Projects
- Project: “Mobile Technology Use in the Classroom”.
Description of the project: To establish a Collaboration and Educational Technology Hub, it is essential to gain a deeper understanding of technology's impact on the educational process. This comprehension is vital for identifying best practices and strategies for integrating technology in education, while considering student responses. In this vein, we consider the effects of technology on individual outcomes and student performance, the efficacy of technology in enhancing individual-level components of student well-being: vigour (sense of pleasure) and fatigue (cognitive fatigue).
Project: “Generative AI and Management Education. Demand Side Perspective”
Description of the project: In creating the Collaboration and Educational Technology Hub, special attention is paid to Generative AI as a technology that has had a significant impact on the development of education. This project expands our understanding of how students response to technology implementation in education. This project also aims to uncover students' attitudes towards the integration of AI technologies into the educational process, including instruction provided by AI systems and AI replacement of professors Additionally, the project allows to understand if there is a fear of AI replacing professors. This understanding is crucial for identifying best practices and typical behavior patterns of stakeholders.
Project:“(Ir)Responsible Uses of Digital Technologies in Business Education Interruptions or Engagement”.
Description of the project: Within the project Educational Hub Driven by Technological Innovations, an important task was to understand how responsibly technologies are being used. Technological innovations are often implemented without considering this aspect or with insufficient attention to it. To examine the issue of responsible application of technological innovations in education, we conducted the project “(Ir)Responsible Uses of Digital Technologies in Business Education: Interruptions or Engagement”. Within the project, a theoretical model was developed, a literature review was completed, data were collected, data analysis was carried out, and a book chapter was prepared. The project has been implemented since spring 2024. Between July and December, the developed study underwent a peer-review process at Springer Nature Switzerland. Following revisions based on the reviewer’s comments, the chapter was accepted and published.
Caporarello, L., Magni, M., & Trabskaia, I. (2025). (Ir) Responsible Uses of Digital Technologies in Business Education. Interruptions or Engagement?. In Technologies for Organizations and Society: Balancing Sustainable Innovations and Social Implications (pp. 405-419). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.
Project:“The Double Edge Sword of Tech-Based Microbreaks During Classes”
Description of the project: The project is aimed to examine on the impact of technology on the educational process and patterns of stakeholder behaviour, including the double edge sword effect on students who engage in using mobile technologies for taking small breaks during classes. Tech-based microbreaks on the one hand enhance relaxation, on the other hand increase the challenges of quickly refocus. The relaxation has then an effect on the level of positive emotions of students, while the challenges in gaining attention increase students' cognitive fatigue. Further, an article will be developed and submitted to a peer-reviewed scientific journal to disseminate knowledge and raise awareness of the problem.
Project: “Collaborations as a Source of Innovations and Strengthening Social Performance in Nonprofit Organization Settings”
Description of the project: Collaborations are an important focus of the project; therefore, a significant contribution is the study of how collaborations influence the innovation activity and the performance of organisations. Overall, the results of this project have shown that collaborations contribute to the enhancement of both organisational innovation and performance. As one of the results of the project paper was developed and published at Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing.
- Project: “The Role of AI in Reducing Students’ Stress Through Gamification”.
Description of the project: One of the key questions for the future transformation of education is how exactly AI will shape the educational landscape (Zahra, W., Rautela, 2024). The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into higher education is radically transforming the nature of the learning process and the way students interact with technology (Rütti-Joy, O., Winder, G., Biedermann, 2024). On one hand, AI creates new opportunities for personalized learning, automation, and efficiency (e.g., Kaswan, Dhatterwal, & Ojha, 2024). On the other hand, AI increases cognitive demands, requiring rapid adaptation, and a high level of digital competence (e.g., Macnamara et al, 2024). Considering above-mentioned we may propose that AI influence on students’ technostress level. crucial foundation of our research is the examination of technostress as multidimensional phenomenon considering its ambiguity.
Within the project aimed at developing an innovative educational hub, one of the essential topics has become the topic of artificial intelligence. As a revolutionary innovation, the role of AI needs to be thoroughly understood. Among other issues, an important question is how AI affects students’ well-being. In this regard, we examined the impact of AI on student stress, with the moderating effect of gamification. Within this thematic direction, two studies were conducted. The first one was a qualitative study based on interviews, which was presented at the TREO conference. The second study is quantitative; questionnaires were developed and data collection is currently underway. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) will be applied. The study contributes to cognitive overload theory and person–environment fit theory, as well as to the understanding of the technostress phenomenon (techno-complexity, techno-uncertainty), by demonstrating both the direct and the indirect (via gamification) effects of AI on student stress. The article has been prepared and will be submitted to a peer-reviewed scientific journal after final revisions (AI and Gamification: A New Dynamic in Educational Practice).
- Project: “Communication and Innovation: the Role of AI in Managing Cultural Differences”.
Description of the project: As part of the project aimed at developing an innovative and educational hub, we are examining a number of phenomena, the understanding of which will make it possible to create an effective model of interaction and communication within the hub, as well as effective management of innovation and education. Among the relevant issues is the question of cultural differences, which may create certain challenges in communication.
Recent attention has been directed toward the role of AI in addressing one of the key challenges of modern communications: managing intercultural differences/ perception of culture. In increasingly globalized world, the opportunities for conducting dialogue with partners from diverse cultures are expanding. It should be emphasized that in the contemporary world, multiculturalism is not solely associated with communication between individuals from different countries or continents. Rather, it has become an intrinsic and natural element of modern life, as we continuously operate within a multicultural context. However, along with exciting prospects come significant challenges. Navigating cultural differences is one of the most prominent obstacles, which can influence the success of communication. In this vein, a lack of understanding or empathy of cultural diversity can hinder the communication process, often leading to misunderstandings or even a breakdown in agreements. To overcome such challenges, it is crucial not only to understand the other culture, but also to feel it, respect it, and genuinely demonstrate empathy – in other words, to possess a high level of intercultural empathy.
To address this issue, a study was designed. This study offers insights into how AI influences the negotiations within cultural contexts and impacts outcomes. The main research question of the study is how does AI help to better understand and feel another culture through the mechanisms of intercultural empathy and how, in turn, increasing intercultural empathy contributes to improving the outcomes of negotiations?
This study employs an experimental design to assess the impact of AI use on negotiation outcomes and perception of culture. The experiment involves negotiations conducted with an AI agent trained in the nuances of negotiations. A control group will conduct negotiations without the involvement of AI, with human-human model.
The study contributes to the comprehension of how AI shape negotiation process and performance in multicultural settings. The results of research hold significant value for professionals involved in multi-cultural negotiations, providing them with evidence-based tools to enhance negotiation effectiveness. Furthermore, the findings offer important insights for educators in negotiation-related disciplines, guiding the integration of AI tools in educational process.
- Project: “Team Process Innovation in The New Work Landscape: The Role of Feedback Climate and Empowerment in Dispersed Settings”.
Description of the project: The widespread diffusion of information and communication technologies, along with post-pandemic work arrangements, has led organizations to increasingly utilize dispersed teams to integrate knowledge across various locations. Despite the potential benefits, dispersed teams often fail to continuously innovate their processes due to hampered learning through feedback processes. Our study explores how team dispersion affects the development of team feedback climate for fostering continuous learning and, in turn, team’s process innovation. Using survey data from 594 team members and leaders, as well as objective data across 123 teams, the study highlights that the lack of co-location hinders effective feedback climate, which is essential for fostering teams’ ability to continuously learn and innovate. Additionally, it examines how team empowerment can mitigate the negative effects of dispersion by providing greater control to team members. Our findings underscore the importance of feedback climate and suggest that empowerment can alleviate the negative effects of dispersion, offering valuable insights for managers and organizations to reap the advantages of new distributed work models and alleviate the liabilities.
- Project: “Team Process Innovation in The New Work Landscape: The Role of Feedback Climate and Empowerment in Dispersed Settings”.
Description of the project: The widespread diffusion of information and communication technologies, along with post-pandemic work arrangements, has led organizations to increasingly utilize dispersed teams to integrate knowledge across various locations. Despite the potential benefits, dispersed teams often fail to continuously innovate their processes due to hampered learning through feedback processes. Our study explores how team dispersion affects the development of team feedback climate for fostering continuous learning and, in turn, team’s process innovation. Using survey data from 594 team members and leaders, as well as objective data across 123 teams, the study highlights that the lack of co-location hinders effective feedback climate, which is essential for fostering teams’ ability to continuously learn and innovate. Additionally, it examines how team empowerment can mitigate the negative effects of dispersion by providing greater control to team members. Our findings underscore the importance of feedback climate and suggest that empowerment can alleviate the negative effects of dispersion, offering valuable insights for managers and organizations to reap the advantages of new distributed work models and alleviate the liabilities.
- Project: “From Environmental and AI Anxiety to Hope: How Business School Pedagogy Transform Uncertainty into Hope”.
Description of the project: The project is aimed at examining another important aspect of integrating technologies into education and collaborative interaction – the role of anxieties and hopes.
Today we are experiencing growing future-oriented anxiety, which is becoming a serious problem affecting the decisions-making, behaviour, and well-being of individuals and society as a whole. In these conditions, the role of hope (especially active hope) is crucial, since it can be a life-giving medicine that sustains our strength to develop further and not fall into a state of hopelessness and indifference. In this settings, educational institutions may serve as mediator that support formation of hope.
To overcome previous literature shortcomings this study aims to address the question How do students learn to hope in conditions of uncertainty, what emotions predict hope and what is the role of education? (In contexts of uncertainty, how do anxieties and their associated emotional responses influence the development of passive versus active hope among management students, and what is the role of pedagogical practices in business schools in shaping this learning process?)
- Project: “Dark Side of AI: AI-Driven Education Impact on Increasing Global North-South Divide”.
Description of the project: In creating the Collaboration and Educational Technology Hub, one of the important tasks is internationalization – achieving an understanding of how it is possible to operate at the international level. Several aspects are essential for this, and they are addressed in our project. As mentioned above, one of the initiatives explores the role of intercultural differences. In the present project, however, we examine how innovations – in our case, artificial intelligence – influence either the reduction or the reinforcement of the divide between the Global North and the Global South.
The dark side AI, in particular impact of just transition (e.g., Sabato, & Mandelli, 2024) to AI-driven education in the context of the Global North-South divide, remains overlooked. Just transition poses new risks such as unequal access of North and South to AI educational technologies. Thus, fair equal access to AI-driven education may be hindered by the digital divide, as the Global South has a poorer digital infrastructure and less funding. There may also be a high degree of dependence of the global South on the technologies of the global North.
This study examines the impact of AI integration in education on widening the Global North-South Divide. The research explores the contrasting effects of AI on development of education for Global North and South through the lens of just transition perspective.
The paper utilises a case study approach (n=4) focused on the impact of AI on education at universities in the Global North and South. Within the cases, the study examines and compare the access to AI technologies, digital infrastructure, financial accessibility, dependence on the technologies of Global North.
- Project: “Fear of Educators Replacement by AI: Students Perspective in the Management Education Settings”.
Description of the project: In creating the Collaboration and Educational Technology Hub, special attention is paid to Generative AI as a technology that has had a significant impact on the development of education. This project expands our understanding of how students’ response to technology implementation in education. This project also aims to uncover students' attitudes towards the integration of AI technologies into the educational process, including instruction provided by AI systems and AI replacement of professors. Additionally, the project allows to understand if there is a fear of AI replacing professors. This understanding is crucial for identifying best practices and typical behavior patterns of stakeholders.
The book chapter “Fear of Educators Replacement by AI: Students Perspective in the Management Education Settings” was submitted to the Book "Perspectives and Challenges of Management Education"
- Project: “The Future of Professorship – Who Will Teach in 2035?”.
Description of the project: This study examines the role of AI in education, with a focus on how the new generation of professors perceives AI’s introduction into teaching. The research explores future educators' attitudes toward AI, their levels of acceptance or resistance, intentions to use AI, and the innovative ways they propose to implement AI into educational process. Design. – The paper utilises a survey, complemented by foresight and scenario building approaches. Observed participants will include PhD students, early-career academic followers, and postdoctoral researchers who are intent to develop careers in academy. Results. The findings of the study suggest a nuanced forecast of the future roles of professors and AI in education, identifying which aspects of teaching are likely to be delegated to AI, which will remain human-driven, and how the new generation of professors perceives this transformation, witch skills should be developed by professors to support future human – AI collaboration. Practical Implications. The results of the study allow educational managers to better understand the phenomenon of AI in education and formulate informed university strategy in the context of innovative development, including AI. The findings will be valuable for educators, enabling them to adapt their teaching practices based on the study’s forecast. Originality/value. This is an original study which aims to dipper understand the response of next generation of educators on AI innovations. Unlike most existing research that focuses on the current use of AI in education, this study employs a predictive approach to generate an informed forecast of future developments.
- Project: “The Double Edge Sword of Tech-Based Microbreaks During Classes.
Description of the project: The project is aimed to examine on the impact of technology on the educational process and patterns of stakeholder behaviour, including the double edge sword effect on students who engage in using mobile technologies for taking small breaks during classes. Tech-based microbreaks on the one hand enhance relaxation, on the other hand increase the challenges of quickly refocus. The relaxation has then an effect on the level of positive emotions of students, while the challenges in gaining attention increase students' cognitive fatigue. Further, an article will be developed and submitted to a peer-reviewed scientific journal to disseminate knowledge and raise awareness of the problem.