Issue #1 (Volume 18 2020)

The article systematizes and analyzes the list of resources for IT companies. A causality diagram between model variables by the software product complexity was built on the basis of dependencies between the time and the number of specialists involved in the development of software products, as well as company performance indicators. The nature of causal relationships between the model variables in terms of the software product labor intensity is presented. Using the VenSim simulation system, a simulation model for determining optimal labor standards for IT companies was built. The results of evaluating the adequacy of the model for determining optimal labor standards are presented. The optimal labor standards by labor intensity levels are determined, at which the efficiency of using the technical, technological, information, labor, and financial resources of the company increases and the profitability of activities for IT companies is maximized. A methodological approach has been presented, which outlines the cost standards of innovative labor of IT companies’ specialists. The developed approach is aimed at determining the time and number of an IT company specialists who, due to the impact on the efficiency of using information, technical, labor and financial resources, provide the necessary level of profitability of the IT companies’ activities. The advantages of the developed methodological approach to rationing labor costs in IT companies are presented.

Ensuring a decent standard of living for citizens, especially vulnerable groups, requires qualitative changes in society. Social projects are a modern tool for making change. In this regard, it becomes relevant to study the applied aspect of their implementation – technology for the development and implementation of social projects. This study aims at exploring the nature and classification of social projects, as well as improving and further developing the technology for the development and implementation with justification of the project proposal and documentation using the Let’s Start Together project as an example. The object of research is the process of using technologies for the development and implementation of social projects in solving social problems of society. The subject is theoretical and practical recommendations on the technology for the development and implementation of social projects, based on the justification of the project proposal and documentation. The following methods were used: logical analysis – to clarify the essence of the concept of a social project; analysis and synthesis – to improve the classification of social projects; network planning – to formulate a technology implementation plan for the development and implementation of social projects. The paper explores the essence of a social project, proposes the classification of social projects and defines criteria for their evaluation. The sources of financing a social project are characterized; co-financing by various donors. A technology for the development and implementation of social projects is proposed. Considerable attention is paid to the first stage, namely the development of the project proposal and the documentation of a social project. The proposed technology was tested in the context of the social project Let’s Start Together.

The task of the traveling salesman, which is to find the shortest or least costly circular route, is one of the most common optimization problems that need to be solved in various fields of practice. The article analyzes and demonstrates various methods for solving this problem using a specific example: heuristic (the nearest neighbor method, the most profitable neighbor method), metaheuristic (evolutionary algorithm), methods of mathematical programming. In addition to classic exact methods (which are difficult to use for large-scale tasks based on existing software) and heuristic methods, the article suggests using the innovative features of the commercially available MS Excel software using a meta-heuristic base. To find the optimal solution using exact methods, the Excel (Solver) software package was used, as well as the specialized GAMS software package. Comparison of different approaches to solving the traveling salesman problem using a practical example showed that the use of traditional heuristic approaches (the nearest neighbor method or the most profitable neighbor method) is not difficult from a computational point of view, but does not provide solutions that would be acceptable in modern conditions. The use of MS Excel for solving the problem using the methods of mathematical programming and metaheuristics enabled us to obtain an optimal solution, which led to the conclusion that modern tools are an appropriate addition to solving the traveling salesman problem while maintaining the quality of the solution.

High failure rates among youth-owned small retail businesses has prompted the need for strengthening sustainability in the sector. The current paper sought to establish a framework for use in determining youth-owned small retail business sustainability. An exploratory mixed study approach was followed (qualitative and quantitative methods). Snowball and cluster sampling procedures were utilized to select respondents. Data were collected using semi-structured interview guides and close ended questionnaires. Qualitative data was analyzed using the Atlas.ti version 7 software network techniques, while the IBM SPSS version 25 techniques were utilized to generate quantitative results. Principal component analysis outcomes reflected that the framework for measuring youth-owned small retail business sustainability comprises 6 major components. The components included security measures (18.01%), outsourcing abilities (13.70%), marketing strategies (10.07%), risk management (8.54%), financial management (8.43%) and innovation (7.89%). The six pillars of the criteria were utilized to further develop time specific indices that were expressed in the following formula: R1 = ƒ (SM1, OA1, MS1, RM1, FM1, I1, S1) + e. Based on this formula, the sustainability of youth-owned small retail businesses can be assessed based on the six pillars on the right side of the equation and other subjective attributes at a particular time. The current study provided a framework that can be used by managers and practitioners to determine key sustainability building blocks of youth-owned small retail business at a particular time and track how they change over time.

The information on the main stages of key performance indicators selection and formation for the process of estimating the competitive development strategy effectiveness of consulting companies is analyzed, the types of indicators, their differences are examined, the existing views and recommendations of researchers and experts on the expediency of using certain indicators directly by consulting companies are generalized. Various areas of consulting are described and it is suggested to take into account the specifics of the consulting business when selecting relevant performance indicators of their competitive strategies. Comprehensive and relentless globalization has made the protection of company’s intellectual capital one of the key factors in the success of enterprise development. As the main asset of any consulting company are people and their intellectual potential, competition in this area has become quite strong and fierce. Since the main asset of the consulting company is people and their intellectual potential, the competition in this field is very strong and fierce. Thus, the predominance of intellectual work requires specific accounting for the assets of consulting companies and an assessment of the efficiency of use of these assets in accordance with the developed strategy. Given the fact that, by their content, performance indicators should assist managers and business owners in making decisions about evaluating the effectiveness of their chosen process or the performance of a particular system in the enterprise, evaluating the effectiveness of business development as a whole, the possibility of using a certain range of indicators to evaluate consulting company’s strategies effectiveness was considered. In particular, the results of the analysis of the main goals and objectives set in the development of a competitive consulting company’s development strategy suggested the use of groups of indicators (both financial and non-financial) to evaluate the effectiveness of the enterprise competitive strategy, enterprise development strategy or directly to evaluate the competitive development strategy of consulting companies. In addition, the emphasis is placed on determining the optimal number of indicators of the consulting company’s development strategy and analysis of data of different size and geography of business of consulting companies.