Xhavit Islami

The purpose of this study is to examine the moderating role of competitive strategies (CS) in the relationship between HRM practices and company performance (CP). Although the existing literature adequately addresses HRM practices and CS, there is limited empirical evidence linking internal resources and strategies with CP. Therefore, using the contingency approach, this study uncovers the role of CS in realizing the potential impact of HRM practices on CP. The data used to test, explore, and develop the moderating role of CS were collected from 157 manufacturing companies and analyzed using hierarchical linear regression. The results show a positive effect of HRM practices and CS on CP. The results also show that cost leadership strategy and differentiation strategy moderate the relationship between HRM practices and CP. The theoretical and managerial implications of these results are discussed.

Despite the recognized importance of organizational culture (OC) for favorable organizational effects, empirically is relatively little known about its impact on employee engagement (EE), in Balkan countries, especially in the Republic of North Macedonia. To address this gap the purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between OC components and three dimensions of EE (vigor, dedication and absorption). To conduct this study a survey of 152 public secondary education employees who operate in the Republic of North Macedonia was done. The gathered data was analyzed using SPSS program. Results indicated that several components of the OC are significantly related to EE dimensions, such as employee vigor, dedication, and absorption. As a result, the study concludes that OC has a significant positive effect on EE dimensions both in and out of school. The outcomes of this study significantly contribute to a better understanding of the OC-EE relationship in the non-profit organizations.

Realizing Human Resource Management practices (HRMp) makes an organization to succeed and increase its performance. Hitherto, few empirical studies have tested this relationship at the conceptual level by analyzing a set of HRM practices simultaneously. In response to this gap, this study conceptualizes and develops three HRM practices (recruitment and selection, training and development, and performance appraisal) and tests their influence on operational performance. This relationship was tested using hierarchical regression model. The findings point out that an appropriate application of HRM practices provides a higher operational performance. Additionally, it clarifies the importance of HRM practices and helps organizations, which operate in an emerging economy, to increase the ability and knowledge on employing HRM practices.

Purpose of this paper is to identify the relationship between the transformational leadership approach and team performance, to analyze the existing literature that expresses the role of transformational leadership on team performance and to create a guideline for the leaders to increase their performance.
Design / Method / Approach. To achieve the purpose o.f the study 86 articles and books were analyzed in terms of transformational leadership, team performance, and the relationship between these two concepts.
Findings. Leadership is one of the essential words in today’s organizational direction.
Despite that, transformational leadership has excellent attention on leadership theory.
A few numbers of researches are done on analyzing the relationship between transformational leadership and team performance.
The findings show that transformational leadership remains the most crucial leadership style in improving team performance.
Theoretical implications. This study's theoretical significance increases opinion and change of judgment for performance appraisal on the working life quality.
Practical implications. The practical benefit of this study is that it provides a guideline for managers use the leadership style correctly to increase the performance of a team, and as a result their organization.
Originality / Value. The originality of the study is that no one researcher before has analyzed the relationship between transformational leadership and team performance, like this study, which includes analyzing the existing literature over 50 years of research made on this topic by numerous researchers.
Research limitattions / Future research. The projections for further research are to analyze the relationship between the transformational leadership approach and team performance, add other dimensions, and measure their common effects on such relationship.

The aim of this paper is to elaborate the relationship between human resource management strategies (HRMs) and their impact on firm's competitive advantage. It examines the strategic goals of human resources and their influence on creating firm's competitive advantage through two HRM practices: (a) training and development, and (b) salary and employee remuneration. Data used in this study were gathered from a self-administered questionnaire. The participants were randomly chosen. These data were processed with the help of SPSS v.23 program. Findings indicate that the strategic goals of human resources have a positive impact on achieving competitive advantage of firms, and that the job-specific training has the largest impact on accomplishing high firm performance. Outcomes of this study provide and support the assertion that investments in HRM increase the motivation of the employers and consequently increase the ability of firms to achieve a competitive advantage.

Considering pursuing the differentiation strategy makes enable the organization to earn its success and to create, capture and sustain economic value. Despite this importance, it is relatively absentminded in empirical studies at the conceptual level. In response to this gap, the purpose of this paper is conceptualizing differentiation strategy model, developing the instruments of differentiation strategy, and testing the relationship between dimensions of the value chain, differentiation in the supply, competitive advantages, and organizational performance, using data from a sample of 123 manufacturing organizations. On this study, quantitative methods were applied to measure the proposed relationships, and questionnaires were used as a tool in gathering primary data. Relationships proposed in the framework were tested using structural equation modeling. The results of this study indicated that pursuing the differentiation strategy leads on increasing competitive advantage and improving organizational performance. Also, it pointed out that the manufacture organizations' success is determined by their ability to be flexible on strategic planning and on integrating internal and industrial settings factors on differentiation strategy creating. This research contributes to strategic literature clarifying a successful differentiation model helping the practitioners on increasing the ability and knowledge on pursuing the differentiation strategy.

In this study, the significance of using Porter's generic strategies in firms that operate in competitive environments is investigated. The aim is to indicate the effects of Porter's generic strategies (low-cost strategy, differentiation strategy, and focus strategy) on firm performance. The questionnaires of the study have been prepared, the responses have been obtained, and the econometric model is constructed to measure these relationships. Findings stemmed by data that were taken from 113 firms that operate in the Republic of Kosovo. t test, Pearson's correlation analysis, and mul-tivariate regression analysis were used to provide testing of hypotheses. Econometric results suggest that pursuing differentiation strategy provides higher firm performance compared to two other Porter's generic strategies (low-cost strategy or focus strategy) that have a positive impact as well.

Nowadays changes are compulsory for an organization in order to survive and stay
competitive in a market. This paper discusses the aspects of understanding the general framework for an effective and efficient implementation of the organizational changes, as well as, their impact on motivation, employment, responsibility, competitive abilities, and it compares the measurable units of the capacity development for organizational changes. Besides, it focuses on creative dimensions and change management, new organizational knowledge, reward systems, managerial behavior, and organizational culture as a result of the organizational changes. Also, this study argues the value of organizational culture that needs to be shared between organization employees in order to help perform their duties as an important unit of the organizational change success. To obtain the results of this study are processed data of 200 SMEs that operate their activity in the Republic of Kosovo. These data were processed mainly using IBM SPSS software. The findings indicate that the proper organizational change management may help SMEs to be more successful in relation to the competition. And that the biggest challenge that successful managers face is to lead continuously the organizational systems toward the highest stages of organizational development. Moreover, results have shown that changes in the factors such as: organizational dimensions and organizational characteristics are closely related to competitive capability and organizational culture of the SMEs, as well as, changes in organizational culture may increase the competitive capability of SMEs in the competitive market.

Recently, entering new firms into a competitive market is getting harder due to different industry barriers. Addressing this concern , the aim of this paper is to measure the relationship between industry barriers that prevent the entry of new rivals and increase the profitability of incumbent firms. The study was based on the data of one hundred and seven executives of firms that operate in the Republic of Kosovo, and it attempts to assert and order the market entry barriers. The responses were collected by questionnaires and the econometric model was constructed, to test this relationship. The findings were obtained using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multivariate regression. Econometric results indicated that seven dimensions of industry barriers have a direct and positive impact on the profitability of incumbents and serve as barriers for new firms to enter the market, and showed that business executives in Kosovo perceive capital requirements of non-incumbents as the most important entry barrier, whereas access to distribution channels as the least important. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed and explained.

In this article we analyze the effect of factors industrial and internal to the firm's performance. Industrial and internal factors are the important issue in today's business environment, which changes constantly. If the enterprise wants to survive, grow and increase profits it must change its strategies continuously. The need for change comes from two main premises: industrial environment and internal environment. From the industrial environment treated competitive forces as (rivalry among competitors, the power of buyers, power of suppliers, the threat of new products, the threat of new entrants), forces that are uncontrollable by the enterprise. Meanwhile, the internal environment is established in the organization, destined to fulfill any requests from external environment. The aim of this paper is to show the linking of industry factors and internal factors on the performance of firms in Kosovo. The methodology used in the paper is a combination of qualitative and quantitative data. Results of the research are processed data of 97 firms which operate in in the Republic of Kosovo; the data are collected in two different period times 2015 and 2017, and were processed with the help of SPSS v 23. The results show that internal business factors have a larger positive impact on firm's performance than industry factors.

A B S T R A C T This study deals with the importance of applying Management by Objectives (MBO) method, as a method for performance appraisal (PA) in enhancing employees' effectiveness. A self-administered questionnaire was used, the number of participants included the survey is 172 employees from 13 firms operating in Kosovo. The study aim is to identify the importance of creating objectives , communication objectives, planning goals, setting control points, employees' commitment to determine objectives, freedom and independence in fulfilling duties, continuous communication , as steps for realizing MBO method in employees' effectiveness. The questionnaire of the study has been prepared, the responses obtained, the econometric model is constructed in order to test empirically this relationship, passed through the IBM SPSS v.23.0 program has been utilized for the obtained findings. Results and proposals are brought forward by the matched t-test, independent sample t-test, anova, pearson and correlation used as the hypothesis tests. Econometric results suggested that MBO method should be used as a method of performance appraisal as the employees' effectiveness is enhanced. Also it resulted that the evaluation of individual employees' performance and a clear definition of results are the hugest parameters from all the other activities of MBO method which we took in the study to raise employees' effectiveness in organization.

This paper treats the role of business incubators in the increase of small and middle enterprises in Kosovo. Business incubators offer the opportunity of growth of SMEs in the start-up phase by creating a comfortable supportive environment for a certain time since their establishment. According to the literature, the business incubator is an important instrument for local, national and beyond economic development. Knowing the difficulties that start-ups face, business incubators enable start-ups to have access in: managerial assistance, mentorship, finances, Office space for the lower price than the market price, flexible rental, technical support services, common management services and secretary as well as other support services. Their opportunities are welcomed and hopeful for the initial phases of the development of SME in Kosovo. The purpose of this paper is to estimate the role of incubators and their impact on business development in Kosovo using the analytical approach. To achieve the objective of this paper, we have analyzed data from existing literature of various authors and reports for the role of business incubators. According to results derived from this paper, we came to a conclusion that business incubators are the main factor for the development of SME and consequently, overall economic growth in Kosovo.

This paper discusses the relationship between the informal economy and the development of SMEs in Kosovo. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the informal economy, its causes, effects and its impact on business, as well as government policies to combat the informal economy which is a barrier to business development in Kosovo. During the period of transition, the number of small and medium businesses increased significantly, but their existence depends on external factors, such as informality. The informal economy is present in countries that are structurally and economically fragile, a structure which enables businesses to leave out the formal way of doing business. To meet the objective of this paper we usedthe observation method to analyze the data from different authors and reports about the informal economy and the development of SMEs. Among the key factors for the growth of informality are high taxes which are seen as an obstacle to business growth. According to the outcomes of this paper, we conclude that the informal economy is an obstacle to SME development in Kosovo. This study makes a significant contribution to the scientific and academic value, to the informal economy in the development of SMEs in Kosovo, in the region and beyond.

This study treats the relationship of economy size of Western Balkan countries with Foreign direct investment (FDI) for ten years' period. Through knowing the FDI importance in economic development is measured the impact of economy size of Western Balkan countries in attracting foreign direct investments. Data to realize this study were taken from World Bank, in yearly frequence for 2005 to 2014 period. After using Pearson Correlation technique for empirical analysis which is realized with SPSS v. 21.0, statistical program. Results showed that there is a positive relationship that is not statistically important. From this result is clearly shown that factors for foreign direct investment attracting is not economy size, but FDI attraction is influenced more from specific policies of places and trade liberalization. Abstract-This study treats the relationship of economy size of Western Balkan countries with Foreign direct investment (FDI) for ten years' period. Through knowing the FDI importance in economic development is measured the impact of economy size of Western Balkan countries in attracting foreign direct investments. Data to realize this study were taken from World Bank, in yearly frequence for 2005 to 2014 period. After using Pearson Correlation technique for empirical analysis which is realized with SPSS v. 21.0, statistical program. Results showed that there is a positive relationship that is not statistically important. From this result is clearly shown that factors for foreign direct investment attracting is not economy size, but FDI attraction is influenced more from specific policies of places and trade liberalization.

Human resources are considered the most precious asset of SME. In order to reach its values the firm must pay a huge importance in human resource management. The implementation of enterprise strategy is dependent from the employee's quality who are arranged to realize it. The aim of this research paper is to show the application of human resource practice and their impact in SME performance. The methodology used in the study is a combination of quantitative and qualitative data. Results of the research are processed data of 53 SMEs that implement their activity in different parts of Kosovo. These data were processed with the help of SPSS v 21 program. The data revealed that studied SMEs use their practice more to manage the human resources in realizing their aspiration such as " compensation and rewarding ". Also, implementation of this practice has increased the enterprise performance more than the usage of other practices such as: " selection and recruiting " or " training and development " , but even these last ones influenced positively in the SME success. Good management of human resource helps three fundamental intention of each enterprise: surviving, increasing and rising their incomes. On the other hand, it offers to them an easy confrontation with the market competitiors which is very cruel.

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Managing change is an important issue in today's business environment, which changes constantly. If the enterprise wants to survive, grow and increase profits it must change its strategies continuously. The need for change comes from two main premises: external environment and internal environment. From the external environment treated competitive forces as (rivalry among competitors, the power of buyers, power of suppliers, the threat of new products, the threat of new entrants), forces that are uncontrollable by the enterprise. Meanwhile, the interior environment is established in the organization, destined to fulfill any requests from external environment. The aim of this paper is to show the connection of industry factors and internal factors with organizational change and their impact on the performance of SMEs in eastern part of Kosovo. The methodology used in the paper is a combination of qualitative and quantitative data. Results of the research are processed data of 41 SMEs that implement their activity in the eastern part of Kosovo. These data were processed with the help of SPSS v 21. SMEs which make the change from domestic environmental needs and significantly increase their performance. A well-managed change helps SMEs to be more successful in relation to the competition.

This study used the data from fifty-six SMEs with the purpose to evaluate the role of governmental grants in increasing
investments and profitablility of SMEs as well as the influence of grants in free market competition. The data were gathered
with the help of a questionnaire. SMEs that have been supported with governmental grants realized their investment with cofinancing
(one part of the project was financed with governmental grants, whereas the other part was financed by
enterpreneurs with self-finances). The results showed that governmental grants as a method of public finances of SMEs
increased investment and profitability of supported SME, but also it influences in breaching the free competition. From finances
of governmental grants are damaged non-supported SME of governmental grants that work the same acctivity as the
supported enterprises by government. Governmental grants help a limited number of enterprises and the competition in
between SME is not allowed to be regulated only with market forces that in the free-market competition decide which firms will
stand or will get removed by the market based on their performance on the market. In the short-term period governmental
grants keep “artificially” a number of SME in the market. This study argument what is most necessary to do for free market
competition and presents the ideas of stable development and function of free-market economy.

Realizing Human Resource Management practices (HRMp) makes an organization to succeed and increase its performance. Hitherto, few empirical studies have tested this relationship at the conceptual level by analyzing a set of HRM practices simultaneously. In response to this gap, this study conceptualizes and develops three HRM practices (recruitment and selection, training and development, and performance appraisal) and tests their influence on operational performance. This relationship was tested using hierarchical regression model. The findings point out that an appropriate application of HRM practices provides a higher operational performance. Additionally, it clarifies the importance of HRM practices and helps organizations, which operate in an emerging economy, to increase the ability and knowledge on employing HRM practices.

This study treats the relationship of foreign direct investment (FDI) and economic development in Kosovo. FDI is considered as an important factor of economic growth of places in development, so rightly the question is asked: " Which is the impact of FDI inflow on economic growth of Kosovo? " This study shows the relationship in between FDI inflow and five macroeconomic indicators that have an important role in economic development of Kosovo such as: GDP, GDP per capita, GNI, Exports, and Balance Trade. The data were taken from World Bank and the statistic agency of Kosovo for 2005 to 2014 period. Pearson Correlation technique was used for empirical analysis that is realized with SPSS v. 21.0 statistical program, the results showed that there is a positive relationship in between FDI inflow and GDP growth, whereas there is a negative relationship of FDI inflow and trade balance of Kosovo. This study arguments what is necessary to be done in leading policies to attract foreign direct investment in Kosovo.

Abstrakt: Ky punim ka për qëllim të analizoj ndikimin e politikave qeveritare në zhvillimin ekonomik të Kosovës nëpërmjetmbështetjes së NVM-ve. Sistemi i mbështetjes qeveritare është reformuar shpesh, dhe ka një debat të vazhdueshëm në qarqet shkencore dhe qeveritare për mënyrën si duhet të dizajnohet skema e mbështetjes qeveritare për ndërmarrjet e vogla dhe të mesme. Andaj, me të drejt lindin pyetjet: Si i mbështet qeveria e Kosovës NVM-të? A është kjo mënyrë e mbështetjes e përshtatshme për zhvillimin ekonomik të Kosovës? Cilat forma tjera të mbështetjes duhet të aplikohen në Kosovë? Objective i punimit është të i'u përgjigjet këtyre pyetjeve nëpërmejt analizës së të dhënave ekzistuese të mbështetjes e cila aplikohet në Kosovë dhe krahasimin e tyre me vendet e zhvilluara ekonomikisht. Ndërmarrjet e vogëla dhe të mesme janë katalizatori kryesorë i zhvillimit ekonomik në Kosovës, si të tilla politikat qeveritare duhet ti kushtojnë rëndësi të veçant zhvillimit të tyre. Ky studim argumenton atë çka është shumë e nevojshme për politikat e mbështetjes qeveritare në NVM dhe prezanton idenë e zhvillimit të qëndrueshëm të funksionimit të ekonomisë nëpërmjet rritjes së NVM-vë. Fjalët kyçe: Kosovë, politika qeveritare, NVM, mbështetje. Hyrje Një sfidë me të cilin përballën të gjitha vendet në tranzicion është krijimi i një mjedisi miqësorë për NVM-të dhe transformimi i shoqërisë drejt ekonomisë së tregut. Si bëhet ky transformim? Sipas Szabó, A. (2006) thelbi i transformimit politik dhe ekonomik të një vendi në tranzicion është krijimi i sektorit privatë, zhvillimi i sektorit të ndërmarrësi dhe krijimi i ndërmarrjeve të vogla dhe të mesme. Ndërmarrjet e vogla dhe të mesme janë ndër faktorët më të rëndësishëm të rritjes së ekonomisë globale. Në Evropë, NVM-të kanë rolin kryesorë në krijimin e vendeve të reja të punës dhe në rritjen ekonomike prandaj shpesh quhen shtylla kurrizore e ekonomisë Evropiane. Mbështetjae NVM-ve është njëra ndër politikat kryesoree të gjithaqeverivetë shteteve tëBashkimit Evropian (OECD, 2014). Në Bashkimin Evropian (BE), NVM-të përbëjnë 99% të gjitha ndërmarrjeve jofinanciare dhe67% të punësimit total si dhe gjenerojnë 58% të vlerës së shtuar totale (Alexandra Moritz et at, 2015). Sipas (Raportit KOSME, 2014) 419 , në Kosovë ndërmarrjet e vogla dhe të mesme përbëjnë pjesën kryesore të ekonomisë së sektorit privat ku absorbojnë përafërsisht 80% e punësimitdhe 99.9% të ndërmarrjeve në Kosovë. Por pavarësisht rëndësisë së NVM-ve në zhvillimin ekonomik të Kosovës, mjedisi i gjerë i biznesit tregon disa dobësi të cilat e pengojnë këtë sektor që të zhvillohet me potencialin e plotë në aspektin e punësimit, produktivitetit dhe vlerës së shtuar, andaj vlen të theksohet se drejtimi i politikave nga mbështetja e NVM-ve do të thotë drejtim në rritjen ekonomike të vendit. Sipas (Raportit të Ministrisë së Tregtisë dhe Industrisë) 420 në Kosovë një numër i konsiderueshëm i bizneseve fillestare nuk po mbijetojnë dhe zhvillohen në treg si pasoj e së cilës nuk po prodhohet punësim dhe zhvillim ekonomik. Pasi që shumica e shteteve Evropiane dhe botërore i kushtojnë rendësi të veçanetzhvillimit të NVM-ve, atëherë edhe Kosova si shtet me ekonomi të lire të