Research

Sustainable HRM and Future of Work

In the context of current rapid economic, geopolitical, social, and technological changes, sustainable HRM and adapting to new work environment play a critical role in fostering economic and social development. ISM researchers were among the first scholars to engage in research in this domain and have made substantial contributions to it, such as a paper by Goštautaitė, Kazlauskaitė, Bučiūnienė et al. on corporate benefits of employing persons with disabilities published in Academy of Management Journal (FT list, AJG 4*), a paper by Goštautaitė et al. on workforce aging in Personnel Psychology (AJG 4*), etc.

Future research will focus on such subthemes as human capital sustainability (Bučiūnienė & Yerlitas), employability across life-span and career sustainability (Goštautaitė & Liubertė), caring for employee wellbeing (Kazlauskaitė, Poškutė, Goštautaitė), employment of persons with disability (Bučiūnienė & Lolat), employee volunteering and engagement in NGO activities (Bučiūnienė, Petreikienė, Pranaitytė), HR practice and culture developments in the new work environment (Kazlauskaitė & Jonynienė).

Environmental Effects on Wellbeing and Performance

Built environment plays a relevant role in sustaining employee and public health, wellbeing and performance, building stronger organizations and healthier communities, and protecting the natural environment. ISM researchers have contributed to the attainment of these goals through studies of such sub-themes as physical office environment effects on occupational wellbeing, nature effects on public and individual health, food consumption and cognitive performance. Research output under this theme includes a systemic literature review of office environment effects on occupational wellbeing by Kazlauskaitė, Augutytė-Kvedaravičienė et al. published in International Journal of Management Reviews (AJG 3) and a series of papers by Joye on nature effects.

Future research will continue focusing on environmental effects on public and employee health (Joye & Lisauskienė), ethical behaviour (Joye & Muravjovas), and employee well-being and performance (Kazlauskaitė & Augutytė-Kvedaravičienė).

The Effects of Emerging Technologies on the Nature of Work

Emerging technologies (ET) require business model and system reconfiguration. ET adoption is supposed to boost efficiency and economic performance, but it often backfires. Researchers (Bučiūnienė, Goštautaitė, Liubertė, Remeikienė, Qureshi) have examined ET effects (e.g. robotics, IT, 3D printing), organizational challenges of ET adoption and neutralizing of its negative effect on employee well-being, ET adaptability, and the role of HRM in ET adoption. The findings have been presented at top conferences, and papers are in the review process in Organization Studies (FT list, AJG 4*), Academy of Management Discoveries (AJG 3), The International Journal of Human Resource Management (AJG 3).

Future research will investigate implementation and outcomes of AI, robotics, 3D printing, and other technologies in health care (robotic surgery), manufacturing, construction, education, etc., and human-ET interaction.

AI Methodologies for Data Management and Decision-Making

ISM is rapidly expanding research under this theme. Akstinaitė, with the world's top scholars in this field, leads this theme. Akstinaitė and Sadler Smith's paper on advanced management research methodologies using computational linguistics and machine learning won the Best Paper Award in Research Methods SIG at 2022 British Academy of Management conference.

Articles based on AI and machine learning methods have been published in top journals such as Journal of Business Ethics (FT-50 list, AJG 4*), Human Resource Management Journal (4* AJG), British Journal of Management (AJG 4), etc. Miniotaitė et al. project "The use of AI and machine learning solutions for the development of a human resources search, selection, and evaluation platform" applies AI research to management practice.

ISM researchers will continue to expand their research using advanced AI-related methods such as machine learning and computational linguistics. These techniques will be applied in a variety of research settings and contexts. To further strengthen the expertise of ISM researchers in this area, a course on "Using AI/Machine Learning in Research" will be organized in June 2023, which will be taught by Vlachos from University of Lausanne, a renowned expert in the field.

The role of AI in Leadership

A number of leadership and AI-related studies have been conducted at ISM. Akstinaitė et al. used computational linguistics and machine learning to study leadership hubris. Their findings were published in Organization & Environment (AJG 3). Some ongoing and upcoming studies under this theme will use cutting-edge technology, i.e. deep neural networks, to develop an algorithm for measuring leadership-related abilities at-a-distance, from one’s speech. This research will be conducted by Akstinaitė in collaboration with the world’s leading leadership researcher Antonakis, University of Lausanne (h-index=53). ISM scholars will also seek to contribute to a better understanding of new leadership theories, such as Industry 4.0 leadership, horizontal leadership, virtual leadership, etc.

Leadership and Organizing in the Era of Remote Work

ISM researchers also address leadership and organizing issues in the changing work environment through studies in the context of remote work. Nakrošienė, Bučiūnienė & Goštautaitė were among the first scholars to study remote work. Their paper published in International Journal of Manpower (AJG 2) falls under top 10% most cited works in management. Bučiūnienė & Kazlauskaitė study macro and mezzo-level factors affecting remote work across Europe (forthcoming chapter to be published in Routledge Innovation and Technology Horizons book series). A recent Nordforsk-funded project (2023-2026) will study leadership in the under-researched hybrid work context. Moreover, this 4-year study is to be conducted across three countries: Lithuania, Norway and Sweden.

Facilitating Value Creation and Leadership in Different Contexts

ISM researchers address various value co-creation and leadership topics in different contexts. Value co-creation is studied in the field of education, where Auruškevičienė, Misiūnas, Židonis, Šidlauskienė and Survilaitė study citizen involvement in the co-creation of secondary education services. Alonderienė, Chmieliauskas, Pilkienė, Šimkonis et al. investigate value co-creation via project network governance.

Leadership topics are explored in different contexts too. Alonderienė, Chmieliauskas, Pilkienė, and Šimkonis study horizontal leadership in projects. They have published their research in IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management (AJG 3) and Production Planning & Control (AJG 3). Further, Akstinaitė in collaboration with Sadler-Smith investigated leadership complexities at challenging times, including COVID-19 (Leadership, AJG 2). Minelgaitė & Škudienė (2018) focused on leadership in business in Lithuania and global institutions. Jaškienė & Bučiūnienė explored academic leadership. Ryazanova & Jaškienė provided evidence-based advice for academic leaders on research management (Research Policy, FT, AJG 4*).

Promoting Health and Sustainable Consumption

Promotion of consumer health and sustainable consumption are highly important aspects of sustainable development contributing to the reduction of negative environmental and social externalities and development of sustainable product markets. ISM researchers have contributed to this research domain by investigating novel approaches to helping consumers make more sustainable decisions and encouraging healthy lifestyles and studying consumer attitude formation to health-related behaviour and responsible consumption. Research output under this theme includes publications in top journals: e.g., a paper by Joye, Gineikienė et al. on ego depletion in Psychological Science (AJG 4*), papers by Gineikienė, Barauskaitė et al. on stress and disease threat effects on consumer decision-making in International Journal of Research in Marketing (AJG 4), Personality and Individual Differences (AJG 3), Psychology & Marketing (AJG 3), etc.

Future research will continue addressing sub-themes of responsible consumer behaviour and sustainable consumption, circular consumption, health-related consumer decision-making and habit change (Joye, Barauskaitė, Uždavinytė, Kaminskienė).

Consumer Responses to AI and Digitalization

ISM scholars are studying consumer motivation for AI marketing. Auruškevičienė, Lekavičiūtė & Šidlauskienė are investigating how AI, including the use of intelligent agents and in-app voice assistance, affects consumer behaviour, while Aubel & Joye are studying robot anthropomorphism effects on consumer risk behaviour. These studies were presented at prestigious conferences like Academy of Management, American Marketing Association, Society for Consumer Psychology, Academy of Marketing Science, etc. Findings of this research were also published in high-quality academic journals, which highlights their significance and quality.

ET-related consumer behaviour and specifically the impact of digitalization and AI on consumer experiences will be further explored at ISM.

Micro and Macroeconomic Determinants of Growth and Sustainable Development

ISM researchers are studying how monetary and fiscal policies affect sustainable growth and social development. In papers published in Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics (AJG 1) and The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance (AJG 2), Žukauskas examined the effects of monetary policy on financial asset prices. Barauskaitė-Griškevičienė & Nguyen's research in Empirical Economics (AJG 2), Economic Modelling (AJG 2), and International Journal of Finance and Economics (AJG 3) examined aggregate economic fluctuations and direct and indirect network effects. Klimavičienė et al. examined how foreign direct investment affects economic growth. Poškutė's Horizon 2020-funded research on social effects of demographic changes also addressed sustainability. Žemaitis et al. examined how electricity consumption affects different industries.

Future research will investigate industry and economic performance determinants and strategies for sustainable economic growth and social equity.

Financial Economics, Financial Technologies and Sustainability

Financial institutions and markets are shaped by economics, technology, and sustainability. Kaminskas, Šarapovas, Kušlys, Hashimoto & Poškutė have contributed to this field by studying macro-financial issues like central bank fiscal policy communication, financial institution development, financial centres, and pension fund systems. Lisauskienė, Darškuvienė, Mariničevaitė, & Katkov examined fintech innovations and investment behavior. Darškuvienė, Pranckėnaitė, Klimavičienė, Misiūnas, Kundelis & Nasteckienė studied corporate finance and governance, including the behavioral effects of company ownership on debt and financial distress. Urban Studies (AJG 3), Futures (AJG 2), and Review of Behavioral Finance (AJG 1) have published their works.

Future research will examine robotization effects on financial investors' behavioral biases, company ownership impact on debt and financial distress, and financial performance and governance effects on sustainability.

Labour Markets, Automation and Economic Growth

ISM has investigated novel approaches to the potential impact of automation on labor markets and employment, trade-offs between economic growth and unemployment (Boyd, Huettinger, Šarapovas, Kušlys, Zirgulis), automation and occupational mobility (Christenko), taxation of robots (Huettinger, Boyd), electoral rules on public R&D (Krūminas), and the socio-economic impact of research and development. International Journal of Social Economics (AJG 1), Review of Economics and Economic Methodology, and Constitutional Political Economy (AJG 1) have published their research.
Further research on labor markets, employment, and automation will help explain conceptual issues, economic and social issues, and public policy implications of fuller automation.