Eszter Lukács

57202682400

Publications - 23

Choices Based on the Self-Perception of University Applicants in their Decisions on Applying to Higher Education

Eszter Lukács Attila Miklós

Publication Name: Decision Making Applications in Management and Engineering

Publication Date: 2024-01-01

Volume: 7

Issue: 1

Page Range: 603-623

Description:

This paper investigates the role of self-concept and perceptions of academic performance in shaping university students’ choice of educational institutions, as well as the factors that influence these decisions. Various empirical studies have examined this topic, identified key determinants and reflected the aspects and expectations that students prioritize when making decisions about their academic future. In this study, we utilized scientific databases to filter through thousands of papers, ultimately selecting 225 articles that were directly related to decision-making processes in education. Out of these, we have cited 60 publications that offer significant insights relevant to our research. Moreover, we identified 20 empirical studies that specifically analyse the factors that influence students’ decision-making processes, based on data gathered through questionnaires and interviews. To further explore students' career aspirations and understand the factors influencing their choices, we focus on several key variables. These include students' self-perception, self-confidence, and personal development. We also assess how external factors, such as socioeconomic conditions, family expectations, and educational environment, may impact these decisions. By examining these elements, we aim to uncover how such influences contribute to students' educational and professional trajectories. This study seeks to clarify how diverse influences, particularly those experienced during adolescence, shape individuals’ personal growth and career pathways. In addition, it aims to identify any gaps in existing research, especially with regard to international practices and trends, thereby contributing to the broader understanding of student decision-making in higher education.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.31181/dmame7120241274

The Role of Leisure Satisfaction on Students' Engagement, among Higher Education Institutes during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Eszter Lukács Md Billal Hossain Muhammad Usman Khan Tayyaba Zia Liu Bangfan Muhammad Usman Khan

Publication Name: Acta Polytechnica Hungarica

Publication Date: 2024-01-01

Volume: 21

Issue: 12

Page Range: 221-239

Description:

This study was conducted in Pakistan during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examines the role of leisure satisfaction on student engagement, during the period of COVID-19 in higher education institutes. The purpose of the study is to examine the impact of COVID-19 on students' leisure, emotional, cognitive and behavioral engagement. This study is based on three scales: the Leisure satisfaction scale, the student engagement scale and the fear of COVID-19 pandemic scale. This is a quantitative study based on a questionnaire. The results have been drawn over SmartPLS version 4.0. Covid-19 harms Leisure satisfaction, and it also harms the emotional engagement of students. Leisure satisfaction has a positive impact on student engagement, but it has a weak negative relationship with fear of Covid-19. The fear of the COVID-19 pandemic, negatively impacts the students' leisure satisfaction and leads to increased anxiety and depression.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.12700/APH.21.12.2024.12.13

THE MEDIATING ROLE OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING IN THE RELATIONSHIP OF POVERTY PERCEPTION AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION

Hasan Tutar Eszter Lukács Selçuk Nam Jakub Jerzy Czarkowski

Publication Name: Economics and Sociology

Publication Date: 2024-01-01

Volume: 17

Issue: 2

Page Range: 194-208

Description:

A strong perception of poverty reduces the motivation to participate in social activities. Therefore, it can be argued that the perception of poverty positively affects social exclusion but that psychological well-being perceptions reflecting people's life satisfaction mediate this effect. This study investigates the mediator function of psychological well-being in the impact of poverty perception on social exclusion. This quantitative study employs the relational survey model, one of the general survey models. The data were collected from 714 university students using simple random sampling. The poverty perception scale, social exclusion scale, and psychological well-being scale were used to collect data in the research. The findings show that psychological well-being is a lever in the relationship between perceptions of poverty and social exclusion: while stronger perception of poverty parallels a more robust perception of social exclusion, a positive variable, such as psychological well-being, has an explanatory function in this relationship.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.14254/2071-789X.2024/17-2/9

Ensuring Sustainable Development in Light of Pandemic “New Normal” Influence

Halyna Mishchuk Eszter Lukács Jakub Jerzy Czarkowski Anastasiia Neverkovets

Publication Name: Sustainability Switzerland

Publication Date: 2023-09-01

Volume: 15

Issue: 18

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

The study aims to estimate the possibilities of sustainable development, ensuring and achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in light of challenges caused by the pandemic’s “new normal”. In this regard, the study employs bibliometric and empirical approaches. Based on the bibliometric analysis results, it is found that the main focus of sustainable development studies during the pandemic is on economic issues (particularly, innovations and strategic decision-making) while also addressing humanitarian problems such as ensuring health and well-being. To find the practical problems in ensuring sustainable development during the pandemic period, we used the case of Ukraine with appropriate empirical analysis at two levels. Therefore, we estimated the achievements of SDGs compared to planned indicators for 2020 (as the last report data available for this study). As a result, the low level of achievements is proven; particularly, only 20% of planned indicators are fulfilled with planned values. Moreover, the sociological research is conducted to reveal the subjective perceptions of the pandemic’s influence on the possibilities of achieving SDGs. The survey was conducted during the second pandemic wave in December 2020–January 2021, involving 416 respondents. The obtained results confirmed the ambiguous influence of the pandemic. On the one hand, the positive changes are typical for healthcare services and distance learning. However, the negative influence of the pandemic’s “new normal” on SDGs is confirmed by respondents through their concerns about the effects of the pandemic on the development of investments and agricultural technologies as well as the progress in goals, such as “Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure” and “Sustainable Cities and Communities”.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/su151813979

Sustainability Opportunities and Barriers at Universities, Development of a Sustainable University Environment

András Torma Eszter Lukács Bálint Filep Péter Németh

Publication Name: Chemical Engineering Transactions

Publication Date: 2023-01-01

Volume: 107

Issue: Unknown

Page Range: 505-510

Description:

Nowadays, one of the most crucial environmental, social, and economic questions is how to build a sustainable future for the following generations. This is a vital challenge because we live in a historical age due to the over-utilization of CO2-intensive technologies. Thanks to this practice, greenhouse gas emission is increasing yearly; biodiversity is decreasing dramatically. It is essential for our environment that universities play a leading role in the actions that can eliminate these adverse effects. This paper introduces the status of the uptake of sustainability-related issues and targets in the Higher Education (HE) sector. It emphasizes the necessity of the comparable evaluation of these activities by introducing current sustainability ranking systems. Some barriers disable the transition to a sustainable working model for universities. The paper identifies these barriers and makes suggestions for eliminating them through the example of Széchenyi István University’s practice and sustainability action plan. The main obstacles to sustainability in the HE sector incorporate budget constraints, resistance to change, lack of planning and focus, lack of applicability, and continuity of actions. The suggested sixteen action points in this paper could support the immediate change in the attitude to sustainability-related topics at operational levels. These suggestions support the attitude formation at each level of the decision-making process.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3303/CET23107085

Transparency and trust in the public sector: Target and benchmarks to ensure macroeconomic stability

Rafał Kasperowicz Inna Tiutiunyk Eszter Lukács Tetiana Vasylieva

Publication Name: Journal of International Studies

Publication Date: 2023-01-01

Volume: 16

Issue: 4

Page Range: 117-135

Description:

The article is devoted to the study of the relationship between a country's macroeconomic stability and the level of transparency and public trust in the financial sector and public authorities. Canonical analysis and structural modeling served as methodological tools of the research. The study examined the data from eight EU countries (Austria, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Czech Republic, and Italy) over the 2011-2021period. Eight indicators of public sector transparency and one indicator of the degree of public trust (Consumer Sentiment Index) were chosen to establish the relationship between the components. The results of structural modeling proved that public trust has a much greater impact on macroeconomic stability than indicators of public sector transparency. A 1-point increase in public trust leads the GDP to increase by 0.018% and the stability of the currency exchange rate – by 0.352%. Meanwhile the same effect from a 1-point increase in the level of public sector transparency amounts to 0.061% and 0.021% increases, respectively.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.14254/2071-8330.2023/16-4/8

Investigating the “Resource Curse” in China: Is it Sufficient to use the Usual Methods?

Eszter Kazinczy Eszter Lukács Norbert Kovács Katalin Völgyi Kamal Hossain Szilárd Bolla Éva Heimné Rácz Jim Hu

Publication Name: Acta Polytechnica Hungarica

Publication Date: 2023-01-01

Volume: 20

Issue: 10

Page Range: 233-252

Description:

Our article on the study of the “Resource Curse” in Chinese provinces, was written with two objectives. First, by reviewing the international and Chinese literature and analyzing the economic development of the relevant Chinese provinces, we sought to explore whether the resource curse phenomenon exists or can be demonstrated. And second, we want to draw the reader's attention to the fact that Chinese and Asian economies in general have central planning models, the main purpose of which is to define and focus on national economic development priorities. The sub-divisions of the central development plans include development targets for each region, which naturally take into account the economic performance of each province and the factors that determine it. It follows from the latter line of thinking that the economic development of the four Chinese provinces concerned (Gansu, Guizhou, Qinghai and Shanxi) cannot be interpreted in a 'piecemeal' way, based solely on the existence or otherwise of the resource curse phenomenon. In writing this article, we also wish to draw attention to this holistic, comprehensive Chinese (Asian) way of thinking.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.12700/APH.20.10.2023.10.14

The Influence of International Collaboration on the Scientific Impact in V4 Countries

Zsolt Kohus Márton Demeter Katalin Czakó Eszter Lukács László Kun Gyula Péter Szigeti

Publication Name: Publications

Publication Date: 2022-12-01

Volume: 10

Issue: 4

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

Several strategies are used by researchers and research facilities to increase their scientific production and consequent research quality. Bibliometric records show that coauthorship and the number of participating organizations in research publications are steadily increasing; however, the effect of collaboration varies across disciplines, and the corresponding author’s country appears to influence research impact. This finding inspired our research question for this study: How does international cooperation affect scientific impact, and does the affiliation of corresponding authors influence citation impact indicators at the level of individual publications? To this end, we provide a comparative evaluation of research articles published in Q1 journals among Visegrad Group countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) in Medical and Health sciences between 2017 and 2021. The study investigates the relationship between collaboration type (national vs. international) and scientific impact (impact factor of the journal and category normalized citation impact or research papers), as well as the impact of the country of the corresponding author’s affiliation on quantitative quality of individual papers. We show that Q1 research papers in international collaboration have a higher scientific impact than papers published in national partnerships. Moreover, the corresponding authors’ country of affiliation significantly affects scientific impact.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/publications10040035

AMERICAN VERSUS DOMESTIC DIGITAL COMPANIES IN THE CHINESE MARKET

Eszter Lukács Norbert Kovács Árpád Tóth Katalin Völgyi

Publication Name: Decision Making Applications in Management and Engineering

Publication Date: 2022-10-01

Volume: 5

Issue: 2

Page Range: 120-139

Description:

The digital economy has become an increasingly important part of the world economy. It is vastly concentrated in two economies, namely, the United States and China. The main aim of our study is to investigate Chinese digital companies and government policy enabling the rapid development of the country’s digital economy and the largest American digital companies’ performance in the Chinese market. Our findings show that the largest American digital companies, which are globally active players, usually have a very limited market share in different segments of the Chinese digital economy or have been forced to leave the Chinese market after a short period of operation. In the future, Chinese government policy will continue to ensure the priority role of domestic digital companies in the upgrading and structural transformation of the Chinese economy driven by services, high-tech sectors, and consumption while limiting the role of American digital companies.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.31181/dmame0305102022v

A Study of the Relation between Byline Positions of Affiliated/Non-Affiliated Authors and the Scientific Impact of European Universities in Times Higher Education World University Rankings

Zsolt Kohus Márton Demeter Katalin Czakó Eszter Lukács László Kun Gyula Péter Szigeti

Publication Name: Sustainability Switzerland

Publication Date: 2022-10-01

Volume: 14

Issue: 20

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

Universities have undergone a profound transformation to increase their competitiveness and research performance; evaluating their research output and scientific impact is therefore of great importance. This article aims to suggest an approach to analyze how the JIF quartile share of research articles differs among European universities in medical science, and how the byline positions of affiliated and non-affiliated authors can influence an article’s scientific impact. We examined the research output of universities in the Top 5 European and Visegrad Group Countries based on the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Ranking 2022 (University of Oxford, ETH Zurich, Karolinska Institute, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, KU Leuven, Semmelweis University, Jagiellonian University, Charles University Prague, and Comenius University Bratislava). We found that the share of Q1 and the less prestigious Q3 and Q4 papers are inversely proportional when plotted against the ranks of universities. Whilst the proportion of Q1 papers is higher for the Top 5 universities, this ratio decreases with a less prominent place in the ranking. The presence of non-affiliated authors in the first, last, and corresponding author byline positions has a significantly positive effect on the Category Normalized Citation Impact, correlating with the position of the university in the ranking. Moreover, the difference in the Category Normalized Citation Impact between papers with affiliated and non-affiliated authors is also specific to university rank.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/su142013074

Chinese and Indian FDI in Hungary and the role of Eastern Opening policy

Eszter Lukács Katalin Völgyi

Publication Name: Asia Europe Journal

Publication Date: 2021-06-01

Volume: 19

Issue: 2

Page Range: 167-187

Description:

The aim of this paper is to assess the main features of Chinese and Indian investments in Hungary and the role of the Hungarian Government’s Eastern Opening policy in the attraction of investments from these two Asian giants. This paper covers the sectoral distribution, modes of market entry, and motivations of Chinese and Indian foreign direct investments. The automotive sector is the most attractive sector for investors from both countries. ICT manufacturing (electronics) and services, and the renewable energy sector are also very attractive for Chinese companies. The same is true for IT/BPO services and the chemical sector in the case of Indian companies. Chinese and Indian companies enter the Hungarian economy mainly through green-field investments or acquisitions. Market-seeking and strategic asset-seeking motives are dominant in the case of investors from both countries. This paper also puts a special emphasis on studying the impacts of Hungary’s Eastern Opening policy (launched in 2012) on Chinese and Indian investments. The findings show that the Eastern Opening policy has had a significant impact on the investment decision (location choice) of new Chinese and Indian investors and further expansion of investments by Chinese and Indian companies located in Hungary due to four factors, namely high-ranking political meetings, strategic cooperation agreements, cash grants from the Hungarian Government and supportive services of HIPA.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.1007/s10308-020-00592-1

Chinese foreign direct investments in hungary from the perspective of BRI, international capacity cooperation, and made in China 2025

Eszter Lukács Katalin Völgyi

Publication Name: Contemporary Chinese Political Economy and Strategic Relations

Publication Date: 2021-04-01

Volume: 7

Issue: 1

Page Range: 413-446

Description:

This study analyses Chinese investments in Hungary from the perspective of three initiatives (Belt and Road Initiative, International Cooperation in Industrial Capacity and Equipment, and Made in China 2025) which are in line with China's "Go global" strategy and among other things aimed at promoting the spread of Chinese companies and products abroad. The findings show a vivid cooperation between China and Hungary in automotive, ICT, renewable energy, chemical, transportation/logistics and banking sector through the three abovementioned initiatives.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: DOI not available

Terrorism with a «woman’s appearance»: Economic background and legal tools for forming a counteracting strategy

Eszter Lukács Roman Myroniuk Oksana Lehka Stanislava Myroniuk

Publication Name: Economic Annals Xxi

Publication Date: 2019-01-01

Volume: 177

Issue: 5-6

Page Range: 34-43

Description:

The authors have researched the phenomenon of female terrorism in the area of rational choice and economic benefit. Popular quotations «qui prodesse» and «сherchez la femme» are combined from these positions in the non-standard authors’ approach to understanding the motivational factors underlying extremist movements. It has been proved that the increase in the number of women in the ranks of terrorists is largely due to the so-called economic benefit factor for the terrorist acts organisers. The actions of a suicide bomber, in the broad sense, are predominantly based on a rational basis: the achievement of the last personal good - identity. The article presents the transformation of female terrorism in the historical perspective; actual conflicts and contradictions in international law and national legal systems, as well as false social attitudes and stereotypes complicating the fight against this dangerous social phenomenon. Data obtained from the social networks allows concluding that hundreds of women are now fighting in the ranks of militants in the East of Ukraine. At the beginning of the conflict, many of them hid their faces on personal pages on the Internet, hiding from their relatives a fact that they are hired killers. At the moment, most of them are proud of their participation in extremist groups, post their photos with weapons. Suicide terrorism of Muslim women and crimes committed by female militants in the East of Ukraine have one thing in common - the preparation and use of women as a living «weapon» by the extremist groups is cheaper either in terms of financial investments and costs for psychological brainwashing and military training. Based on the analytical data and identified patterns, we have argued the strategic directions of counteraction to female terrorism and have proved the following: mankind will be able to break this danger on the condition of a new, free of stereotypes way of thinking and coordinated efforts of the world community in all spheres of social life including economic, legal, socio- and cultural ones.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.21003/ea.v177-03

Consequences of the integration to the Eurasian Economic Union: Methodology of statistical evaluation and first results

Anna Tikhonova Eszter Lukács Nadezhda Melnikova

Publication Name: Economic Annals Xxi

Publication Date: 2018-09-03

Volume: 170

Issue: 3-4

Page Range: 4-9

Description:

The study represents an assessment of socio-economic integration consequences within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) for the participating countries - Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. The authors implemented a personally developed approach of integral efficiency evaluation based on the calculation of the coefficients of state social and economic development indicators of growth as a main method for such assessment. These indicators allow us to characterise the following segments: national welfare, inflation, investment activity, labour market and the level of poverty, and the condition of the main economic sectors. The authors determined that Russia is the only export-oriented member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). The worst consequences of integration in the cross-border trade sphere are observed in Belarus. For the analysed countries (excluding Kyrgyzstan), the first year of the existence of the EEU can be characterised as a period of economic recession (2015). According to the comparison of integral rates for the periods of 2005-2014 and 2015-2017, it was defined that the integration had a positive economic effect in the short term. By now, all the five participating countries have achieved the same level of social and economic development as in the pre-crisis period (2012-2013). In terms of the EEU membership, the calculated economic growth expands from 3% in Kyrgyzstan (by the integral index) up to 30% in the Republic of Belarus. Russia has also significantly strengthened its position (the growth rate of the index in 2015-17 was 25%).

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.21003/ea.V170-01

Mega-FTAs in the Asia-Pacific region: A Japanese perspective

Eszter Lukács Katalin Völgyi

Publication Name: European Journal of East Asian Studies

Publication Date: 2018-01-01

Volume: 17

Issue: 1

Page Range: 158-175

Description:

The emerging wave of mega-FTAs during the global economic crisis era has so far attracted considerable academic attention. This paper primarily investigates two of the mega-FTAs, namely TPP and RCEP, from the perspective of Japan. It focuses on Japan's role and interests in the launch of mega-FTAs and how Japan tries to keep them on track, with protectionism on the rise worldwide (particularly on the US side).

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.1163/15700615-01701008

Quantitative analysis of green investments in European automotive companies: a digital reporting analysis

Eszter Lukács Árpád Tóth Alex Suta Ferenc Szauter

Publication Name: Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy

Publication Date: 2025-12-01

Volume: 27

Issue: 12

Page Range: 8749-8761

Description:

Automotive companies are a major driver of the economy due to their high production volumes and extensive supply networks. However, the shift towards focusing on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) aspects to comply with regulatory constraints and meet shareholder expectations presents significant challenges. This study addresses the need for transparency in green investments and their impact on CO2 emissions within the automotive sector. To achieve this, a sample of 22 listed European automotive companies were selected based on their digital financial reports (XBRL), as well as their annual sustainability reports. Key variables, including Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions, were evaluated alongside three categories of corporate investments: tangible, intangible, and other long-term assets. A robust Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) model was employed to quantify the relationship between these investment activities and emissions. The results indicate a significant interaction effect on Scope 1 emissions, while the effects on Scope 2 emissions were not significant and Scope 3 emissions showed marginal results. These findings suggest that companies disclose green investments to mitigate reputational risks, offering insights into the relationship between financial and sustainability metrics in ESG reporting, while highlighting the importance of transparent reporting for achieving sustainability goals and enhancing comparability among companies.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.1007/s10098-024-03052-1

Exploring the collaboration networks between highly cited researchers in highly cited papers

Sándor Soós Zsolt Kohus Márton Demeter Eszter Lukács Gergely Ferenc Lendvai Dóra Vizvári Beáta Bavalicsné Kerekes

Publication Name: Scientometrics

Publication Date: 2025-11-01

Volume: 130

Issue: 11

Page Range: 6513-6540

Description:

Collaboration between researchers has been shown to influence their productivity and scientific impact. Although these ties have been widely discussed in the literature, the nature of the co-authorship networks between the most successful scholars remains a question. To provide an answer, this study conducts a cross-case analysis of the collaboration networks between Highly Cited Researchers, focusing on the research output and co-authorship patterns in Highly Cited Papers across three award categories: Clinical Medicine, Materials Science, and Social Sciences. Our findings indicate that there are category-specific differences in publication output and the intensity of collaboration between Highly Cited Researchers. Notably, Highly Cited Researchers in the Social Sciences demonstrate a less collaborative approach to research than those in Clinical Medicine and Materials Science. While Highly Cited Researchers in all three categories featured interconnected collaboration networks among themselves, those in Clinical Medicine and Materials Science exhibited a more collaborative environment, while those in Social Sciences showed a tendency towards independent research efforts. The case of Social Sciences is further evidenced by higher fragmentation within the collaboration network of Social Sciences, indicating a less cohesive collaborative framework. The analysis of the Giant Component—the largest cohesive subset of the network—revealed that it is less representative of the overall network structure in the Social Sciences than in Clinical Medicine and Materials Science. Finally, the centrality measures indicated that Highly Cited Researchers with high betweenness and closeness centrality act as crucial bridges within each network, significantly shaping the structural cohesion and collaborative dynamics of their respective fields.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.1007/s11192-025-05443-7

Foreign direct investment and its influence on China’s economic growth: A comprehensive review

Laszlo Vasa Eszter Lukács Kamal Hossain

Publication Name: Investment Management and Financial Innovations

Publication Date: 2025-01-01

Volume: 22

Issue: 4

Page Range: 421-448

Description:

This study aims to systematically analyze and synthesize the existing scientific literature on the determinants of long-term capital flows, particularly Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into China, with a focus on how prior empirical studies examine the roles of trade openness, infrastructure development, institutional quality, and financial modernization. Using the PRISMA framework, the study systematically reviewed 114 peer-reviewed articles published between 1990 and 2025 to identify recent patterns, evaluate the impact of core sources, and highlight thematic trends in academic literature. The finding of this study indicates a clear upward trend in article production, with a significant jump from 124 publications in the UK to 1,855 in China, with China emerging as the leading contributor and host to several highly influential articles. The Journal of International Trade/Economics is the leading source with 109 documents, followed by China Economic Review (63), Research in Emerging Markets Finance and Trade (45), and Economic Modeling (36). A total of 780 authors contributed to these works, with 2.96 co-authors per document on average, but international co-authorship was limited. This study also highlighted FDI as a key theme with 254 counts following Economic Growth/Development (181 mentions) and Trade (146), which indicates a strong research interest in the role of capital flows and macroeconomic performance in the Chinese context. This study analyzed 639 articles for the bibliometric review, with a primary focus on FDI. However, other significant components of long-term capital flows, such as portfolio investment, external debt, and remittances, were not adequately covered, representing a key limitation of this study. Additionally, the direction of causality between FDI and China’s economic growth was not covered by this study.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.21511/imfi.22(4).2025.32

Generative AI-driven transition to circular and responsible supply chains: Unpacking the dynamics of eco-centric design intelligence and ethical responsiveness

Eszter Lukács Jiyang Cheng Sabrine Mallek

Publication Name: Technological Forecasting and Social Change

Publication Date: 2026-04-01

Volume: 225

Issue: Unknown

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

The study focuses on understanding how the use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) can beneficially result in circular supply chain transformation while embedding design intelligence, ethical intelligence, and predictive intelligence within socio-technical systems. This study proposes and validates a model that integrates generative eco-design intelligence, predictive circular supply chain planning, and ethical generative AI awareness, which collectively affect circular supply chain resilience and socio-environmental value realization, mediated by Sustainable process reconfiguration capability and AI-enabled stakeholder co-creation. To test the hypothesis, data were collected from 264 professionals in supply chain and technology-related industries in the USA. As the findings suggest, generative eco-design intelligence, predictive circular supply chain planning, and ethical generative AI awareness significantly enhance sustainable process reconfiguration capability, which drives AI-enabled stakeholder co-creation. A serial mediation model indicates that Generative AI capabilities affect circular supply chain resilience and socio-environmental value realization via sustainable process reconfiguration capability and AI-enabled stakeholder co-creation. To our surprise, the regenerative policy ambidexterity negatively moderates the relationship between AI-enabled stakeholder co-creation and the realization of socio-environmental value. The results provide actionable advice for managers implementing generative AI in sustainable supply chains. Instead of focusing solely on algorithmic efficiency, if an organization can develop reconfiguration capability and engage stakeholders, it would generate systemic sustainability benefits.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2025.124522

The revenue diversification of top-tier higher education institutions

Zsolt Kohus Eszter Lukács Bálint Filep Sarolta Horváthné Szabó

Publication Name: Journal of International Studies

Publication Date: 2025-01-01

Volume: 18

Issue: 4

Page Range: 86-106

Description:

This study examines the revenue diversification of the Top 30 higher education institutions (HEIs) as identified in the 2025 Times Higher Education and QS World University Rankings. Faced with declining government appropriations, HEIs are strategically diversifying revenue streams. Our analysis of financial reports reveals substantial variability in revenue sources, with some institutions primarily relying on research grants, tuition, and government funding. In contrast, others prioritize income from endowments, services, or medical activities. While funding optimization strategies may prioritize single revenue sources for short-term convenience, our findings suggest they risk institutional fragility, highlighting the need for sustainable financial models that balance research productivity, teaching quality, and public service over the long term. This article emphasizes the vital importance of financial autonomy, which enables institutions to invest strategically in recruiting top academic and research staff, upgrading research infrastructure, and enhancing an institution’s overall performance. While strategic autonomy empowers institutions to achieve excellence and adapt flexibly to evolving societal needs, they must remain true to their core mission of public service as they diversify and optimize revenue sources.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.14254/2071-8330.2025/18-4/5

FROM AI VIBRANCY TO LABOUR MARKET OUTCOMES: TESTING DISPLACEMENT ACROSS EDUCATION GROUPS

Aleksandra Kuzior Eszter Lukács Izabela Marszałek-Kotzur Khalima N. Sansyzbayeva Khalima N. Sansyzbayeva

Publication Name: Economics and Sociology

Publication Date: 2025-01-01

Volume: 18

Issue: 4

Page Range: 131-159

Description:

Artificial intelligence is expanding rapidly, intensifying policy concerns that more vibrant AI ecosystems may displace workers and increase unemployment. This study aims to test whether national AI vibrancy is associated with higher unemployment across education groups (advanced, intermediate and basic). Using an unbalanced panel of 34–35 countries from 2017 to 2023, the analysis combines Stanford’s AI Vibrancy Score with World Bank indicators and estimates two-way fixed-and random-effects models, employing Box–Cox/log transformations and dependence-robust inference (including country/time clustering and Driscoll–Kraay standard errors). The results provide little support for the displacement hypothesis. For advanced-education unemployment, AI vibrancy is statistically insignificant in the two-way FE model. It remains insignificant under all robust corrections (ln(AI vibrancy): β=−0.099, country-clustered p=0.494, time-clustered p=0.544, Driscoll–Kraay p=0.468). For basic-education unemployment, AI vibrancy is likewise insignificant in the two-way FE model (p=0.782). It remains insignificant under country clustering (p=0.830), time clustering (p=0.813) and Driscoll–Kraay inference (p=0.819). For intermediate-education unemployment, the AI coefficient remains insignificant under country clustering (p=0.273), time clustering (p=0.310), and Driscoll–Kraay corrections (p=0.226), indicating no robust unemployment-increasing effect across education groups during the observed period.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.14254/2071-789X.2025/18-4/7

THE FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY OF ROBOT-ASSISTED SURGERY (RAS)

Eszter Lukács Domonkos Tinka

Publication Name: Transformations in Business and Economics

Publication Date: 2025-01-01

Volume: 24

Issue: 3A

Page Range: 604-623

Description:

In a previous study, it was concluded that the da Vinci robotic systems installed in the Hungarian healthcare system were, with one privately funded exception, fully financed by EU funds. The present article drives a similar conclusion on a global scale. Massive public investments, or reimbursements, are needed to ensure the prevalence and financial sustainability of robotic surgical systems. The financial sustainability of RAS depends on the economic development of a country and its healthcare system, the number of medical schools, the history of robotic surgery and the funding mechanisms of the healthcare system. Even in the most advanced economies of the world, access to the benefits of RAS may be burdened by limitations in terms of financial (funding) and geographical access.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: DOI not available

Building sustainability: implementation of SDGs in higher education institutions (HEIs) in India and Hungary

Eszter Lukács Emese Lengyel Arundhati Sharma

Publication Name: Asian Education and Development Studies

Publication Date: 2026-01-01

Volume: Unknown

Issue: Unknown

Page Range: 1-19

Description:

Purpose – The study aims to map the integration of sustainable development goals (SDGs) into domestic legislation and higher education institution (HEI) policy frameworks, with a particular focus on India and Hungary. It seeks to assess the extent of SDG implementation by HEIs in both countries and provide a comparative perspective on their progress. Design/methodology/approach – A comparative analysis is conducted using both primary and secondary data sources. The study examines domestic policy frameworks and legislative measures relevant to SDGs, alongside the performance of HEIs in SDG implementation in India and Hungary. Findings – The study finds that India has had a harmonised and dedicated SDG framework for HEIs since 2020, whereas Hungary, despite having multiple policies and legislative initiatives aimed at SDGs, lacks such a unified framework for higher education. In both countries, substantial gaps remain in the performance of HEIs in achieving the SDGs. Originality/value – To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first cross-country comparative study that focuses specifically on the role of HEIs in the implementation of SDGs in India and Hungary. It contributes to closing the evidence and knowledge gap by highlighting how policy alignment can enhance institutional strategies and performance in sustainable development.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.1108/AEDS-07-2025-0341