http://hdl.handle.net/10563/1000002 Sun, 05 Apr 2026 05:01:50 GMT 2026-04-05T05:01:50Z http://hdl.handle.net/10563/1012586 The Bata Company's eastern Mediterranean business operations 1918–1938: a structuration perspective Balaban, Milan; Herman, Jan; Savić, Dalibor This paper presents a comparative historical-sociological analysis of the Bata Company's business operations in the eastern Mediterranean between the two world wars. Focusing on countries such as Egypt, Palestine and Syria, the study explores how the region's unique political transitions, colonial legacies and evolving socio-economic structures shaped and constrained foreign commercial ventures. The central aim of the research is to examine the structuration processes underlying Bata's business activities–specifically, the dynamic feedback loops between entrepreneurial decision-making and the structural environment shaped by institutions, social groups and regional power dynamics. Drawing on structuration theory, the analysis reveals how Bata navigated a complex (post)colonial terrain by implementing a flexible organisational culture, including a proactive approach to local markets, innovation in production and distribution, and continuous adaptation based on feedback. However, the findings suggest that despite these strategic efforts, the company's success in achieving its economic goals remained limited due to the region's fragmented political authority, volatile institutional arrangements and socio-cultural diversity. Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10563/1012586 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10563/1012364 Yugoslav tourists in the Czechoslovak spas during the interwar period (1918-1939) Balaban, Milan; Balalban Cakirpaloglu, Irena; Savić, Dalibor This study explores the overlooked phenomenon of Yugoslav tourists in Czechoslovak spas during the interwar period, employing archival research, travelogues, and contemporary periodicals. The tourist exchange, driven by rich economic relations, reveals a dynamic interplay of socio-cultural interactions. Focused on spas like Karlovy Vary, Mariánské Lázně, Poděbrady, and others, the research uncovers the experiences of Yugoslav elites in these transnational spaces, contributing to a broader understanding of interwar tourism and diplomatic ties in Central Europe. Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10563/1012364 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10563/1011051 The social welfare system in Bata company towns (1920s-1950s): Between transnational vision and local settings Balaban, Milan; Perutka, Lukáš; Paye, Simon; Savić, Dalibor; Herman, Jan In the early twentieth century, the Bata company became one of the largest shoe manufacturers in the world, and an emblematic icon of family capitalism. This paper presents an overview of the social welfare system developed by the firm, first in its hometown of Zlin (Moravia) and then in more than thirty company towns founded in Czechoslovakia, Europe, and other continents from the 1920s to the 1950s. It shows how the initial model provided by the city of Zlin took different forms after being exported to other settlements, and aims to identify the causes of this divergence. Following a transnational perspective, this research contributes to a better understanding of how policies, models, and practices transferred around the world by multinational companies can be reshaped according to national and local contexts. Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10563/1011051 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10563/1010447 The early decades of the Bata Shoe Company in India: From establishment to economic and social integration Balaban, Milan; Herman, Jan; Savić, Dalibor The study presents a historical and sociological interpretation of the events that marked the gradual integration of the Bata Company into the Indian economy and society from the mid-1920s to the early 1960s. Within this context, in addition to the general economic, political and cultural developments, particular attention has been devoted to the everyday life of Indian and Czech workers in the Bata company town of Batanagar. The study is based on a comparative-historical analysis of available archival sources and a secondary analysis of the relevant academic literature. The results of the research indicate that during this period, Bata was forced to adapt continuously to the cultural specifics of Indian society, that is, the process of its integration into the Indian economy and society had pronounced glocal characteristics. Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10563/1010447 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z