structure of the MTL Scale was analysed by using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (respectively N = 170 and N = 347).

Findings: The results confirmed that both three- and five-component MTL scales are applicable in the Estonian context; the pool of 35 items was reduced into 25 items with good internal reliability. Moreover, the results showed correlations between leadership self-efficacy and MTL components, and differences between leaders’ and non-leaders’ MTL. The results indicate that the MTL scale can be a reliable and useful instrument to measure leadership motivation in the Estonian military context.

Originality/value: This study is the first to adapt the MTL scale to the Estonian context. In addition, it examines the validity of ideological and patriotic MTL as part of the general MTL construct outside of the Israeli samples.

Purpose: The article presents the results of research concerning the influence of motives
for choosing a career on the level of work motivation in teaching profession.

Methodology: A survey was conducted among a sample of 111 teachers from 53 schools
located in Mazovian voivodeship. The subject of analysis focused on teachers’
satisfaction from choosing this profession and their level of job satisfaction. The
survey was carried out in 4 groups of teachers characterized by a different motive for
choosing their career.

Findings: The results obtained in the abovementioned survey corroborated the hypothesis
stating that teachers’ desire to do their job (intrinsic motivation) is related to
the effectiveness of motivational systems that do not involve financial rewards.

Practical implications: The results showed by the study can be put into practice
when designing motivational systems for teachers, as well as planning and implementing
recruiting process in case of this occupational group.

Originality: The presented study and its results serve as an attempt to cover the gap
that exists in literature devoted to management. There is a lack of publications that
would showcase empirical evidence proving the significance of intrinsic motivation
in work at school in the context of the effectiveness of teachers’ motivational processes.

Cel: w artykule podjęto próbę eksploracji niektórych związków między teoretycznymi terminami motywacyjnej teorii oczekiwań pracowniczych a oficjalnymi danymi statystyk ekonomicznych.

Metodologia: szeregi czasowe decylowych wskaźników nominalnych i realnych plac w Polsce
przeanalizowano w sposób podobny do regresji kwantylowej.

Wnioski: wszystkie decylowe wskaźniki płac nominalnych rosną, ale ich realne wartości
rosną tylko dla najwyższych z nich, przy niemal niezmienionych poziomach pozostałych
wskaźników realnych w latach 1992–2008.

Ograniczenia badawcze/konsekwencje: opisane efekty jako warunki konieczne dla wystąpienia iluzji pieniądza prawdopodobnie mogą kształtować subiektywne oczekiwania w różny sposób nie tylko dla płac nominalnych i realnych, ale także odmiennie dla płac wysokich niż dla płac niskich.

Oryginalność: w przeszukanej literaturze nie znaleziono analizy tego typu.