Jelena Vukonjanski Srdić

REVIZOR • Časopis za upravljanje organizacijama, finansije i reviziju

Emotional Intelligence and Perceptions of Economic Performance in Organizations in Serbia

Miličić, B.; Vukonjanski Srdić, J.; Popović, S.

https://doi.org/10.46793/Rev25112.035M

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between employees’ emotional intelligence and their perceptions of the organization’s economic performance. The findings indicate a statistically significant yet moderate association between emotional intelligence and economic performance, with distinct patterns of correlation observed across subsamples differentiated by the level of emotional competencies. The results confirm that emotional intelligence in organizations in Serbia provides a limited but meaningful contribution to explaining employees’ economic assessments, with its influence contingent upon individual and organizational conditions.

emotional intelligence; economic performance; employee perceptions; organizational outcomes; organizations in Serbia

M52

Serbian Journal of Management

The role of leadership in driving corporate social responsibility and innovation: Insights from Serbian organizations

Vukonjanski Srdić, J.; Pavlović, K.; Berić, I.

https://www.sjm06.com/online_first.html

This study examines the impact of transformational and transactional leadership styles on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Organizational Innovation (OI) within Serbian organizations. Using responses from 204 employees across small and medium, domestic and foreign companies, the research explores how leadership behaviors influence CSR initiatives and innovative practices. Two hypotheses were tested and proven, highlighting significant differences of this influence based on organizational size and origin, with transformational leadership emerging as a key predictor of CSR and OI outcomes. The research findings point to the importance of culturally aligned leadership approaches in fostering sustainable and innovative practices, offering valuable insights for leadership development in transitional economies.

Leadership; CSR; Innovation; Size; Origin

M23

BDC 2026: Building Resilient and Adaptive Economies, XI Scientific and Professional Conference, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, June 4–5

Organizational cultural dimensions enabling and constraining learning and innovation in SMEs in transitional economies

Vukonjanski Srdić, J.; Miličić, B.

Accepted paper

This study examines how organizational culture influences organizational learning and innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises in transitional economies. Moving beyond the assumption of culture as a homogeneous construct, the study conceptualizes organizational culture as a configuration of distinct mechanisms with potentially opposing effects. Using survey data from SMEs in Serbia (N = 211) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (N = 205), the analysis identifies a consistent pattern in which only specific cultural dimensions systematically shape organizational outcomes. In particular, long-term (future) orientation emerges as a key enabling mechanism associated with higher levels of organizational learning and innovation, while power distance operates as a structural constraint that limits both processes. Other cultural dimensions do not show stable effects, indicating that the influence of organizational culture is selective rather than uniform. The findings further reveal that the same mechanisms operate across both contexts, but with different levels of strength and stability, suggesting that institutional conditions actively shape their effectiveness. The study demonstrates that the impact of organizational culture depends on the configuration of its dimensions and the context in which they operate, extending existing evidence beyond developed economies.

Organizational Culture; Learning; Innovation; SMEs; Transitional Economies

M33

BDC 2026: Building Resilient and Adaptive Economies, XI Scientific and Professional Conference, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, June 4–5

Transformational and transactional leadership as predictors of ESG practices: Evidence from private organizations in Serbia with exploratory insights from Bosnia and Herzegovina

Miličić, B.; Vukonjanski Srdić, J.

Accepted paper

This study examines the relationship between leadership styles and ESG dimensions, with a primary focus on private organizations in Serbia and additional indicative insights from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The research is based on survey data collected from employees in private organizations (N=329 in Serbia; N=40 in Bosnia and Herzegovina). Regression analysis was applied to assess the predictive effects of transformational and transactional leadership on ESG dimensions. The findings indicate that transformational leadership represents a consistent and significant predictor of ESG, with particularly strong effects on corporate social responsibility and corporate governance, and a weaker but still significant effect on environmental performance. In contrast, transactional leadership shows a limited and less stable contribution, with no significant effect on corporate social responsibility. While both leadership styles are significantly correlated with ESG dimensions in the Serbian sample, the results for Bosnia and Herzegovina are treated as preliminary due to the smaller sample size. The study contributes by demonstrating the differentiated roles of leadership styles in shaping ESG practices, providing empirical insights relevant for improving management approaches and supporting more effective integration of sustainability principles in organizational contexts.

Leadership; Transformational leadership; Transactional leadership; ESG

M33

Proceedings of International Scientific and Professional Conference “ALFATECH“ Smart Cities and modern technologies

Leadership in Smart Cities: Emotional Intelligence as a Driver of Smart City Ecosystem Transformation

Vukonjanski Srdić, J.; Miličić, B.; Pavlović, K.

https://doi.org/10.46793/ALFATECHproc25.258VS

This paper aims to examine the role of organizational leaders in the process of transforming urban areas into smart cities with a detailed analysis of the key challenges they face. The introduction of the smart city concept requires the modernization of leadership styles, organizational strategies, and resources as well as increased agility and adaptability to new internal and external business conditions. Current research indicates that emotional intelligence plays a key role in the efficient and effective management of these changes. Therefore, the aim of this research is to examine the impact of emotional intelligence on the leadership and economic performance of organizations in Serbia. Quantitative analysis showed that emotional intelligence significantly contributes to the quality of leadership. Additionally, it was found that it acts as a moderating factor in the relationship between leadership and economic performance of organizations. Research findings indicate a positive correlation between a higher level of emotional intelligence among leaders and improved economic results of the organizations. The obtained results show that the development of emotional intelligence in leaders is a key factor for successfully managing processes within the Smart City ecosystem. Furthermore, the findings of this research provide important guidelines for the strategic selection and development of leaders who will lead organizations in smart cities in Serbia.

Leadership; Smart Cities; Emotional Intelligence; Economic Performance; Smart City Ecosystem

M33

Economy and Market Communication Review

Leadership Styles, ESGs, And External Social Capital: Impact On Organizational Commitment And Innovation In Serbia

Jovanović, N.; Pavlović, K.; Vukonjanski Srdić, J.

https://doi.org/10.7251/EMC2402541J

Leadership, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices and External Social Capital (ESC) are critical elements in contemporary organizations, frequently discussed in scientific literature. However, their influence on organizational commitment and innovation, particularly in the Serbian context, is underexplored. This study aims to investigate the relationships between leadership styles, ESG dimensions (Environmental Protection, Corporate Social Responsibility, Corporate Governance), and ESC on organizational commitment and innovation in Serbian enterprises in order to provide valuable insights for managers. All three hypotheses were confirmed. According to the results, environmental protection is the strongest predictor of innovation, explaining 28% of its variance. While leadership significantly affects both organizational commitment and organizational innovation, ESC has a less direct or even negative impact on commitment and a positive one on innovation. These results from Serbian organizations contribute to the understanding of how contemporary leadership and sustainability practices drive success in the context of the national business environment.

Leadership; Commitment; ESG; ESC; Innovation

M23