Business Administration / Διοίκηση Επιχειρήσεων (Μ.Β.Α)

This project aims to prove a link between brain dominance theory and leadership styles in business leaders. Both the brain theory on the works of Sperry and the various leadership theories are explored in order to establish a good understanding of the theory and the concept. This is essential as the basis of the study lies in the findings of Mintzberg, who proposed that right dominant brain hemisphere individuals demonstrate the ability to be better business leaders due to traits inherent to them. If the findings of Mintzberg are validated then, it is proposed that using his research will produce positive outcomes in the current business environment that is constantly under threat form changes and turbulences. In fact, part of the project is the comparison of Mintzberg’s business leader with the leadership characteristics required today. The project hypothesizes that Mintzberg’s research and findings are correct and that is there is a correlation between brain dominance and leadership and that right hemispheric individuals possess the traits considered desirable for leaders and as such lead successful firms. A questionnaire filled by 50 individuals in leadership positions has indicated a good support towards the hypotheses proposed. The questionnaire was drafted using data from other similar researches as well as instruments used to measure leadership and character styles. The questionnaire aside from proving the proposed hypotheses assists in making essential correlations of the theories and the data. The discussion section of this project bringstheory and data together and proposes uses for the findings.

Agile project management has surfaced as a potent antidote to the limitations built into traditional project management approaches, which usually failed in the face of the quick speed of change and technical advancement in the software industry. Agile strategies underscore the significance of adaptability, teamwork, and customer-focused solutions. This dissertation unravels the multifaceted role of Agile project management within the software sector, spotlighting its iterative technique that values collaboration, adaptability, and customer satisfaction. The investigation delves deep into Agile's benefits, success factors, challenges, and workable solutions. A thorough literature analysis outlines the history of agile methodologies, compares them to traditional project management, looks at success criteria, obstacles to adopting agile methodologies, and discusses various agile frameworks critically. Leveraging a quantitative research methodology, this investigation collates data from a cohort of 98 respondents through a structured questionnaire. The employment of factor and regression analysis facilitates the identification of pivotal Agile attributes that serve to amplify project success, team performance, individual productivity, and organizational efficacy. The results demonstrate that Agile approaches amplify project success through nurturing adaptability, flexibility, and superior team communication. Prominent benefits include optimized resource utilization, enhanced project quality, expedited delivery, amplified customer satisfaction, and a progressive work environment. However, hurdles such as the adaptation of Agile methodologies to align with existing organizational processes, ambiguous role responsibilities, and insufficient organizational support can inhibit Agile assimilation and implementation. In response to these challenges, the dissertation proposes potential solutions such as proficient change management, bespoke training initiatives, amplified team communication and cooperation, and the establishment of cross-functional teams to boost coordination. This scholarly work is of substantial value to organizations as it provides critical insights into the successful implementation and integration of Agile practices, thereby enabling software firms to hone their project management strategies, elevate organizational performance, and maintain a competitive edge in an accelerated industry.

The aim of this study is to discover the relationship between innovativeness and risk tolerance, as well as the prevalence of these personality traits among entrepreneurs in Cyprus. This study has three main objectives. To measure the extent of innovativeness among Cypriot entrepreneurs in comparison to the general population. To measure the extent of risk tolerance among Cypriot entrepreneurs in comparison to the general population. To determine the relationship between innovativeness and risk tolerance among Cypriot entrepreneurs. This study has adopted a deductive research approach, with a quantitative methodology to analyse data gather through the use of a questionnaire that measures risk tolerance and innovativeness among two groups: entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs. A convenience sampling method was chosen, with the final number of respondents being 80, with 44 entrepreneurs and 36 non entrepreneurs. This study has found that entrepreneurs scored higher in comparison with non-entrepreneurs in both risk tolerance and innovativeness. Furthermore, it has been found that there is an interplay between risk tolerance and innovativeness, as they are positively correlated with one another. This study has further found that risk tolerance has an impact on the decision one takes to become an entrepreneur, making it a likely antecedent. Risk tolerance appear to a pre-existing personality trait for entrepreneurs. However, the same cannot be said for innovativeness, as this study did not find it to be a deciding factor in being an entrepreneur. Additionally, social risk tolerance has not been found to have a statistically significant impact on the decision to be an entrepreneur. This points to the idea that despite the emphasis placed on the extrovert personalities of entrepreneurship in research in other countries, in Cyprus itis not an important determinant of being an entrepreneur.

«Το business plan βρίσκεται ακριβώς πάνω στην στροφή όπου γίνεται η ιδέα... επιχείρηση ή - ακόμα καλύτερα - είναι η διαδρομή από την ιδέα προς τον επιχειρηματικό κόσμο, μία διαδρομή ασφαλής, που γνωρίζει τους κανόνες κυκλοφορίας και δημιουργεί τον δικό της χάρτη», Παπακωνσταντίνου (2019). Η παρούσα μελέτη αποβλέπει στη διερεύνηση της σκοπιμότητας και της βιωσιμότητας της επιχειρηματικής δραστηριότητας που αφορά στην εκμάθηση του αθλήματος της αντισφαίρισης σε παιδιά 18 μηνών έως 6 ετών. Τούτο διότι το άθλημα της αντισφαίρισης γνωρίζει ιδιαίτερη προβολή και δημοφιλία εξ’ αιτίας των επιτυχιών σε παγκόσμιο επίπεδο των Ελλήνων αθλητών Στέφανου Τσιτσιπά και Μαρίας Σάκαρη. Ως εκ τούτου, κι επειδή η ενασχόλησή μας με το άθλημα είναι καθημερινή, διαπιστώνουμε το κενό της αγοράς και την ολοένα και αυξανόμενη ζήτηση για τέτοιου είδους υπηρεσίες όπως η συγκεκριμένη. Στο πλαίσιο ακριβώς αυτό θα διερευνηθεί η σκοπιμότητα και ακολούθως η βιωσιμότητα της συγκεκριμένης επιχειρηματικής ιδέας, θα εξετασθούν, μέσα από τη σαφή κατανόηση του περιεχομένου και των απαιτήσεων της οργάνωσης ενός Business Plan, οι διαφορετικές πτυχές του προβλήματος, θα αναζητηθούν οι προσφορότερες λύσεις στα προβλήματα που τυχόν θα προκύψουν κατά την εκπόνηση της εργασίας, θα αναζητηθεί και θα μελετηθεί η σχετική βιβλιογραφία και καθώς και θα διερευνηθούν εναλλακτικά σενάρια ανάπτυξης της επιχειρηματικής ιδέας.

The main aim of this master thesis is the elaboration of a positively successful business plan for developing a totally innovative therapy program, the Equine Assisted Therapy (EAT) as well as to investigate the market potential of this particular service. The Equine Assisted Therapy (EAT) is a unique form of modern rehabilitation which uses horses as a mean to heal the soul and the mind of individuals of all ages, who are experiencing mental, social or emotional challenges such as depression, stress and anxiety, as well as people with addiction issues (e.g. drug and alcohol), eating disorders, cancer survivors and many more. The targets of this study also expand to a general application for other service provision enterprises, mainly Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME), providing guidelines on how to develop a proper business plan. These guidelines were also selected to be part of this study in recognition of the role and importance of SMEs in the development of a nation. This study is divided into three main parts. The first part uses secondary data through critical literature review of previous academic discussion on the topic of business plan development including a detailed analysis about business plans. The second part include market research conducted concerning the desirability and validity of the proposed service. This market survey defines whether the new service is likely to produce sufficient market demand and understand the expectations and needs of potential customers. These data in turn can assure the success of a new concept and limit the risk and uncertainty that accompany the introduction of the new service into the marketplace. Thus, the results of this survey is also part of the business plan in order to support the feasibility, desirability, and viability of the new service proposed for the existing organization. Within the third part and after necessary insights have been gained from the literature review as well as from the results of the market research, a business plan has been developed for establishing the new service. The survey's results are defined from 95 participants from different age groups who are experiencing mental, social or emotional challenges, mainly depression, stress and anxiety, for which almost all participants have use or are currently using a formal mental health related service from a professional or semi professional. This market survey provides useful data from potential clients about the desirability and validity of the proposed service and the results from it indicate that the organization has good potential for a successful market expansion and growth by introducing the new service.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the changes in online consumer behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objectives of the study were to describe the level of engagement with online purchases, identify the changes in online consumer behavior in Cyprus during the pandemic, understand the reasons behind that changes, determine the product categories that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and find out whether consumers who engaged with online purchasing behavior are willing to continue to behave in this manner post-pandemic. In order to answer the research questions, a survey in the form of a questionnaire was conducted. As consumer behavior is a social science, alongside the quantitative data obtained from the questionnaire, a couple of in-depth interviews was conducted to get qualitative insights and triangulate the data. In order to access influencing factors of the changed customer behavior, a set of hypotheses was developed. A sample of 202 responders was used for the survey. Results indicated that during the pandemic, there is an increase in online purchasing frequency, the majority of respondents argued that they had a positive online shopping experience and are willing to continue engaging with e-commerce in the future. Nevertheless, the intention to continue with online shopping depends on the overpowering type of stress a person experiences during the pandemic times. The findings of the research questions and tested hypotheses are presented in the conclusion. Limitations and recommendations of the study were identified, for the benefit of future research.

Consumers are often dissatisfied from a product they purchased or a service they visited. According to studies, over fifty percent of dissatisfied consumers do not complain. There are various reasons that consumers do not protest, the most common is that they believe that nothing will change even if they do so. Moreover, most consumers consider complaining process as a stressful and pointless procedure that requires time and effort. Also, most of them are shy to complain, and thus they just leave the service and search for alternatives. Consumers that do react towards dissatisfaction, usually complain to the service, refer to organizations for consumers’ rights, or speak in negative words within their close environment. Online consumers are more often dissatisfied, though complain less than the offline consumers. Furthermore, on contrary with offline consumers, they may blame themselves for their dissatisfaction, as they by their own chose the specific service/website. Complaint opportunistic behaviour is the way that some consumers behave in order to take advantage and thus be benefited financially. Most consumers in Cyprus complain occasionally, mainly because of impoliteness and when they have to wait for a long time. Furthermore, they complain when they have time available and when the problem is serious. The services that protest more about are public services and restaurants. Online consumers in Cyprus complain less than offline ones and those that protest they do so through e-mail, but also face to face method. The main reason that online consumers complain is when they receive a different product from the one they ordered. There are cases of consumers that behave in opportunistic way, though they do not consist the total of population in Cyprus. The most common service that opportunistic behaviour is observed in Cyprus are telecommunication services, where for example co

This study presents an empirical analysis of the correlation between some type of taxes and the economic growth in Greece and Cyprus in the period between 1995 and 2017. With a view to identify the impact of tax forms on economic growth and their relationship, the author decided to analyze a multiple linear regression panel through the use of Microsoft Excel package where gross domestic product is the dependable variable, while Value Added Tax, excise duties and consumption taxes, corporate income tax, personal income tax and net social contributions are the independent variables. It is undeniable that the revenue of any economy globally depends on taxation and apart from this function, taxes assist the governments to achieve macroeconomic targets in the field of fiscal and monetary policies. However, each country should design its own tax system based on numerous factors as tax structures seem to have different impact on economy activity for each nation something that has been proved also by the results of the analysis of the economic data of the on subject countries. The results in Greece have shown that value added tax, personal income tax and corporate tax have a positive impact on economic growth while excise duties and consumption taxes and the net social contributions have a negative impact but only VAT and net social contributions have a statistically significant impact. In the case of Cyprus, VAT, personal income taxes and net social contributions have a positive impact on economic growth while excise duties and consumption taxes and corporate taxes have a negative impact with the last type of tax being the only significant statistically.

This study investigates the customer involvement in decision making procedure and the impact on company’s innovative capabilities. A survey with quantitative questionnaires was used. Based on a sample of 98 companies in Cyprus, the results indicate that customer involvement positively affects innovation capability. Furthermore, the innovation capability positively affects company’s performance. Additionally, a strong positive relationship is also indicated between customer involvement, innovation capability and customer relationship management. Finally, along with limitations and future research avenues, study findings and implications are discussed.

Energy, in its various forms, is essential in operating the airports. It powers the systems and it lands and takes off aircrafts. It is the heart of communication and in effect, the heart of all airport operations. Lose it and you are at a standstill. It does have however its downturns, it contributes to the global climate change through the significant amounts of CO² it produces and emits, as a result of electricity consumption and fuel burnt. An evaluation of the EnMS system is carried out to indicate that Managing energy efficiently is the key factor in controlling emissions. Local and international legislation as well as cost elements are the driving force of the energy efficiency agenda. In this thesis I will explain how you can achieve that through government regulations ISO 50001:2011 and culture campaigns. As a result of the work presented in this thesis, the airports have achieved a very important savings in energy in excess of 24% over the last years. From 44.55 GWh down to 33.93Gwh for the Cyprus Airports. A further 9-10% reduction in energy is expected next year. Also on future project a solar park will be developed in Larnaca and Pafos terminal covering a footprint of 45000m2 with 11270 panels which will generate power of 24% of total need of 3.5MW, and for Pafos terminal covering a footprint of 20000m2 with 4000 panels which will generate power of 30% of total need of 1.1MW. Upon the EM we determined to open this initiative to all International Airports community. As a result, a cross departmental Energy Committee was set up. The committee is part of the Company’s overall environmental commitment. It provides an inclusive forum for management, staff and eventually the entire airport community to participate in identifying, exploring, and pursing further energy saving opportunities. The method that was used for the first part of this survey was the Workplace site observation data collection, that examine the methods and the best practises they have used, find what they have achieved and analyse through data collection. Through Workplace site observation data collection, I have studied the Cyprus Airports profile and their Scope, the Terms and definitions of Energy management system requirements and Management responsibility. As a result of WSODC an energy policy was formed and distributed to the airport community. Energy planning, Energy review, Legal and other requirements were also under the microscope of this research. By monitoring the Energy performance indicators through BMS system we have set the energy targets, the energy management, the future action plans and we have Implement and operate awareness trainings for save energy culture. Communication, Documentation and control of documents, Operational control, Design, Procurement of energy services, products, equipment and energy, Checking, Monitoring, measurement and analysis, Evaluation of compliance with legal requirements and other requirements are part of this thesis. Internal audit of the EnMS, Nonconformities, correction, corrective action, preventive action, Control of records, Responsibility, Interactions Chart/diagram, Organisation Chart, and their objectives are described in detail in the following pages. In order to create culture, in an Energy Management scheme, a campaign was developed and implemented which helped tenants and staff to reduce the cost of doing business through energy efficiency. Cyprus Airports as a large energy user it has been one of the sectors of focus. Several installations have shown substantial energy savings as described. Most of these efficiency projects, however, have focused primarily on physical upgrades and technologies. Further, most projects have focused on administrative and operational areas of energy use. The second part of this thesis evaluates the energy related behaviours of residents’ staff and tenants in Cyprus Airports which did not received formal attention at that time. In the implemented behaviour save energy culture campaign, a typical goal was set up, to get staff and tenants to modify their habits so that energy use is reduced .The target amount of reduction is based on a variety of factors, including Airport energy goals and behaviour, based on energy reductions achieved in other areas of the Airport. Another goal was to reduce energy costs over a certain time. However, that reduced costs, though desirable, may not necessarily mean reduced energy use. Reduced costs could reflect reduced of electricity rates even when the same, or more, energy is expended. Thus, was one of the campaign’s goals that must be actual reductions in energy use, not simply lower expenses to the Airport. Getting people to change their behaviours is challenging and usually requires time to make the behaviour a habit. With the implemented campaign and survey, we have talented people to change their behaviour and to modify their habits according to save energy save culture and inherit that culture not only in Airports but also in their personal lives. For the purpose of this thesis, a quantitative method was used, and primary data collected through selfadministered questionnaire contained 10 questions that examines the behaviour and the culture of the community regarding the save energy practises. The survey was distributed electronically and created online using Microsoft office 365 – Forms app. The survey prepared was completed by 40 respondents, out of 209 questionnaires that have been distributed and 40 completed surveys have been collected and analysed through SPSS.

This work considers two concepts, crowdfunding and microfinance, whose prominence and exposure are growing in financial circles over the last decade, gaining momentum and becoming increasingly pursued by businesses and entrepreneurs. After introducing and defining the main themes and terms associated and utilized in the study, the focus shifts onto the literary reflections extracted from the resources reviewed. The consensus overall suggests that certain industries are better suited for crowd-funding due to the acquirement of long-term interested customers/investors. Microfinance is associated primarily with lower income areas and businesses, but a distinction is made between pay-day loans and microfinance. Original data was collected from respondents in four different countries, chosen for their proximity and size. Questionnaires were sent out, requesting data of a quantitative nature in order to draw up new conclusions and theory on the subject matter. Overall it was found that Cyprus and Malta had very similar results, with Maltese responses having the highest tendency towards pursuing and having successful experiences with crowdfunding and microfinance. Azerbaijan on the other hand showed a very limited exposure to either method, indicating more traditional approaches being used, whilst Luxemburg showed gradual progress towards both. The research was successful since the underlying research objective was supported by the data and literature collected in response to the research questions. Further work urged for a more structured approach to be used across research studies of the same field.

Οι οργανισμοί αντιμετωπίζουν τεράστιες προκλήσεις στη βελτίωση της απόδοσης και της παραγωγικότητάς τους στον σημερινό μεταβαλλόμενο και ανταγωνιστικό επιχειρηματικό κόσμο. Οι ειδικοί θεωρούν την ενδυνάμωση των εργαζομένων ως ένα αποτελεσματικό εργαλείο που ενισχύει την οργανωτική απόδοση, την ικανοποίηση των εργαζομένων και την ποιότητα των υπηρεσιών. Η απάντηση στη συνεχή μεταβαλλόμενη τάση της παγκόσμιας επιχειρηματικής ατμόσφαιρας είναι ίσως η πιο σημαντική ανησυχία τόσο για τους ανθρώπους όσο και για τους οργανισμούς. Προκειμένου να αντιδράσουν στις αλλαγές και τις διαφορετικές απαιτήσεις των πελατών και των ενδιαφερομένων, οι εργαζόμενοι πρέπει να αντιμετωπίσουν πολλές προκλήσεις στην καθοδήγηση της απόδοσής τους. Οι εργαζόμενοι συχνά αγωνίζονται να αρπάξουν και να περιορίσουν τη διαχειριστική τους εξουσία για να αντιμετωπίσουν αυτές τις προκλήσεις. Μία από τις βασικές προκλήσεις για τις επιχειρήσεις σε αυτήν την εποχή της παγκοσμιοποίησης είναι να παρέχει άμεσες απαντήσεις στους πελάτες για να τους κάνει ικανοποιημένους και να αυξήσει την παραγωγικότητα. Παρ 'όλα αυτά, οι κακές οργανωτικές ρυθμίσεις όπως η έλλειψη εξουσίας για λήψη αποφάσεων που σχετίζονται με την εργασία, περιορισμένη πρόσβαση σε πληροφορίες, έλλειψη ελέγχου στην εργασία, αόριστη και χωρίς νόημα ευθύνη, και το ακατάλληλο σύστημα ανταμοιβών συχνά καθιστούν τις θέσεις εργασίας δύσκολες για τους υπαλλήλους και μειώνουν την ποιότητα των υπηρεσιών, που τελικά οδηγούν σε δυσαρέσκεια των πελατών. Προκειμένου να κάνουν τους πελάτες ικανοποιημένους και να βελτιώσουν την οργανωτική απόδοση, οι οργανισμοί πρέπει να παρέχουν στους υπαλλήλους αρκετή εξουσία και υποστήριξη. Η παροχή υψηλής ποιότητας υπηρεσίας αποτελεί βασικό μέλημα για τις επιχειρήσεις, και ο Oliver υποστηρίζει ότι η ικανοποίηση των πελατών εξαρτάται κυρίως από την ποιότητα της προσφερόμενης υπηρεσίας. Η αντιληπτή εξυπηρέτηση πελατών μπορεί να προσδιοριστεί μόνο από την άποψη της παρεχόμενης ποιότητας υπηρεσίας και τη συνολική ικανοποίηση των εμπειριών των πελατών. Οι οργανισμοί μπορούν να επιλέξουν οποιαδήποτε από τις δύο προσεγγίσεις που μπορούν να ενισχύσουν την ποιότητα των υπηρεσιών: την προσέγγιση της γραμμής παραγωγής και την προσέγγιση ενδυνάμωσης. [

As a growing body of evidence suggests that employee empowerment can be used to improve job satisfaction this paper examines the influence of empowerment on job satisfaction in public sector organizations in Cyprus. Several previous studies have shown that there is a positive impact of empowerment on job satisfaction. However, such research has never been conducted in public sector organizations in Cyprus. A 28-item questionnaire, measuring empowerment and job satisfaction, was distributed to 66 employees in the Ministry of Interior organizations. Correlation analysis determined the statistical relation of empowerment with job satisfaction and regression analysis determined the impact of empowerment on job satisfaction. The results revealed that empowerment has a positive and significant impact on job satisfaction. Of the four empowerment practices under investigation, three (information, knowledge, power) have a positive impact on job satisfaction while the practice of offering rewards has no impact on job satisfaction. The study concludes with the presentation of a new model of six new employee empowerment practices that emerged through the statistical analysis.

The traditional role of HR has gone through monumental shifts the last few decades. Human Resources professionals experienced a milestone transition from being the silent partners managing administrative tasks related to personnel, to being strategic partners, participating in board meetings, evaluating business’ strategical needs and planning for the implementation and optimization of human resources management. HR’s key activities include among others, the recruiting of required resources, talents attracting and retaining, engaging to the organization’s vision and more importantly, boosting employees’ empowerment in order to improve the team’s overall performance and competitiveness. The employee empowerment practices, have been extensively focused on the development of the individual in the organization through delegation and more participation in decision making. One of the major concerns of an HR department is how to achieve this empowerment so that the employees can contribute to their full potential, assuming that this will lead to gaining job satisfaction from their employment and circling back to retention. This study’s main aim was to investigate to what extent any of the practices related to the employee empowerment notion based on the existing literature, are followed in organizations operating in the private sector in Cyprus, and consequently if they have any impact on the employees’ perceived job satisfaction. A sample of 63 employees of both managerial and non-managerial levels, employed in almost all industries in the private sector in Cyprus was surveyed. The collected survey data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, factor analysis, correlations, and multivariate regression analysis. The findings showed that the relationships between employee empowerment and job satisfaction indeed exist. On the other hand, the relationship among some of the demographics variables and compared to both notions, were not statistically significant. Finally, the results of the regression analysis revealed that employee empowerment practices can indeed be significant predictors of job satisfaction, hence it is confirmed that they have an impact on it and furthermore, confirmed the study’s hypothesis.

Background: Nowadays, ageing represents a great societal challenge. Worldwide, there is a need of the elderly to be more active by adopting a healthier lifestyle in order to be more independent. Physical activity including walking is extremely beneficial for health. Walking is a cost-effective and an easy way to improve the health of elderly people. Studies have also shown the social capital gains from walking. Walking can increase social capital levels amongst those who walk together by increased social engagement. By interacting with others, connectedness, a higher sense of belonging, greater acceptance of others and stronger ties between people are promoted. It seems that the use of applications is one of the most effective ways for any business to reach consumers and gain their trust. This is because you can get in touch with the consumer anytime, anywhere. The aims of the study were to collect data concerning the needs that an online application should address in order to motivate elderly or potentially elderly for active mobility, to study the characteristics of an application that would promote elderly active mobility, to study if elderly or potential elderly are informed about the benefits of active mobility and walking, to collect data concerning the opinion of elderly or potential elderly about the characteristics that state policies should include in order to promote elderly or potential elderly for active mobility and walking, and to study if the respondents are willing to buy an application that would promote active mobility. Methods: A cross‐sectional anonymous online survey was conducted among elderly and potential elderly people. An original self‐administered questionnaire was developed. Summary statistics were used to describe demographic characteristics of the sample (gender, age, family status and internet skills). Crosstabs with chi square tests were used to examine the distribution of levels of agreement with the proposed app features as well as levels of recommended active aging state policies across gender and age. Results: We did not observe a statistically significant correlation between high levels of agreement with the proposed app features and internet skills. Overall creating more parks was the most observed recommended state policy across genders and age categories. In addition, willingness to buy the app was weakly associated with lower age category and higher internet skills. Further, willingness to recommend the application was weakly associated with lower age category and higher internet skills. Willingness to buy the smartphone application and willingness to recommend the application had a large positive correlation. Finally, participants in general disagreed regarding the existing infrastructures promote elderly walking activities (43%), the existing sidewalks promote elderly walking (38.3%) the safety of the existing infrastructures (45.8%). Discussion: A smartphone application that would promote active aging seems to interest elderly and potential elderly age population. Internet skills and age seem to be correlated with the wellness to promote an to buy the application. State policies should include strategies which would promote active aging and physical activity. Further research is needed for the characteristics of an active aging smart phone application in order to safely promote active aging and physical activity.

Nowadays, active transportation and physical activity has become a major issue with respect of health-related problems. According to a number of studies done, lack of physical activity is the leading risk factor for a number of health problems such as diabetes, anxiety and other diseases that are threatening public health. Researches show that Nicosia, the Capital of Cyprus, is unfortunately among the last cities with respect to walking and cycling. Although, Cyprus has such comfortable climate conditions, the population of Cyprus has one of the lowest walkability levels in Europe. The main purpose of the present study is to examine this paradox of a low walkability level in Cyprus. Different countries exhibit vastly different travel behavior therefore the policies applicable in some countries might not be applicable in Cyprus. This is why a study specifically for Cyprus is necessary. There is no universal approach to transport planning that will be applicable everywhere. This study is essential as Cyprus has the right physical conditions for walking and cycling, but for some reason there is lack of effective strategic planning to promote sustainable mobility and also very low investment by local governments towards implementing smart technologies to promoting active traveling. The reasons and factors that create this low level of walkability are revealed based on a survey carried out targeting local municipalities’ decision-making processes and the attitudes of citizens on aspects of walkability and sustainable development. Two questionnaires have been developed to achieve the research objectives of this paper. The first questionnaire was given to the municipalities’ representatives questioning their strategic planning and decision-making processes for promoting walkability and sustainable mobility in Cyprus. The second questionnaire was given to collect data from the population of Cyprus to get an insight on the attitudes of citizens regarding the factors affecting walkability, the current conditions of the walking environment they live in. This study proves that Cyprus has extremely high proportion reliance on cars and thus does not have a proper infrastructure for walking and public transportation. Results reveal that there is an urgent need by the citizens for more walkable areas in Cyprus attractive for recreational activities and active lifestyle, however there are very little resources devoted to fulfill this need. Policy-makers, organizations and municipalities not only lack of investment in promoting active lifestyle and active mobility, but also do not have efficient communication with the citizens with respect to their satisfaction of the municipalities’ service provided and the level of environment as a walkable community. The role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) was assessed to be crucial. Citizens’ declare their preferences for smartphone applications as modern mean of information on aspect of walkability in their community. These tasks might be challenging for the government but the benefits for urban life will be substantial.

The aim of this study is to examine the factors affecting customer decision to purchase an electronic vehicle in Cyprus. In our days, the appearance of electric vehicles is seen of various types. A survey was conducted and addressed to a representative sample of 88 Cypriot citizens, above the age of 18 and was applied both on-line and in-hand with 18 questions. In the questionnaire, we asked respondents their opinions about the significance of different factors affecting their purchase intentions. The demographic characteristics used as independent variables are age, monthly income, and education. With the use of ANOVA, one-way differences across the various groups formed can be visible for each separate factor that is being tested. The ranking of the factors listed is unaffected by the demographic parameter used for each analysis with the safety the most significance factors and the third person opinion the least despite the independent variable used. Symbolic attributes and psychological factors were also analysed. Despite that environmental pollution factor is not of great importance by the participants as a factor on their purchase, driving an EV is making them feels that they are environmentally friendly persons as it was selected by 64.8% of the participants. The EV usage does not suit the lifestyle of the individuals despite their climate change concerns. Contrary, the other variables are showing positive correlation, meaning that the idea of climate change would be embraced in a greater manner if it’s related to the rest variables. The CY citizens are aware of the environmental benefits arising from the use of more electrified automobiles, with most of them illustrating their environmental concern when asked about it but the results shown that the charging infrastructure is one of the most eliminating parameters in their shift to electric vehicles.

The present study focuses on promoting active mobility as a sustainable means of transportation through the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and influencing citizens' decisions to participate in active mobility, particularly in the city of Nicosia, Cyprus. The primary objective of this thesis is to identify the criteria and sub-criteria that influence citizens' choice of active mobility and explore the potential impact of a smart application on their inclination to walk or cycle. To achieve this goal, a representative sample of Cypriot inhabitants was targeted, and data was collected through an online survey completed by 52 respondents. The survey investigated the respondents' past involvement with active mobility, their reasons for avoiding it, and their attitudes towards a smart application for promoting active mobility. The findings indicate that Cypriots have a low level of knowledge and participation in active mobility, and they tend to use it mainly for physical exercise rather than transportation. The main reasons for avoiding active mobility are the inadequate infrastructure and the unfavorable attitude towards public transit in the city. Moreover, the survey results reveal that citizens are willing to adopt a smart application that can promote active mobility and overcome the barriers to its adoption. The study's contribution lies in its comprehensive investigation of the factors that hinder citizens' participation in active mobility and its proposal for a solution that leverages the potential of ICTs. By promoting active mobility, cities can reap several benefits, including reducing pollution, promoting a healthier lifestyle, and enhancing the economy. Therefore, the findings of this study can serve as a valuable resource for policymakers and urban planners seeking to promote sustainable transportation modes in their cities.

The unregulated and highly speculative nature of Initial Coin Offerings contributed to the crypto market crash of 2018 and generated distrust and bitterness for ICOs due to significant losses for investors and rampant cases of frauds. Cryptocurrency market capitalization has quadrupled since that period and the number of conducted campaigns has skyrocketed. Despite the fact that the majority of campaigns are conducted with alternative to ICO models, they are not being distinguished or examined separately in literature. The purpose of this study was to investigate the development of alternative models of financing through public sales of cryptocurrencies, which were developed in an attempt to diminish the shortcomings of ICOs. Using nascent literature, web sources and publicly available data, we perform a cross sectional multiple case study analysis of blockchain financing models and launchpads, to develop a framework for the distinction for 2 additional models to ICOs, Initial Exchange Offerings and Initial DEX offerings. Both introduce a third counterparty into the financing transaction, which are launch platforms, named launchpads. Starting with the “DeFi summer” of 2020, developments on DeFi technologies enabled for IDOs and shifted interest from IEOs, which were the predominant model in 2019. IDO and IEO campaigns generated less initial capital in average than ICOs, where issuers assume the full responsibility of effectively signaling, marketing and conducting the public sale. Launchpads are facilitated by centralized cryptocurrency exchanges in the case of IEOs and decentralized protocols in case of IDOs. Launchpads attempt to reduce information asymmetries, reduce moral hazard for issuers, protect investors and create economic synergies. Trust is induced between counterparties whose incentives are potentially aligned leading to reduced frauds, accessibility to early-stage financing and increased innovation. IEO Launchpads achieve this, by assuming and centralizing control over the whole process. On the contrary, IDOs enable for these processes to be decentralized permissionless, transparent and immutable through complex smart contracts and DeFi mechanics. We examine the proceeds of models, campaigns and individual launchpads through the construction of datasets by publicly available data and confirm the assumption that the choice of launchpad influences the success and performance of campaigns, as the procedures of hosting campaigns are not standardized. Further research, trusted sources and long-term studies are essential to conclusively determine the sustainability and underlying implications of each model as blockchain technology is in the adoptive stages and the cryptocurrency ecosystem is constantly evolving.

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of brain dominance as defined by the theory of Henry Mintzberg (1976) about human brain activity. The theory based on the fact that the human brain has two hemispheres that function differently and each hemisphere is in charge of different brain activities. It will be examined how people think and which activities they prefer depending on if they use more their left or right brain hemisphere and how this is related to management, leadership, and marketing. The information and data used in this study were gathered by targeting a representative sample of Greek and South European (Cyprus, Italy, Portugal, Spain) managers and business executives. 86 of fully completed online questionnaires were collected. 52 of the participants are managers or leaders of a team and 34 are business executives. The results indicate that the majority of the people replied to the questionnaire are using both brain hemisphere equally.