Purpose: This paper aims to match subjective and objective measures of organizational innovativeness and test correlative relationship between the two.

Methodology: The research adopts a quantitative approach, and applies correlation analysis to identify interdependencies. The study has been done in the aviation industry, as organizational innovativeness has so far been described especially in high-tech industries – however it has not been investigated within aviation industry yet.

Findings: The results show that the discussions over reliability of research based on subjective measurements techniques are not unfounded. The evidence suggests that subjective measures are not correlated with objective measures, and the outcomes of third-party investigations differ considerably. Therefore decisions about measurements techniques should be deliberate, thought out, theoretically grounded and justifi ed. In general, methodological recommendations provided by this paper could be boiled down to the ascertainment that accurate and reliable assessment of organizational innovativeness should use a set of objective measures addressing all stages of the innovation process.

Originality: It should be noted that this study was restricted to only one industry and prone to some common bias. The aviation industry sample was relatively small and purposefully selected, disallowing conclusive statements made outside of this empirical setting. However despite the limitations this paper provides some signifi cant contribution to evaluation and research on innovativeness. It compares two approaches to measurement and empirically proves which approach is more suitable in case of such a highly innovation-intensive sector like aviation. Moreover, it introduces a new in Polish research tool for subjective assessment of organizational innovativeness namely the questionnaire developed by Wang and Ahmed (2004).

Purpose: The aims of the completed studies were: (1) systematization of perceived positive and negative changes in consumers’ self-image due to the usage of service brands and (2) development of multidimensional tool to measure these changes.

Methodology: To accomplish these aims qualitative and quantitative studies were held. In the qualitative study, total number of 318 people aged between 13 and 82 (M = 37,64, SD = 16,69; 47,2% women) were examined by individual interview method, which led to collection of a set of positive (benefi ts) and negative (loses) changes in self-image due to the usage of service brands. This set was later minutely categorized. Based on the results of the
categorization, a questionnaire in form of semantic differential was elaborated.

Findings: An analysis of the study results led to identifi cation of 9 dimensions of perceived changes in self-image due to the use of service brands. Based on the results, a multidimensional questionnaire to measure changes in self-image was developed, which has very good psychometric indices, taking into account reliability of measure and validity of predicting service brands preference.

Practical implications: An innovative, multidimensional tool, useful in practical service brand management was developed. The identified dimensions of perceived changes in consumers’ self-image can make a practical hint of what should be followed in marketing communication.

Originality: The results of the study and the developed scales are breaking a long-time deadlock in the theory and methodology of research into relations between self and the brand.

Purpose: The paper presents results of research on determinants of selection of the moment of starting running own business.

Methodology: The method of questionnaire research (partial) was used in the paper. 60 students of full-time studies in Poland, who were selected at random, took part in the research. The research constitute continuation of the researches on entrepreneurship conducted by the SES students of full time studies at the University in Szczecin since 2003.
Data obtained from presented research were compared in the paper with international material, which was collected in the previous editions (obtained from the Lithuanian, Latvian, Russian, Ukrainian and Hungarian students).

Conclusions: Results of the conducted research let positively verify the hypothesis that actual tendency of individuals to set up own business appears after few years of professional career – what explains quite substantial disproportion between percentage of people declaring willingness for setting up own business and actual percentage of self-employed in the working population. Preferences concerning this scope have infl uence on shaping the level of self-employment in a given country.

Practical implications: The material contained in the paper can be useful for appropriate public services, which deal with support of development of self-entrepreneurship of citizens, because of the fact of paying attention to analyzed relationships.

Originality: The results of presented research constitute an attempt of filling the gaps, which occur in the literature of subject concerning entrepreneurship. There are not papers concentrating on the issues of factors determining moment of choice of setting up one’s own business.

Methodology: The paper discusses major issues with references to existing literature and real business cases from S&P500 consumer discretionary sector.

Findings: The main fi nding of this paper is that CSRS could provide the company with a competitive advantage as a growing number of consumers become more sustainable conscious. It could also help to overcome the increasing consumers’ skepticism towards corporate social responsibility practices. Finally, it can also be seen as a step forward in defi ning what types of corporate activities are associated with desirable social and environmental gains.

Research limitations: Our sample was restricted to the U.S. fi rms from the consumer discretionary sector. Therefore, conclusions should not be generalized to other markets. Our study is based on the analysis of environmental and social responsibility statements and assumes that they accurately represent corporate commitment in majority of the cases.

Practical implications: CSRS offers corporations the opportunity to use their unique skills, culture, values, resources, and management capabilities to lead social progress by making sustainability part of its internal corporate logic.

Originality: The paper raises the importance of the different conditions necessary for making sustainable development concept an important part of corporate strategy.

Purpose: In the past several decades of Islamic banking and fi nance (IBF) activity in many countries, notable literature on this topic has been produced all over the world. By analyzing this IBF literature, this study investigates and highlights some ignored aspects of IBF activities.

Methodology: Academic IBF literature includes defending the plausibility of IBF as a part of Islamic economics; theoretical analysis regarding some advantages of IBF compared with conventional systems, suggesting some methods for performing IBF; and concentration on introducing fi nancial instruments and innovations in Islamic fi nancial markets. After reviewing them, they are classifi ed as high ranking journal papers and graduate dissertations that were written on Islamic economics in I.R. Iran during the past three decades. Then they are analyzed via analytical methods and descriptive statistics to investigate the ignored aspects of IBF.

Findings: Through this systemic study of Islamic banking, real and not skeletal adaptation of Islamic contracts, Islamic goals of Islamic economy, Islamic and ethical values, and justice and poverty reduction are some of the more important neglected aspects in IBF activities.
Research Implications: Focusing on these areas in future research could improve the
performance of IBF as part of the Islamic economic system and guide IBF activities to the real nature of Islam (Islamicity).

Originality: Besides reviewing and classifying the academic literature on IBF, the study is unique in focusing on the neglected aspects of IBF because it is very important and infl uential to distinguish IBF from non-IBF activities.