Purpose: The purpose of this article is to identify what are the cause-effect patterns of how company actions influence value drivers in Polish frms.

Method: The method used in the study consists of (1) the generation of informant reports (stories) about what actions performed in their frms influenced the value drivers and (2) the identifcation of the repeating (replicating) patterns of such influence.

Results: The study identifes fve actions that reduce the unproductive time of participants of business processes and three actions influencing new product introductions or modifcations.

Managerial implications: Managers should (1) use standardization and automation, delegation of secondary activities, and trainings in teamwork to reduce unproductive time, more quickly fulfll contracts (with current products), and influence four fnancial value drivers. Moreover, they should (2) gather knowledge about the alternative ways of thinking about particular problems and (3) use personal participation of knowledge possessor’s teams in clients’ problem-solving places.

Limitations and future research: The author identifes fve limitations of the performed study and formulates relevant suggestions for future research.

Originality/value: The study contributes to management theory by (1) clarifying conceptual relations between the actions of frms (causes) and value drivers (effects) and (2) analyzing the manager reports about the real business value-creation processes.

Purpose: Empirical research on entrepreneurship in organizations has brought disparate and often
contradictory evidence related to the impact of leadership on creativity in organizations. The purpose
of this paper is to explore and discuss the impact of different leadership styles on creativity,
with the view to formulating an integrated conceptual model that links creative novelty and creative
practicality with leadership.

Methodology: The author applied the methodology of meta-theoretical review. In accordance with
the principles of theoretical bricolage, a new conceptual model was built on the basis of the multidimensional
creativity theory and the leadership theory. In her analysis, the author took into
account leadership styles that have already been subject to research; each of them was mapped in
the two-dimensional space of organizational creativity.

Findings: In order to fully understand the reasons for differences in organizational creativity, the
drivers of divergences in the space of creative novelty and creative practicality need to be clarified.
Greater knowledge about the impact of leadership styles on the structure and configuration of
organizational creativity is necessary. In this paper, the author provides a theoretical framework
that illustrates manners in which leadership influences organizational creativity. The model clarifies
the role that leadership plays in shaping a unique configuration of organizational creativity,
and consequently in ensuring the necessary internal adaptation of an organization.

Originality: The value of this research lies in the situational interpretation of various leadership
styles in the context of their impact on organizational creativity. The analysis goes beyond the
conventional discussion about leadership and creativity, focused on establishing whether a given
leadership style proves beneficial or not for organizational creativity. The paper identifies particular
effects that several key leadership styles have on organizational creativity; they are depicted in
a new theoretical framework.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to answer the following question: what concepts should be used to explain how marketing contributes to value creation in business-to-business (B2B) relations?

Methodology: The method consists of: (1) using net present value (NPV) as a goal of B2B purchasing decisions and (2) analysing the supplier’s controlling system to differentiate between value drivers and value causes.

Findings: A conceptual framework of B2B value creation has been proposed. NPV-related product description is the main concept in the framework.

Originality: The study contributes to the B2B marketing theory by increasing the clarity of conceptual foundations by (1) proposing the NPV-relevant product description and (2) making a distinction between value drivers and causes of value.

Purpose: The aim of the study is to analyse marketing challenges facing Polish public universities. Polish universities must urgently adjust their educational offers to deep declines in internal demand and to increased internationalisation of the educational market. The author explores the impact of management decentralisation in faculties of higher education institutions upon their market orientation, relationships with the external world and commercialisation of educational services targeting foreign students.

Methodology: The study is based mostly on direct observations and an extensive review of international literature devoted to the model of the university of the future and its relationships with the environment. The author has been lecturing on marketing for many years; he also manages educational business programmes at a large public university in Poland where he acts in the capacity of a dean.

Findings: Future universities should develop an array of services based on the relationship marketing with key strategic partners (business, local authorities, students and graduates). The idea of a modern educational service should be based on an individual approach to students expanded with complementary services. Educational services should be developed interactively in cooperation with key stakeholders.

Practical implications: Polish public universities should become more marketing oriented and develop a set of commercial educational services addressed to foreign students and to entrepreneurial and internationally-oriented Polish students.

Originality/value: Conclusions formulated by the author result from his long personal experience and knowledge of the specifi city of the educational market in Poland and across the world and his experience in managing an interdisciplinary faculty of a large public university. The interdisciplinary approach to the subject combines elements of the relationship marketing and interactive development of new educational services.