Dear Colleagues,

A holistic approach in management systems is conditioned not only by their uniform structure but especially by effective risk management [1], especially those that are important for the sustainability of the organization's business. Risks can negatively affect the quality of products/projects and provided services [2]. According to [3], there are currently up to 48 management systems that have adopted a unified High-Level Structure (HLS). The new revision of the HLS is called the Harmonized Approach (HA). It contains a few minor changes, and all management systems that have been structured so far by the HLS will be subject to the already harmonized approach introduced by the ISO organization in 2021 in their revisions. Not only HA but also new threats (e.g., COVID-19, natural changes) create space for re-thinking the general methods and tools of risk analysis in various areas of management [4]. The prevention of major industrial accidents, critical infrastructure, and crisis management are integrated and overlap in the current business conditions. Requirements for the introduction of fully automated and digital workplaces can, on the one hand, reduce existing, long-known risks, but on the other hand they can create new hazards, which together with changing external threats create a negative impact on future development and sustainability [5].

[1] Aven, T.; Kristensen, V. Perspectives on risk: review and discussion of the basis for establishing a unified and holistic approach, Reliab. Eng. Syst. Saf., 2005, 90, 1–14, ISSN 0951-8320, doi: 10.1016/j.ress.2004.10.008.

[2] Nagyová, A.; Pačaiová, H.; Markulik, Š.; Turisová, R.; Kozel, R.; Džugan, J. Design of a Model for Risk Reduction in Project Management in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. Symmetry 2021, 13, 763. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/sym13050763.

[3] Martirena, H. The High Level Structure is dead. Long life to the Harmonised Approach?

Available at: https://www.quality.org/knowledge/high-level-structure-dead-long-life-harmonised-approach.

[4] Bragatto, P.; Vairo, T.; Milazzo M.F.; Fabiano, B. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the safety management in Italian Seveso industries. J. Loss Prev. Process. Ind. 2021, 70, 104393, ISSN 0950-4230, doi:10.1016/j.jlp.2021.104393.

[5] Oláh, J.; Aburumman, N.; Popp, J.; Khan, M.A.; Haddad, H.; Kitukutha, N. Impact of Industry 4.0 on Environmental Sustainability. Sustainability 2020, 12, 4674. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12114674

(1) Outline the overall a. focus, b. scope and c. purpose of the special issue;

(2) Suggest how the issue will usefully supplement (relate to) existing literature.

The overall intention of this Special Issue is to underline the problem of risk management in new and changing conditions and to see and promote new methods and tools that will improve public opinion and attitude as a basis for management decision making. The scope of this Special Issue can be defined as follows:

• Management systems and their new structures in changing and business conditions.
• External threats and their impact on sustainability development and uncertainty as part of decision making.
• Proactive approaches in risk management.
• New design principles in digital management. New energies and their influence on sustainable development and effective management.
• The new methods and techniques used in project management, which affect the quality of project management and reduce the risk of project objectives achievement.

The aim of this Special Issue is to provide a space for the scientific community to develop and discuss new methods taking into account all external and internal changes, especially in industrial organizations, whose impact on society is necessary to analyze. This should consider future development and the level of social acceptability.

A number of studies deal with current threats [1–5] as well as their impact on business [6,7], where the principle of integration of MS and their holistic approaches are briefly described [8–10]. However, they do not comprehensively take into account the issues of current MS and their future development concerning the trends of the digitization of society and the use of new energy sources and their impact on sustainability development.

[1] Bragatto, P.; Vairo, T.; Milazzo M.F.; Fabiano, B. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the safety management in Italian Seveso industries. J. Loss Prev. Process. Ind. 2021, 70, 104393, ISSN 0950-4230, doi:10.1016/j.jlp.2021.104393.

[2] Beech, N.; Anseel, F. COVID-19 and Its Impact on Management Research and Education: Threats, Opportunities and a Manifesto. Brit J Manage, 2020, 31, 447–449. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.1111/1467-8551.12421

[3] Groenewegen P., Vergragt, P. Environmental issues as threats and opportunities for technological innovation, Technol. Anal. Strateg. Manag., 1991, 3, 43–55, doi: 10.1080/09537329108524031

[4] Rathnayake, S. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis for Farmer Companies to Re-emerge as Social Business Models in Sri Lanka: A Case Study in Ridebendiela Farmer Company. Asian J. Agric. Ext., Econ. Sociol., 2018, 28, 1–6. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.9734/AJAEES/2018/45311

[5] Makhmudova I.N. The impact of personnel threats on the economic security of the organization. Vestn. Samara Univ. Econ. Manag. 2020, 11, 83–89. doi: 10.18287/2542-0461-2020-11-4-83-89

[6] Horn, I.; Taros, T.; Dirkes, S. et al. Business reputation and social media: A primer on threats and responses. J Direct Data Digit Mark Pract. 2015, 16, 193–208. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.1057/dddmp.2015.1

[7] Parida, V.; Sjödin, D.; Reim, W. Reviewing Literature on Digitalization, Business Model Innovation, and Sustainable Industry: Past Achievements and Future Promises. Sustainability 2019, 11, 391. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su11020391

[8] Steinstraeter, M.; Minnerup, K.; Herrmann, T.; Lienkamp, M. Case Study of Holistic Energy Management Using Genetic Algorithms in a Sliding Window Approach, Collection of open articles in transport research 2019, 2019, 273 URL https://www.scipedia.com/public/238,295kh

[9] Núñez, A., Marín, L. G., Sáez, D., Sumner, M., Pholboon, S., Muñoz-Carpintero, D., & Köbrich, D. Hierarchical Energy Management System for Microgrid Operation Based on Robust Model Predictive Control. Energ., 2019, 12, 4453. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en12234453

[10] Rebelo, M.F.; Santos, G.; Silva, R. Integration of Standardized Management Systems: A Dilemma? Systems 2015, 3, 45–59. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/systems3020045

Prof. Dr. Hana Pacaiova
Dr. Anna Nagyova
Dr. Damjan Maletic
Guest Editors

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• management system
• holistic approach
• risk assessment
• threats
• digitalization
• sustainability