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This article deals with the possibility of valorizing wood waste from grapevine cultivation of the varieties Pesecká leánka (white graft) and Frankovka modrá (red graft), grown in Slovakia. From the point of view of chemical composition, two methods (water and ethyl alcohol) were performed for the determination of extractives, acid-insoluble (Klason) lignin, and structural carbohydrates, and FTIR spectra of the grape samples were recorded. Mechanical strength, compression test parallel to the grain, and morphological properties (fiber length, width, and shape factor using a fiber tester) were carried out. The energy potential of grapevines was evaluated by determining the calorific value. According to the results, the relatively high content of carbohydrates (54.19%–55.27%) provides a prerequisite for acid or enzymatic hydrolysis to produce monosaccharides or second-generation bioethanol. FTIR spectra confirmed the higher content of lignin and cellulose in red grapes. The compression strength of grape cuttings (37.34 MPa—red; 32.34 MPa—white) was comparable to the strength of softwood species; hence, these wastes can be used for particleboard or fiberboard production. Average fiber length is comparable to non-wood species; thus, grape cutting can be used for pulp and paper production. The calorific value of grape cuttings ranged from 18.68 MJ·kg−1 (white) to 18.91 MJ·kg−1 (red), with pellets having 16.96 MJ·kg−1. The energetic potential of grape cuttings was comparable to that of other wooden materials; on the other hand, the ash content of pellets from grape cuttings (10.54%) greatly exceeded the limit given by the EN ISO 17225-1 standard, which is a significant disadvantage to pellets used for heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we compare the development and possibilities for improvement of waste management in three countries: Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Poland. Waste management is part of the circular economy. The circular economy is the basis for waste management today. This applies to municipal waste management, too. In this paper, we work with data available in the Eurostat database. We mainly deal with municipal waste in the three chosen countries. The output of this paper is an assessment of indicators such as recycling rates and waste production. The outputs are documented graphically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study focuses on the selected aspects of investment measurement and management for the support of financial and economic decision-making of investors in wood-processing sectors. The aim of the study was to analyze the indicators for the structure and cost of capital of furniture and paper/forest branches in Slovakia, quantify the actual expected return on investment based on the selected methodology, and consequently find out the fundamental differences resulting from the specific conditions of given sectors. Methodologically, the study uses procedures for the weighted average cost of capital (WACC), capital asset pricing model (CAPM) for determining the cost of equity, and calculation of the beta coefficient considering the risk premium. The results of the study demonstrated a similar levered beta in both analyzed sectors (1.17 in furniture, 1.20 in paper/forest), but in each sector for a different reason. The expected rate of return is higher in furniture (7.84%) compared to paper/forest products at the level of 6.04%. The findings provide the possibility of comparing the required and expected rate of return on invested capital and making the appropriate long-term investment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable energy presently represents the energy of the future, which should be based on the application respecting the importance of energy priorities, increasing regional self-sufficiency, regional control of energy, and regulation of resource use. In the area of energy supply, the use of RES has been increasingly popular, mainly due to the instability in the energy market and the political situation worldwide. Paper's ambition is to evaluate the efficiency of the selected RES use in the specific conditions of Slovakia, with the aim to achieve the EU targets. This is important due to the increasing use of RES in Slovakia. The objective of this paper is achieved through an analysis of the energy profit of the RES system, comparing the costs of the proposed solutions. The evaluation is carried out by calculating the energy and economic efficiency of three possible buildings used in the research. Using the data obtained, the results show the most suitable alternative for each building. The resulting findings provide a valuable insight for governments in identifying the best projects for RES use. The result will be methodology creation as a base for local administration and communities to elaborate plans with a goal to extend RES use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting bankruptcy within selected industries is crucial because of the potential ripple effects and unique characteristics of those industries. It serves as a risk management tool, guiding various stakeholders in making decisions. While artificial intelligence (AI) has shown high success rates in classification tasks, it remains uncertain whether its use significantly enhances the potential for early warning of impending problems. The following question arises: will classical methods eventually replace the effectiveness of these advanced techniques? This paper sheds light on the fact that even classical methods continue to achieve results that are not far behind, highlighting their enduring importance in financial analysis. This paper aims to develop bankruptcy prediction models for the chemical industry in Slovakia and to compare their effectiveness. Predictions are generated using the classical logistic regression (LR) method as well as AI techniques, artificial neural networks (ANNs), support vector machines (SVMs), and decision trees (DTs). The analysis aims to determine which of the employed methods is the most efficient. The research sample consists of circa 600 enterprises operating in the Slovak chemical industry. The selection of eleven financial indicators used for bankruptcy prediction was grounded in prior research and existing literature. The results show that all of the explored methods yielded highly similar outcomes. Therefore, determining the clear superiority of any single method is a difficult task. This might be partially due to the potentially reduced quality of the input data. In addition to classical statistical methods employed in econometrics, there is an ongoing development of AI-based models and their hybrid forms. The following question arises: to what extent can these newer approaches enhance accuracy and effectiveness? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of this contribution is to assess the development of the economic condition of the Slovak Republic in the context of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The situation regarding the development of and changes in the economic condition of Slovakia is compared with that in selected EU countries, considering the effects of previous global crises, with a focus on the impacts on small and medium-sized enterprises. The economies of European countries are mentioned to illustrate the ideas of the presented paper, with an emphasis on the economic dimension of the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent impact on the Slovak Republic. This research is conducted through basic analytical tools and an analysis of the development of macroeconomic indicators, and by addressing the issue through data from a globally available database. The results in this paper serve as proposals and recommendations for the mitigation of negative economic impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circular economy and efficient use of resources gained importance in the context of sustainable development. The paper aims to evaluate the development of landfilling in Slovakia. The next goal is to assess the trend in compared with the EU's situation. The presented research presents a continuation of previous research in the area of waste recycling in Slovakia, pointing to the waste and landfilling, which is deserving of analysis from a long-term perspective. The research is carried out via data collection at the EU level by recording continuously published values. The paper's results are processed in statistical software. Considering regional development, landfilling in Slovakia is followed up according to the geographical units of the entire country. The results shown here show that a higher recycling capacity is required and Slovakia should decrease its level of landfill. Such results can be used in the waste treatment area, protection of the living environment and sustainable development of regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to identify the factors that are positively or negatively impacting students' well-being and their academic engagement. We used partial least-squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using the data collected through a questionnaire from four countries: Romania, Turkey, Slovakia, and Bulgaria. The model includes seven factors that influence the well-being of students and indirectly their academic engagement: stressors in the students' lives; professors' support; social support from family and friends; the students' perceived satisfaction in their lives; engaging in activities during their leisure time; self-exploration regarding their careers; and environmental exploration regarding their careers. The results show that all factors, except for stressors and environmental exploration regarding their careers, positively influence the students' well-being and thus their academic engagement. These findings are useful for university professors and managers in better organizing activities to increase academic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the paper is to analyse and compare the consequences of the coronacrisis on the entrepreneurship of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Slovakia and the Czech Republic with the aim of identifying the determinants of changes in entrepreneurship. The secondary empirical research was carried out based on the analysis of secondary and primary data. The analysis used economic indicators of SMEs, governmental measures and surveys of the views of entrepreneurs. The analysis used data from statistical databases and official reports from government institutions and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), as well as data from primary surveys conducted by NGOs. Descriptive statistics, financial analysis and cross-comparison methods were used to process the data. The results revealed changes in the business of SMEs in the Czech Republic and Slovakia during the crisis, such as the adaptation of business strategies, improvement of flexibility and acceleration of digitalisation processes. These changes highlighted the importance of building business agility. The summary of the main changes in SME business based on both secondary data and primary surveys and the perception of state anti-pandemic aid by managers as feedback to governments represent the main contributions of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Europe faces many problems connected to ageing infrastructure which was built in the second half of the 20th century. Bridges are one of the crucial elements of these infrastructures. In recent years, European countries have witnessed many failures of bridges across the continent. For example, the collapse of Viadotto Polcevera in Genoa caught the attention of society regarding its tragic consequences. Therefore, engineers must deal with the assessment of existing bridges which is essential for proper decision-making. Condition rating systems for bridges vary from country to country. Consequently, these differences in the methodology can lead to different conclusions related to the future service of assessed structures. For these reasons, this paper briefly describes condition rating systems for road bridges in Italy, Slovakia, and Portugal and defines the differences in the methodology. Subsequently, the obtained conclusions are compared and discussed. The aim of the paper is to encourage standardization in the assessment of bridge health conditions within European countries, highlighting the differences in the current systems adopted by various countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on the measurement of PM and other meteorological parameters in a small region of central Europe—eastern Slovakia and northeastern Hungary. Due to the increasing availability of sensors measuring not only PM, but also temperature, humidity, pressure, VOC, NOx, and CO2, new possibilities arise in terms of comparing (mainly in terms of correlation) PM and the other measured parameters, thus generating a large amount of data for evaluation. The correlations found are typical for inland conditions, thus able to map other regions of the world. The presented measurements can also be used to predict the evolution of PM with alerts for people with respiratory diseases, or in virtual reality using a digital twin of a humanoid robot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impetus for the development of coaching as a professional managerial activity is based on the needs and requirements of a modern sustainable society. This paper aims to explore the awareness of academic students about the coaching approach and to formulate recommendations for its application in the academic environment so that students are prepared for the requirements of practice. This article focuses on the views of experts in the field of the coaching approach as a means of improving communication in the academic environment, characterizes communication skills and the coaching approach, and describes coaching models and their benefits and barriers. This research aims to survey the awareness of the coaching approach among college and university students in Slovakia and the possibilities of its application in the academic environment. The primary research was carried out by the inquiry method with 689 students. An evaluation of the questionnaire and a statistical evaluation of the established hypotheses and assumptions concerning the coaching approach were conducted. According to the survey, 468 students, representing 68% of respondents, had knowledge about coaching. Furthermore, 68% of students had or have doubts about achieving their goals during their studies. According to the results of the survey, only 24% of students had experience with coaching. Cooperation with a coach was regarded as beneficial for 76% of the students who had already experienced coaching lectures who took part in the survey. The proposition of the students was the implementation of the subject "Foundations of coaching", which could be offered to be taught to all students at the University of Zilina, Slovakia. The students of managerial fields would benefit by enhancing their leadership skills and providing support to their working teams, completing their final thesis, searching for professional job opportunities, and also coping with everyday life and stressful situations. Finally, we suggest the organization of introductory full-day workshops in specific areas of coaching for students of management, who are future managers. This will help to raise the awareness of the coaching approach at the University of Zilina in cooperation with the Counseling and Career Center and its activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ritualised commemoration of the deceased belongs to the most common forms of communication with the dead. The meaning that people ascribe to a religious commemoration ritual is determined by a concrete religious doctrine, although it can be influenced by a broader cultural tradition. However, in the context of alternative spiritual currents, there can be many possible interpretations of communication with the dead, as there is no "official" doctrine supported by established institutions. In addition, alternative spirituality is marked by the emphasis on individuality, which results in the predominance of solitary practice. Yet, in various contexts, the tension between individuality and community can be manifested in different forms of ritualised behaviour, ranging from strictly private performances to prescribed group rituals. The paper addresses different levels of individual and collective practice in the context of alternative spirituality in Slovakia, a post-socialist country with a predominantly Christian, mostly Catholic, population. It makes use of the theoretical tools of Mary Douglas' theory relating to the connection between cosmological beliefs and particular forms of social life. Rituals and ritualised behaviour are considered in the case of the triduum of All Saints' Eve, All Saints' Day, and All Souls' Day. The results of ethnographic research on spiritual circles operating in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, have shown that these holidays are perceived and practiced differently by people with different religious or spiritual affiliation. The individual interpretation and the degree of associated ritualised behaviour depend on personal background, as well as the social organisation of a circle to which a practitioner belongs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past, the Romani in Slovakia identified with the prevailing religion, mainly with the Roman Catholic Church. However, the missionary activities of various Christian denominations after 1990 resulted in the conversion of the Romani to Pentecostal Christian communities. This launched a long, creative process of the formation of Pentecostal Romani music. Romani believers consider music and the ability to play and sing to be a gift from God and view these as a form of prayer that should serve for the praise of God. That is why many have given up their worldly music making and now play only praise songs. They gradually modified the hymns they borrowed and replaced them with their own creations. The soundscape of religion does not lie only in religious singing and music, as the emotional sermons and prayers, glossolalia and sounds during the healing and blessing rituals can also be considered religious sounds. During the worship services, this mixture of various sounds leads to the gradual spiritual and emotional unification of the community. The music and the rituals create feelings of intense sensory and emotional character that reflect in bodily expressions. Movements, dance, and the positions of the hands can help glorify God and experience the worship service more intensely. However, under certain circumstances, they might become sources of temptation and sin. This is related to the concepts of "purity" and "impurity". The premises, whether sacral or profane, interior or exterior ones, also play a significant role in creating the sound. In writing this paper, I have also drawn on my own research on Romani Christian songs, which I carried out in (2012–2013 in Eastern Slovakia). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the development and testing of the AP-NURSE monitoring tool aimed to ease the everyday life of patients with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases as well as those who take care of such patients. It summarises the activities carried out as part of the international Interreg CE niCE-life project. The team of STU designed, developed, constructed, and tested the AP-NURSE intelligent tool. The paper starts with demographic information on Slovakia. It highlights the fact that population aging is a significant issue, which requires measures to mitigate its consequences at local and European levels. The next part describes the final design of AP-NURSE Home and Care devices and their versions, including details on their hardware and software. A significant part of the paper deals with the testing of AP-NURSE in both laboratory and authentic environments. The laboratory testing was carried out directly at STU. The final testing in an authentic environment was conducted in two social and healthcare centres in Bratislava and in Warsaw. After the activities described in this paper, AP-NURSE reached TRL-6. The AP-NURSE Home platform developed based on the ESP microcontrollers demonstrated the best functionality and has the potential to be used in real practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the issue of the independence of the Prosecutor's Office of the Slovak Republic as an attribute that allows the Prosecutor's Office to actually carry out its mission, regardless of the individual interests of the parties concerned and regardless of the government's political goals and basic beliefs. In the first chapter, the paper deals with the current constitutional regulation of the Prosecutor's Office of the Slovak Republic in the context of the legal regulation of its independence. The author points out the problems that arise from the absence of granting the attribute of independence to the Slovak Prosecutor's Office and emphasizes the need for its legislative anchoring. Subsequently, the paper deals with the issue of external independence, which allows the public prosecution office to carry out its tasks without being influenced by various entities from the external (political) environment. In the last chapter, the paper presents the possibilities for strengthening the current degree of external independence of the Slovak Prosecutor's Office. The author considers it crucial to reconsider and redefine the current system of appointing the Prosecutor General and to remove political ties in the creation of this function. The author of the paper considers two variants of the system of selecting a suitable candidate for the Prosecutor General. First, it is possible to strengthen the existing system of self-government of prosecutors and to increase the scope of the powers of authorities of prosecutorial self-government, the current task of which is to ensure the protection of the rights and legitimate interests of prosecutors. The second possibility for strengthening the external independence of the Prosecutor's Office of the Slovak Republic could be the creation of another type of Council of Prosecutors, the composition of which would be balanced and would not represent a closed system accessible only to prosecutors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve the elimination of the negative impacts of transport on road safety, the European Union is taking various measures resulting from its commitment to improve road safety. The main objective of this paper is to assess the impact of social legislation on road transport safety using real research and to identify the factors influencing the violation of the legislation depending on the type of transport carried out in domestic or international road freight transport. Answers from the respondents are used in the segmentation of truck drivers based on input data describing the factors influencing the violation of traffic rules. Two-step cluster analysis is a suitable method for the segmentation of truck drivers based on input data. These data are obtained through a questionnaire from a total of 472 Czech and Slovak truck drivers. The results show that the optimal number of types of truck drivers with different characteristics is four. All of the clusters are described and compared. The majority of truck drivers do not violate social legislation for several reasons, such as traffic accidents (almost 67%), complications in meeting the loading or unloading deadline (less than 88%), poorly planned transport routes (more than 90%) and driving home (almost 80%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of increasing the hydrogen concentration in natural gas distributed within the territory of the Slovak Republic. The range of hydrogen concentrations in the mathematical model is considered to be from 0 to 100 vol.% for the resulting combustion products, temperature, and heating value, and for the scientific assessment of the environmental and economic implications. From a technical perspective, it is feasible to consider enriching natural gas with hydrogen up to a level of 20% within the Slovak Republic. CO2 emissions are estimated to be reduced by 3.76 tons for every 1 TJ of energy at an operational cost of EUR 10,000 at current hydrogen prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Woody plants in roadside green spaces of rural settlements provide a wide range of ecosystem functions and services. The study presented in this paper was conducted in three rural settlements in Western Slovakia, representing three different rural landscape types—lowland, basin, and mountainous landscapes. The assessed woody vegetation is situated in diverse settlement structures, with various spatial patterns. A comprehensive woody plant assessment was conducted in selected central streetscapes of three model settlements, examining spatial, compositional, visual, aesthetic, and other values, as well as the characteristics of woody plants. These attributes were clustered according to five main functions and fourteen value parameters and the results were assigned to three quality categories, to objectivise a qualitative woody plant assessment in roadside vegetation structures in the countryside. The findings show the level of suitability of woody plants based on how they fulfil aesthetic, compositional, climate, safety, cultural, and historical functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study deals with the possibilities of using alternative types of fuels to produce electricity. Power Plant Vojany (PPV) is a thermal power plant (TPP) in eastern Slovakia, which is part of the company Slovenské elektrárne, a. s. (SE). PPV primarily used black coal to produce electricity, which had to be imported from abroad (the Russian Federation). This activity has become inefficient both economically and environmentally, due to the high price of CO2 permits and the high emission factor of this type of fuel. PPV decided to co-combust biomass and refuse-derived fuel (RDF), which resulted in much better economic conditions due to their price, economic efficiency, and partly closed CO2 cycle. The aim of the paper is to explore the possibilities related to the production of energy in the cleanest possible way and with the least possible damage to the environment in coal thermal power plants using the example of operating Power Plant Vojany located in eastern part of Slovakia and to inspire each other for the modern transformation. For the purposes of hypothesis verification, analytical methods focused on overview studies of average fuel prices, comparisons, and the balance of fuels in connection with eliminated CO2 emissions, as well as municipal waste (MW) management in the EU and V4 countries, were used. The authors also focused on the energy recovery and combustion of MW and tracking the achieved CO2 savings in connection with the development of fuel sources in PPV. The results point to the fact that PPV is one of the power plants that could use biomass and RDF as fuel, which confirms the economic advantages of this procedure. The results confirm that the potential of RDF production in Slovakia is sufficient to ensure the operation of PPV at planned, even higher volumes of electricity production. The transformation to cleaner operation of coal thermal power plants represents a significant contribution of this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the major outcomes of the utilization of smart phone applications in the periodical technical inspection process. Road safety is one of the main topics in transportation. Technical defects of vehicles can play an important role in fatal accidents; therefore, periodical vehicle inspection is a common practice amongst many countries across all continents. The authors observed that advancements in smart technologies presented an opportunity to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of vehicle inspections. They specifically focused on the Slovak Republic and described the transition of technical inspections towards smart technologies in this country. The goal was to utilize new technologies and improvements without increasing costs dramatically. The paper discusses the outcomes of the first two years of using this app at every technical inspection station in the Slovak Republic. The smart phones were used not only to help with process management but the novelty is that they also collected data from the sensors and used their own sensors for the vehicle dynamics measurements. One of the important factors is the successful implementation of low cost devices at such a large scale, country wise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a significant and supported trend toward the achievement of ensuring continuous door-to-door travel in the pan-European transport network. Many innovative programs are dedicated to this topic through assigned projects. This paper is based on the concrete partial results of the H2020 project Shift2Rail IP4 to support the deployment of mobility as a service (IP4MaaS). Attitudes towards travel for demonstration sites were assessed based on the outputs of a sample of respondents from two countries. Cooperation in working on the IP4MaaS project was also provided by a partner from Slovakia (UNIZA) and the Czech Republic (OLTIS). Mathematical statistical tools were used to evaluate the available data to find a connection with promoting mobility as a service. This paper aims to identify differences in travelers' needs with a focus on using applications using two-step cluster analysis. The research resulted in the identification of differences in traffic behavior within MaaS activities when comparing different clusters reflecting preferences for using a website or mobile application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial intermediation can be performed by certain types of financial agents or financial brokers in selected European countries. Using primarily analysis and the comparison, the authors focus on certain legal aspects of distribution of financial services in selected Member States of the EU and the EEA, providing a comparative legal analysis. In Slovakia, it is being focused on the subordinate financial agent. The subordinate financial agent is an entrepreneur entitled to perform financial intermediation. The subordinate financial agent belongs under the delegated supervision of the independent financial agent. The paper deals with a consideration de lege ferenda, a change to the relevant legislation according to which the subordinate financial agents could belong to the supervised financial market entities. The authors provide pros and cons regarding the direct supervision of this entity realized by the National Bank of Slovakia. The paper is being prepared by using analysis, synthesis, the inductive method, the deductive method, and the comparative method. When regulating distribution of financial services on the European level, the Insurance Distribution Directive had played a key role. Mainly due to protection of financial consumers, the subordinate financial agent should belong under the direct supervision of the National Bank of Slovakia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scientific paper is based on the results of the research focused on the growing and processing of selected medicinal plants. Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) was included in the research because it is currently one of the most sought-after superfoods in Europe and throughout the world. Based on authentic data and literary sources, the model of economic efficiency was developed for assessment of the establishment and operation of the black chokeberry plantation in the Slovak Republic. The modelled plantation shall be spread over 10 hectares with an intensive method of cultivation (high soil quality, deep plowing, drip irrigation, fertilization with organic and inorganic fertilizer and mechanized fruit harvesting). This intensive cultivation method is characterized by higher yields in t/ha compared to an extensive cultivation method. The model is reviewed over a 12-year period. In this paper are presented three alternatives for processing total production. "Alternative A" represents the sale of the harvest to either the final consumer or the processor for further processing (fresh fruit). "Alternative B" represents the finalization of production in the form of apple–aronia juice (ratio 25% aronia–75% apple). "Alternative C" represents the finalization of production in the form of apple–aronia juice (ratio 50% aronia–50% apple). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article summarizes the arguments surrounding the scientific discussion of the cement production process at a selected company in Slovakia. (1) The main goal of this article is to evaluate the quality of the cement production process with the intention of increasing the performance and quality of the process and the quality of the cement in various assortments. The object of this research was a selected company in Slovakia which focuses on cement production. (2) The methods of research were focused on using statistical, economic, and financial analyses and instruments of quality management, such as the Ishikawa diagram, regression diagram, correlation, and box plot diagram. The relevance of the decision of this scientific research relating to the innovation of the cement production process focused on Industry 4.0 requirements. (3) This paper presents the results of the clinker CaOF content and LS and their quality. These components are used for cement products and are responsible for the quality of cement. This paper obtained a view of barriers in the cement production process, the most important of which are the people involved and their qualifications. (4) These barriers were minimalized and indicated significant improvements in the quality of entry components in the clinker. We suggest reducing CEM III and replacing CEM I-R, which brings higher profit to the company. These results can be instruments or recommendations for other companies utilizing the cement production process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edible mushrooms represent a food with high nutritional properties, and their consumption has a positive effect on the health of consumers. The aim of the paper is to identify the behavior and preferences of consumers in the consumption of edible mushrooms in Slovakia. The aim of the paper was achieved by conducting a consumer survey using the snowball sampling method on a sample of 1166 respondents in the Slovak Republic, of which 1032 respondents were consumers of edible mushrooms. Using statistical methods (the Chi-square test of independence, Kruskal–Wallis H test, and Friedman test, as well as categorical principal component analysis), differences in consumer behavior were examined in three identified segments created based on the amount of consumption of edible mushrooms. The results of the consumer study showed the existence of statistically significant differences between the defined segments in terms of frequency of consumption, evaluation of the preference of edible mushrooms in various meals, evaluation of important reasons for consumption, and determination of preference for individual species of mushrooms, as well as determination of preference for the place of consumption and the option of obtaining mushrooms for consumption. Moreover, four latent components determining the purchase of mushrooms applicable in all segments were defined. Supporting the consumption of edible mushrooms among Slovak consumers is possible by increasing consumer awareness through recommendations and published articles. The research paper provides a new insight into the behavior and preferences of consumers in mushroom consumption, divided into three segments, which can fill the scientific research gap. The results provide valuable information for scientific purposes, as well as for food companies and policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The availability and quality of school facilities has long been a hot topic, not only at the level of self-government, but also in respect of the whole public administration within the context of Slovakia. COVID-19 and the current military conflict in Ukraine are jointly putting increased pressure on local self-governments as the founders of kindergartens and primary schools. Whether the availability and quality of school facilities is a determinant of local development is a question for which there are very few studies. The aim of this paper is to identify long-term satisfaction with the availability and quality of kindergartens and primary schools in the Červený Kameň microregion; this is understood in the context of these institutions serving as an important determinant of local development. In this paper, a qualitative evaluation (survey) of parents of students in the Čerevený Kameň microregion was conducted. In order to increase the objectivity of the obtained results, the survey was conducted two times with an interval of 7 years (2014 vs. 2021). Our results show that parents perceive the availability and quality in the same way even over a long period, but without confirmed statistically significant differences. At the same time, however, we found that satisfaction with the analyzed school facilities changed over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Customer awareness and customer satisfaction are generally important attributes for the success and competitiveness of any business. In some sectors, they are studied very intensively; in others, they are neglected. In the field of transport services, it is important that the attitudes of customers are sufficiently monitored because public passenger transport has a lot of individual competition. Only satisfied customers can prefer public transportation over their own. In this context, this contribution analyses customer requirements and their satisfaction with bus public transport in the Slovak Republic. The opinions of customers are supplemented in this article with those of strategic managers. We ascertained customer requirements through questionnaire surveys. Using theoretical knowledge, we established hypotheses, which were subsequently verified using the selected statistical methods. Based on the findings, we proposed the concept of the target perspective of the BSC system for bus transport companies in the Slovak Republic in an effort to increase their competitiveness. Our procedure was also based on knowledge that is the output of various research studies in this area. Their results show that marketing strategies are considered the most important part of strategic management. Today, it is common in many industries that all business entities offer the same product at the same price under approximately the same technological conditions and with the assistance of equally well-equipped personnel. Therefore, a correctly set marketing strategy can also be the key to business success in transport services. The methods used in this paper were analysis, synthesis, questionnaire surveys, and the selected managerial and statistical methods. Our goal was to propose a concept of the customer perspective of the BSC system based on the analysis of customer requirements. We are convinced that the results of our survey can contribute to increasing the competitiveness of not only bus carriers in Slovakia, but also in other EU countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mutual identification of spatial objects is a fundamental issue when updating geographic data with other data sets. Representations of spatial objects in different sources may not have the same identifiers, which would unambiguously assign them to each other. Intersections of spatial objects can be used for this purpose, but this does not allow for the detection of possible changes and their quantification. The aim of this paper is to propose a simple, applicable procedure for calculating the shape similarity measure, which should be able to efficiently identify different representations of spatial objects in two data sources, even though they may be changed or generalised. The main result is the aggregated index of shape similarity and instructions for its calculation and implementation. The shape similarity index is based on the calculation of the set similarity, the distance of the boundaries, and the differences in the area, perimeter, and number of the vertices of areal spatial objects. In the case study, the footprints of the building complexes in Dúbravka (part of the city of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia) are compared using data from OpenStreetMap and INSPIRE (Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe) Buildings. A contribution to the quality check of the OpenStreetMap data is then a secondary result. The proposed method can be effectively used in the semi-automatic integration of heterogeneous data sources, updating the data source with other spatial data, or in their quality control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of the study, based on historical-geographical research, was to reconstruct the history of an anthropogenically created cultural landscape on the southern edge of the Muránska Planina National Park in the Western Carpathians (Slovakia) as a potential European ground squirrel habitat. Humans began to change the original forest landscape in the second half of the 13th century in connection with the construction of Muráň castle, which became the economic center of the study area. The first written mention of the existence of Muráň castle (castro Muran) dates to 1271. The original deciduous forests were gradually removed and transformed into agricultural land. At the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries, we can almost certainly assume the existence of an agricultural landscape in the territory called Biele Vody (part of the study area) on the right side of the Muránsky Potok valley in such spatial dimensions as it is at present. The landscape created in this way provided suitable ecological conditions for the successful survival of the European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus). The analysis and reconstruction of the origins and development of the agricultural landscape were carried out based on detailed archival and terrain research. Map outputs are also the result of the reconstructions. Whether the European ground squirrel was already present in the locality before its conservation translocation (773 individuals were released at the site in 2000–2007) is discussed in detail in this paper. The current ground squirrel colony is dependent on feeding, mainly sunflowers (since 2011), on active management and maintenance of the landscape provided by a herd of donkeys (March–December) and sheep (May–July). The ground squirrel locality Biele Vody is currently a center of ecotourism and ecological education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the current characteristics of the religiosity of young people in Slovakia based on data that were obtained in a survey as part of the research project "Perspectives of the Development of Religiosity in Slovakia", carried out in 2017–2020. The data presented in the article pertain to several areas related to the religious lives of young people. Firstly, data on general changes in the respondents' religiosity (such as a weakening or a strengthening) are presented, followed by data on the causes that the respondents consider having influenced these changes. Secondly, since many of the respondents claimed factors related to receiving a lot of information as such causes, the article presents data to determine to what extent the respondents paid attention to religious media in Slovakia (newspaper, radio, television, and websites). Lastly, we present the data on the respondents' attitudes towards the moral acceptance of some themes that are religiously controversial or politically divisive in Slovak society today. We then discuss the indications that emerge from the data on the religiosity of young people in Slovakia today, overall concluding that there is often an occurrence among Slovak youth of claiming an affiliation to an official church/confession/religious institution while developing and acting on individual religious opinions or beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are part of the digital transformation of society and industry. The digital transformation of industry is based on new technologies brought about by the fourth industrial revolution. The Internet of Things (IoT), Cloud Computing, Cyber–Physical Systems (CPS) and Big Data provide the digital link between machines and individuals in processes. This completely new system is based on efficient data collection, data analysis and immediate interventions in organizational processes based on the results of the analysis. Smart organizations are driven by data and not by models. By working efficiently with the vast amounts of data available, the smart organizations of the future can ensure business sustainability, increase competitiveness through process optimization and reduce costs. In general, the aim of this paper was to identify the means to achieve a paradigm shift from traditional organizations to smart organizations through the use of data in the context of integrating Industry 4.0 technologies. The aim of the research was to determine the extent to which different Industry 4.0 technologies are applied in the effective use of data from specific activities/processes in industrial organizations to bring about a paradigm shift from traditional organizations to smart organizations. The first part of the paper describes the theoretical background of the transition from traditional to smart organizations using selected Industry 4.0 technologies. The second part of the paper characterizes the research objective, the methods used in the paper and the basic statistics used to determine the research questions and hypotheses. The next section evaluates the research questions and hypotheses that were used to meet the research objective. The last part of the paper is a summary of the obtained results, based on which we conclude that the primary challenge for organizations in the Slovak Republic is to learn how to work with the collected data, the need for their appropriate structuring and subsequent archiving, which is manifested by the need for training and application of data analysts in a broader context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) is the most represented tree from the deciduous trees in Slovakia. This paper deals with the issue of color tones of steamed beech wood and furniture products made of it. The main objective of this paper was to identify the interest of Slovak consumers in colored beech wood and furniture made of it. An empirical survey was used to map the issue, while the basic set was the population of Slovakia. The representativeness of the sample set was verified through the chi-square test. The results showed that Slovak consumers are highly interested in buying beech wood and products made of it. In addition to the price and quality of the wood raw material, the color of the wood is also an important factor for them. The majority of respondents stated that they were not interested in buying wood and furniture products in the native color of beech wood. On the contrary, Slovaks especially prefer deep brown-red tones of beech wood. The results of the conducted survey are up to date and take into account consumers' behavior after the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the current economic crisis. This information will help woodworking and furniture enterprises operating in the Slovak business environment to better adapt their offer of products for the end consumers. At the same time, it will help in working efficiently with wood raw material, which is becoming a short commodity from a global point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of traditional hay-making structures and the related agricultural landscapes in Europe. The information was collected using a standardised questionnaire that was completed by experts from different countries. What all countries had in common was that hay production with its corresponding structures was widespread. However, the scope and importance differed among the countries today. We found differences in type and extent, in degree of awareness, and in the cultural meaning of hay-making structures. The differences were connected with built structures, as well as with other tangible and intangible aspects of cultural heritage. The distribution of the broad variety of hay-making-related structures, especially semipermanent ones, has changed throughout history, as well as the hay-making techniques, as a result of agrarian specialisation, land reclamation, and consolidation. Today, in some countries, the relevance of hay-making was mainly connected to horse keeping and landscape management (like in Germany and Hungary), while in others (like Slovakia and Slovenia), it was still predominantly used for cattle and sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores an important issue in tourism, namely, the competitiveness of tourism. In the present paper, we aim at analyzing the relationship between tourism and national prosperity. The term competitiveness is a research topic intensively addressed in various fields, and it can answer current research questions related to a constantly changing tourism industry. Thus, the possibility of knowing how competitive this particularly important sector is for the five emerging countries considered in the study, namely, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia, allows public authorities and entrepreneurs to estimate the revenues that can generate the field of hospitality. Also, based on these results, a series of national strategies specific to the tourism industry can be founded to lead to the increase of its competitiveness. We used cross-country multiple regression analysis to determine variables that are particularly important for the competitiveness of the hospitality industry, a fact for which the study has a theoretical and practical applicability. The study offers the possibility to anticipate the values of this index (TTCI), thus enabling government and industry bodies to take the necessary steps to increase specific competitiveness in the international market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on the analysis of the values of the static modulus of deformation obtained by the application of the test procedure specified in the methodology for the diagnostics of the sub-ballast layers used for German railways (DIN 18 134) and the Railways of the Slovak Republic (Regulation TS4). The purpose of the study was to determine the correlation between the measured values of the static modulus of deformation according to the above-mentioned methodologies based on a series of experimental measurements on an experimental field built at a scale of 1:1. It also aimed to develop a numerical model characterising the behaviour of the loaded environment during the experimental measurements using the finite element method, which can subsequently be used for the design of the structural composition of the sub-ballast layers. For the purpose of the experimental measurements, a sub-ballast layer of 0/31.5 mm crushed aggregate of different design thicknesses was applied to the sub-ballast layers. A polynomial dependence with a high value of the reliability coefficient can be found between the results of the static modulus of deformation obtained using the mentioned measurement methodologies during the quality inspection of the implemented construction works. This dependence is valid for the specific boundary conditions of the experimental measurements performed (subsoil of clay with gravel admixture and the sub-ballast crushed aggregate layer of 0/31.5 mm dolomitic gravel). In the future, establishing correlation dependencies for other boundary conditions and structural material compositions can be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the specific topic of assessing the negative visual impacts associated with renewable energy infrastructure that may prevent their wider deployment in energy mix. The main objective of the paper is to quantify the perception of the visual impact of renewable energy infrastructure and to estimate potential changes in the visitation of a location after the construction of power plants. The research was conducted using a questionnaire survey in which 449 respondents evaluated edited photographic materials of seven locations with a fictitious power plant. The collected data served as input for the statistical testing of eight defined hypotheses using the U-Mann–Whitney test. The results confirmed trends regarding the influence of age, educational level, and power plant proximity on the overall acceptance of renewable energy infrastructure. Landscape-forming factors affecting the acceptance rate of power plants were also defined at the local level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industry 4.0 integrates smart and connected production systems that are pivotal in predicting and supporting production in real-time, leading to sustainable organizational performance. In manufacturing, it may increase productivity, sustainability, and energy efficiency, while optimizing competitiveness. The main purpose of this paper is to determine the impact of Industry 4.0 on the Slovak economy through a secondary data analysis in the automotive industry, which is the leading sector in the country. The paper aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the various opportunities that are available in the value-added growth of car exports in Slovakia. It also explores the case study of PSA Group Slovakia, which highlights the importance of the Industry 4.0 concept in boosting the country's export growth. The paper proposes a series of recommendations and steps to improve Slovakia's innovation environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The noise and vibration that cause deterioration of comfort at specific locations can be reduced by modernisation of tram lines in some large cities where dense development surrounds tram lines. The paper deals with the impact of noise and vibration produced by tram traffic. Its aim was to verify whether the modernisation of one of the busiest tram lines in the capital of Slovakia had an impact on the reduction of noise and vibration emissions arising in its surroundings. The paper analysed experimental measurements conducted at the busiest locations of the studied tram line, focusing on the parameters LAeq and vrms. The methodology for reducing the adverse effects of noise and vibration is based on the modernisation of the tramway line, characterised in detail in the paper. The presentation and analysis of the measurement results are followed by conclusions that underline the importance of reducing noise and vibration emissions generated by tram traffic by modernising the tram line network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with methods of predicting bankruptcy of a business with the aim of choosing a prediction method which will have exact results. Existing bankruptcy prediction models are a suitable tool for predicting the financial difficulties of businesses. However, such tools are based on strictly defined financial indicators. Therefore, the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method has been applied, as it allows for the free choice of financial indicators. The research sample consisted of 343 businesses active in the heating industry in Slovakia. Analysed businesses have a significant relatively stable position in the given industry. The research was based on several studies which also used the DEA method to predict future financial difficulties and bankruptcies of studied businesses. The estimation accuracy of the Additive DEA model (ADD model) was compared with the Logit model to determine the reliability of the DEA method. Also, an optimal cut-off point for the ADD model and Logit model was determined. The main conclusion is that the DEA method is a suitable alternative for predicting the failure of the analysed sample of businesses. In contrast to the Logit model, its results are independent of any assumptions. The paper identified the key indicators of the future success of businesses in the analysed sample. These results can help businesses to improve their financial health and competitiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employees' work environment has drastically shifted from offices to homes. Telework is often a desired employee benefit, but employers consider it a temporary setting. The lasting COVID-19 pandemic has changed the concept of telework. Home office has gained importance and will likely become an essential part of the working environment even after the pandemic. This paper aims to identify the preferences of employees from culturally diverse backgrounds in relation to the setting of their work location and time after the end of the pandemic. A web-based questionnaire survey as a quantitative research method was used. Data were collected from employees in Slovakia and Kuwait. The research findings indicate that employees value time flexibility, although localization flexibility is also growing in importance. The proposed hybrid work model seems to be the most suitable solution in line with the employees' preferences. It is crucial to understand employees' needs in terms of working time and place because only workplaces that are designed for employees and show organizational resiliency can survive and maintain competitiveness in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Honey is popular among consumers for its composition and healing properties. The aim of the paper is to study the differences in honey preferences across various age generations in Slovakia. The study is based on primary data obtained by conducting an online questionnaire survey on a sample of 1850 Slovak consumers of honey in 2022. Multiple correspondence analyses and non-parametric tests were applied to study the differences in preferences across selected age cohorts (Generation Z, Generation Y, Generation X and Silver Generation). The results show that Silver Generation tends to consume honey due to its nutritional values and prefers to consume monofloral honey of a dark colour, while Generation Z does not use honey in cosmetics or consume it due to its nutritional values and are inclined to prefer polyfloral honey. The utilisation of honey in cosmetics was associated mostly with Generation X. Younger consumers (Generation Z and Generation Y) have a very low awareness of creamed honey and honey with additions in comparison to Silver Generation or Generation X. In addition, the results reveal that propolis, royal jelly and bee pollen were the most attractive additions for honey across all age cohorts in Slovakia, while spirulina and chilli were the least attractive additions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on analysing the current tax behaviour of Slovak citizens and their inclination to tax evasion. Inclination to tax evasion is defined in this research based on respondents' answers to questions focused on their tax morale. The data processed in this research was obtained from a questionnaire survey on a sample of 1067 respondents. Intentional sampling was used to ensure the same structure of respondents. In terms of tax evasion acceptance, we identified three groups of people: honest, dishonest, and unconscious. The research confirmed that 78% of the population is prone to tax evasion, and only 22% have never evaded paying taxes and would not do so knowingly or unconsciously. By applying the statistical hypothesis testing, we also found out that except for sex (women are less prone to tax evasion), inclination to tax evasion also depends on education, age, main source of income and experience. Finally, three types of logistic regression models to predict the inclination of a specific tax behaviour were constructed and evaluated based on the total accuracy metric and validated on the ex-post set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geological evolution and structure of the territory of Slovakia plays a key role in the current geodiversity of the country. The importance of this key element of the environment is widely and most effectively represented in geoparks. This paper is devoted to the state policy of geopark establishment and operation in Slovakia. Despite the relatively well-established concept of geoparks in the world, its position is not entirely clear in Slovak legislation. So, both bottom-up initiatives and top-down strategies are not quite successful in geopark operations, especially when considering the sustainability of Slovak geoparks. The possible future position of geoparks in Slovakia, in terms of state policies, may be found (as discussed in this paper) in adopting specific legislation which will effectively support the development of these potential (geo)tourist areas, contributing to both sustainable tourism development and nature protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring hazardous phenomena is a fundamental requirement of disaster risk management. Using new geomatic technologies integrated into complex geo information systems represents an innovative method of strengthening collaboration between stakeholder groups that aim at reducing the risk of disasters. This paper aimed to investigate the factors of adapting a geomonitoring information system for landslides in the cross-border area of Hungary, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Romania; the analysis was carried out in the case of the cross-border project, GeoSES. This study developed and empirically tested a novel UTAUT model based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology. PL-SEM (partial least-squares structural equation modeling) was used to test the model's hypotheses. The data were collected by employing an online questionnaire on a target group of beneficiaries of the GeoSES project, in which the geomonitoring information system was proposed as an innovative solution to landslide management and disaster risk reduction. This study's importance and added value reside in the theoretical and practical implications of the proposed model for predicting the beneficiaries' adaptation of the landslide monitoring system. The results have shown that the GeoSES project beneficiaries coming from four neighboring nations are willing to utilize the integrated monitoring systems, which is one of the strengths of the collaborative efforts focused on mitigating risks and managing disasters in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil-water practice is essential for farm sustainability, thereby establishing the reference level for agricultural policy of the European Union (EU). This paper focuses on the critical gap in the knowledge surrounding comparison of soil-water effects of Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAEC) and carbon farming. We aim to interrogate the tasks assigned to soil-water standards during the 2005–2020 timeframe and identify soil-water effects under selected soil-water GAEC topics. The farm-level and landscape-scale effects were weighed for each standard. The investigation included an extensive meta-review of documents that featured scientific work on sustainable practice. In each GAEC document, soil-water sustainability was weighed vis-a-vis carbon farming. Our main finding was that the identification of soil-water effects within GAEC was addressed both at farm-enterprise level (E) and landscape scale (L). This identification was very similar among the sampled Member States (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia). A small differentiation was detected in how exact the guidance under each standard was in each of these Member States, and hence how the prioritization was scored, ranging from 1, most influential, to 5, least influential. The scores that prevailed were 2.5–5 on the part of the scoring instrument. Carbon farming is a welcome addition to the corpus of good farming practice and is complementary to GAEC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capital structure plays an important role in corporate finance, especially in the period of restrictive monetary policy in many developed countries. This paper aims to estimate the debt ratio based on five selected financial indicators: tangibility, return on assets, size of total assets, current ratio, and size of total sales using multiple linear regression for four countries, such as the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia, as well as the V4 region. The total sample consists of 3828 small- and medium-sized enterprises from the transport sector in the Central European area. These data are drawn from Amadeus by Bureau van Dijk from 2019. The results show that three of the five variables are statistically significant in all models. These findings indicate that transport companies prefer the pecking order theory. We find that the increase in tangibility, return on assets, as well as current ratio, reduce the debt ratio. The outputs provide new theoretical and empirical knowledge regarding transport companies in V4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper, we statistically analysed data on the average hourly wind speed obtained from the meteorological station Poprad (located at the Poprad-Tatry airport, the Prešov region, Northern Slovakia) for the period 2005–2021. High altitude and rough mountainous terrain influence the weather conditions considerably and are a source of occasional weather risks. Finding an appropriate wind speed distribution for modelling the wind speed data is therefore important to determine the wind profile at this particular location. In addition to the commonly used two- and three-parameter Weibull distribution, a more flexible exponentiated Weibull (EW) distribution was applied to model the wind speed. Based on the results of the goodness-of-fit criteria (the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, the Anderson–Darling test, Akaike's and Bayesian information criteria, the root mean square error, and the coefficient of determination), the EW distribution obtained a significantly better fit to seasonal and monthly wind speed data, especially around the peaks of the data. The EW distribution also proved to be a good model for data with high positive skewness. Therefore, we can recommend the EW distribution as a flexible distribution for modelling a dataset with extremely strong winds or outliers in the direction of the right tail. Alongside the wind speed analysis, we also provided the wind direction analysis, finding out that the most prevailing direction was west (W)—with an occurrence rate of 34.99%, and a mean wind speed of 3.91 m/s, whereas the northern (N) direction featured the lowest occurrence rate of only 4.45% and the mean wind speed of 1.99 m/s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In hydrological practice, individual elements of the hydrological cycle are most often estimated and evaluated separately. Uncertainty in the size estimation of extrema discharges and their return period can affect the statistical assessment of the significance of floods. One example is the simultaneous occurrence and joining of extremes at the confluence of rivers. The paper dealt with the statistical evaluation of the occurrence of two independent variables and their joint probabilities of occurrence. Bivariate joint analysis is a statistical approach for the assessment of flood threats at the confluence of rivers. In our study, the annual maximum discharges monitored on four selected Slovak rivers and their tributaries represent the analyzed variables. The Archimedean class of copula functions was used as a set of mathematical tools for the determination and evaluation of the joint probability of annual maximal discharges at river confluences. The results of such analysis can contribute to a more reliable assessment of flood threats, especially in cases where extreme discharges occur simultaneously, increasing the risk of devastating effects. Finally, the designed discharges of the different return periods calculated by using the univariate approach and the bivariate approach for the gauging station below the confluence of the rivers was evaluated and compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

English is used in all parts of aviation, especially in aircraft maintenance, where all documentation and various manuals are written in this language. However, there are no formal requirements for aircraft mechanics to have a certain level of English. Nevertheless, aircraft mechanics must master their English language skills, since they are needed for managing their work tasks. This study deals with the issue of insufficiency of standardized English courses, and determines the English language needs of aircraft maintenance in the Slovak Republic, using a triangular approach. The gathered data from 80 respondents for this paper were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics, which were calculated by the means of Jamovi statistical software. The results revealed that aircraft mechanics engage most often in communication situations that require their knowledge of the reading skill. The importance of all language skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking) is proven by the determination of the most-common communication activities of aircraft mechanics, which should be included in specialized English courses. The results of this study are useful in the creation of language courses which increase the level of English in aircraft maintenance, thus, increasing safety in aviation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]