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The aim of the study was to explore various issues related to the introduction and use of ICT in primary schools in eastern and central Croatia from the viewpoint of informatics teachers. A total of 232 respondents participated in the survey. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were applied in data analysis. The results indicate that the equipment in computer classrooms is only partially satisfactory. LCD projectors and multimedia computers are mostly used in teaching informatics. The research also revealed that teachers are aware of the importance of ICT implementation in classrooms. However, they are less satisfied with the professional development opportunities. Their responses also suggest that they are ready to participate in the curriculum development process, undertake continuing education, and focus on pupils and their learning. In addition, the analysis showed that teachers, regardless of their background characteristics, share similar views. So far, the issues discussed in this paper have only been superficially examined. The present study expands previous research by providing insight into the practice and attitudes of informatics teachers in Croatian primary schools.

The aim of the paper is to explore the perceived importance and barriers to ICT integration in the management of sport organisations, as well as the extent of its use. The research was conducted on a sample of Croatian sport managers. The results indicate that they find ICT essential for efficient sport management practices. The study also showed that managers believe that ICT is used sufficiently in the management of their organisations, which should be taken with caution. The results partially support the hypothesis that there are serious barriers to the integration of ICT into sport management. Of all the barriers analysed, only the lack of funds for equipment purchases and software acquisition was identified as a significant obstacle. The findings of this study fill a gap in the existing literature and contribute to a better understanding of the process of ICT adoption and implementation in sport management.

Despite the widespread use of digital technology in public administration, little attention has been given to understanding e-government adoption and acceptance by its employees. This paper examines the level of public administration employees’ ICT literacy and the extent to which they support e-government. The influence of background variables is also explored in the analysis. A structured online questionnaire was used to gather data from employees of Croatian central government bodies. According to the results, surveyed employees rated their general ICT literacy as high. They are more confident in their basic ICT skills than in advanced ones. The level of such skills is associated with socio-demographic characteristics. The findings also indicate that employees accept e-government, but they are less satisfied with its implementation. However, socio-demographic factors do not affect to a great extent employees’ acceptance and satisfaction with e-government. The study expands previous research by analysing the group differences at both manifest and latent levels. It also contributes to the identification of factors that may influence e-government success.

Electronic resources are increasingly becoming essential in students' learning primarily due to their availability and ease of access over the Internet. Higher education institutions have to understand the Internet information-seeking behaviors of students and how they perceive electronic resources in order to effectively fulfill their mission of equipping students with relevant and contemporary knowledge and skills. The influence of four background variables (gender, level of study, enrollment status, and field of study) was examined in the analysis of data from 900 students at one Croatian university. The results show that students mostly use Wikipedia and similar online resources, as well as university websites, including websites of university libraries. The level and field of study are strong predictors of differences in the frequency of use of certain Internet sources. Factor analysis revealed four factors: tendency to use, advantages of using, incentives and reasons for using, and prerequisites for using electronic resources. These factors represent the underlying constructs by which students' perceptions of electronic resources can be classified. The findings further indicate that students only slightly prefer electronic over printed resources, although they highly value the benefits of the use of electronic formats. In addition, it has been revealed that students believe that they are well equipped and possess competencies for the effective use of electronic resources. Differences based on the factors have been largely confirmed with regard to gender and field of study, but not to the level of study and enrollment status. This study extends findings from previous research by placing emphasis on examining the differences, especially at the latent level, between certain groups of students.

Glavni cilj ovoga rada bio je istražiti upravljanje tehnološkim promjenama u tijelima državne uprave Republike Hrvatske. Studija je temeljena na stavovima zaposlenika državnih institucija. Zbog uske povezanosti tehnoloških promjena i e-uprave, u radu je ispitano i njihovo zadovoljstvo e-servisima. Prema rezultatima, ispitanici su bili tek djelomično zadovoljni tehnološkim promjenama u njihovim organizacijama i e-servisima državne uprave. Stavovi zaposlenika s obzirom na dob, spol, stupanj obrazovanja i položaj u instituciji bili su prilično slični. Analiza je nadalje pokazala da su zaposlenici državnih institucija uglavnom nezadovoljni upravljanjem tehnološkim promjenama. U nastavku je primijenjena k-sredina klaster analiza kako bi se izvršila klasifikacija ispitanika u dvije skupine prema njihovoj razini zadovoljstva. No između karakteristika zaposlenika i pripadnosti klasteru nije utvrđena značajna ovisnost. Budući da je upravljanje tehnološkim promjenama u državnoj upravi nedovoljno istraženo, ova studija pruža korisne informacije znanstvenicima, kreatorima politika i praktičarima.

Information and communication technologies have become a fundamental component of modern society and a powerful driving force for growth and prosperity. New and emerging technologies enable government to more effectively and efficiently provide their services to citizens and businesses. Today, e-government is synonymous with fast, reliable, open, and flexible public administration. In the context of e-government adoption research, the purpose of this paper is to explore how Croatian government employees use information and communication technologies at the workplace. The study was conducted on a sample of employees from central government bodies. Both descriptive and inferential statistical methods were employed in the analysis. The results show that Croatian government employees most often use the available technology for word processing, browsing business materials, communication, and information. The study also found that there are significant differences in computer and Internet use, particularly with respect to level of education and position in organization., Informacijske i komunikacijske tehnologije su postale temeljna komponenta suvremenog društva i snažan pokretač rasta i prosperiteta. Nove i nastajuće tehnologije omogućavaju vladi da pruža svoje usluge građanima i poslovnom sektoru efektivnije i efikasnije. Danas je e-vlada sinonim za brzu, pouzdanu, otvorenu i fleksibilnu državnu upravu. U kontekstu istraživanja prihvaćanja e-vlade, svrha ovog rada je ispitati kako hrvatski vladini zaposlenici koriste informacijske i komunikacijske tehnologije na radnom mjestu. Istraživanje je provedeno na uzorku zaposlenika iz središnjih tijela državne uprave. U analizi su primijenjene metode deskriptivne i inferencijalne statistike. Rezultati pokazuju da hrvatski vladini zaposlenici najčešće koriste raspoloživu tehnologiju za obradu teksta, pregledavanje poslovnih materijala, komuniciranje i informiranje. Studija je također otkrila da postoje značajne razlike u korištenju računala i Interneta, osobito s obzirom na stupanj obrazovanja i položaj u organizaciji.

The development of information and communication technologies has a strong impact on the entire education. As a result, online learning occupies an increasingly important place in the teaching process at higher education institutions. The aim of this study is to determine the attitudes of Croatian university students toward online learning and to identify the most important predictors of its acceptance. The survey was conducted via an online questionnaire and the analysis was based on decision trees, one of the most popular data mining methods. According to the results, most students have a positive attitude toward online learning, and the level of ICT knowledge and skills stands out as the most significant predictor of acceptance. For students who rated their ICT knowledge and skills as very good, the next best predictor is the enrolment status, whereas for those with poorer competencies, it is gender., Razvoj informacijskih i komunikacijskih tehnologija snažno se odražava na cjelokupno obrazovanje. Kao rezultat toga, online učenje zauzima sve važnije mjesto i u nastavnom procesu na visokoškolskim ustanovama. Cilj je ovog rada utvrditi kakav je stav hrvatskih sveučilišnih studenata o online učenju i identificirati najvažnije prediktore njegovog prihvaćanja. Istraživanje je provedeno putem online upitnika, a analiza se temeljila na stablima odlučivanja, jednoj od najpopularnijih metoda rudarenja podataka. Prema rezultatima, većina studenata ima pozitivan stav o online učenju, a razina ICT znanja i vještina izdvaja se kao najznačajniji prediktor prihvaćanja. Za studente koji su svoja ICT znanja i vještine ocijenili s vrlo dobrim sljedeći najbolji prediktor je status, a za one sa slabijim kompetencijama to je spol.

The purpose of this paper is to establish the extent to which Croatian university teachers and researchers use online academic databases in their work. In addition, the research looks into the ways they perceive certain aspects of database usage. The study focused on one university, but it is believed that the results could be replicated state-wide since the Croatian academic community is small and faces similar problems. The survey was conducted by means of a questionnaire. A total of 102 questionnaires were fully completed and used in the study. Apart from the descriptive statistics, inferential statistical methods were applied in order to analyze the differences between particular categories of users. The results show that 73.5% of respondents use online academic databases. These resources are more frequently used by university teachers holding a PhD, who are full, associate or assistant professors. It was also established that users assess online databases as an important source of information which reduces the time of research, but they also encounter certain difficulties in exploiting them. These refer primarily to the limited number of available commercial databases and the fact that full texts are often not accessible. The analysis of group differences revealed that with respect to gender, level of education and academic title, users had relatively uniform perceptions regarding online databases. The findings of this study contribute to a better understanding of online database users’ perceptions and needs. The results may also be useful in planning, designing and implementing training programs.

In the ICT-dominated world, libraries are facing major challenges in an attempt to fulfil their functions. If libraries are to respond adequately to rapid and complex changes, they need highly skilled and motivated employees. As people are an organization’s greatest asset, human resource management in libraries should be given proper attention. Different questions related to job satisfaction are definitely crucial for efficient human resource management. This paper presents the results of research focused on the way in which librarians in Eastern Croatia perceive certain aspects of their work. The analysis shows that Eastern Croatian librarians have a relatively positive attitude to their work, but they are less satisfied with their social status, salary levels, working conditions, possibilities for further training, and interpersonal relations at work. To a large extent, the results of this study indicate that human resource management in Eastern Croatian libraries needs to be improved. Statistical methods were also used to examine the differences in librarians’ opinions with regard to gender, age, professional title and the type of libraries they work in.

Reforma hrvatskog visokog obrazovanja bila je inicirana nužnošću podizanja njegove kvalitete i konkurentnosti, stavljanja sveučilišta, veleučilišta i visokih škola u funkciju bržeg ekonomskog i društvenog razvoja, te integracije cjelokupnog sustava u međunarodni obrazovni prostor. Intencija ovog rada bila je utvrditi kakvi su, u kontekstu poduzetih reformi, stavovi veleučilišnih studenata informatike o sustavu visokog obrazovanja, upisanom studiju i uvjetima studiranja. Istraživanjem se nastojala stvoriti informacijska podloga koja je neophodna za objektivnu ocjenu i prosudbu promjena koje su nastupile kao rezultat implementacije bolonjskog procesa. U radu su također ispitane razlike u percepciji između studenata informatike i njihovih kolega upisanih na ostale studije. Dobiveni rezultati pokazuju da veleučilišni studenti ne percipiraju sustav visokog obrazovanja, upisani studij i uvjete studiranja u dovoljnoj mjeri pozitivno, što ukazuje na potrebu njihovog daljnjeg preoblikovanja. Posebno je upozoravajući nalaz da su ocjene studenata upisanih na studije iz područja informatike uglavnom niže od ocjena ostalih studenata. Važnost ove studije proizlazi iz činjenice da su mišljenja hrvatskih veleučilišnih studenata o analiziranim pitanjima bila do sada zanemarena., The reform of the Croatian higher education was initiated by the need to increase its quality and competitiveness, to harness universities, polytechnics and colleges for the purpose of economic and social development, as well as to integrate the system as a whole into the international education space. Considering the reforms undertaken so far, the paper aims to establish the attitudes of polytechnic students in informatics on higher education system, the chosen course of study and study conditions. The research attempted to create an information base that is required for an objective assessment and evaluation of the changes brought about by the Bologna process implementation. Furthermore, the paper surveyed the differences in perceptions between students in informatics and their peers enrolled in other courses of study. The obtained results show that polytechnic students’ perception of the higher education system, the chosen course of study and study conditions is not sufficiently positive, which indicates they need to be revised and upgraded. It was especially alarming to find that the assessments of students enrolled in informatics programmes were generally lower than those of other students. The relevance of this study lies in the fact that opinions of the Croatian polytechnic students on the analyzed issues have so far been disregarded.

Predmet istraživanja ovog rada je online učenje. Kao tehnološka podrška online učenja, u uvodu je definiran pojam informacijskih i komunikacijskih tehnologija. Nakon toga objašnjeni su pojmovi e-učenja, učenja na daljinu i online učenja, kao i odnos među njima. Na kraju rada prezentirani su rezultati ankete. Njezin je cilj bio ispitati koliko su se studenti Sveučilišta Josipa Jurja Strossmayera u Osijeku susretali s pojedinim oblicima online učenja., The subject of this paper is online learning. The concept of information and communication technologies, as the technological support to online learning, is defined in the introduction. It is followed by the explanation of the concepts of e-learning, distance learning and online learning, as well as the explanation of the relationships that exist between them. At the end of the paper, the results of the survey were presented. Its aim was to examine to what extent the students of the University of Josip Juraj Strossmayer in Osijek used various forms of online learning.

Information and communication technologies have a pivotal role in modern society. The pace of technology breakthroughs is increasing, yet younger generations find it easy to accept and integrate those changes into all aspects of life. The aim of this research was to establish to what extent Croatian polytechnic students use the Internet as a learning support. The survey encompassed 818 students, and the data were processed by methods of descriptive and inferential statistics. The results indicate that there are differences between particular groups as regards the frequency of Internet usage for an academic purpose. The research also tried to establish how well prepared Croatian polytechnic students are for participation in knowledge management activities.

E-learning is becoming increasingly important in higher education. Information was gathered on students’ usage of e-learning activities in Scotland and in Croatia. An exploratory factor analysis reveals four underlying factors which may be used to classify the different types of e-learning activities, and logistic regression modelling was used to identify which student characteristics were associated with each of the different classifications of e-learning. These findings provide an insight into the different usages of e-learning activities, each of which should be considered individually in terms of design and management of e-learning systems, and in the provision of training for staff and students.

U ovom su radu prezentirani rezultati istraživanja čiji je osnovni cilj bio ispitati korištenje informacijskih i komunikacijskih tehnologija u osnovnoškolskoj populaciji Republike Hrvatske, s posebnim osvrtom na situaciju u Vukovarsko-srijemskoj županiji. S tom je intencijom u uvodnom dijelu rada prvo teoretski sagledana tematika upotrebe informacijskih i komunikacijskih tehnologija u osnovnoškolskom obrazovnom sustavu Republike Hrvatske. Empirijski dio rada sadrži rezultate istraživanja koje je provedeno na uzorku od 262 učenika tri osnovne škole s područja navedene županije., This paper presents the results of a research whose primary objective was to examine the use of information and communication technologies among elementary school population in the Republic of Croatia, with special reference to the situation in the County of Vukovar-Srijem. With that intention, in the introductory part, the usage of information and communication technologies in Croatian elementary school system is theoretically analyzed. The empirical part of this paper contains the results of the research based on a sample of 262 pupils in three elementary schools from the mentioned county.

U ovom su radu dani rezultati istraživanja čiji je cilj bio utvrditi s kojom svrhom i koliko učestalo hrvatski veleučilišni studenti koriste informacijske i komunikacijske tehnologije (ICT) u procesu učenja i obrazovanja. Istraživanje je provedeno na uzorku od 818 studenata upisanih na šest veleučilišta. U okviru analize podataka izračunati su pokazatelji deskriptivne statistike. S namjerom određivanja načina korištenja ICT, prema kojima se definirane skupine studenata najviše razlikuju, provedena je diskriminativna analiza. Rezultati istraživanja pokazali su da pojedine skupine studenata, a poglavito oni upisani na tehničke studije, intenzivnije koriste ICT. Istraživanje je također pokazalo da su neki aspekti upotrebe ICT među hrvatskim veleučilišnim studentima zanemareni. Značaj ovog rada proizlazi iz činjenice da u njemu analizirana pitanja, iako ključna za ocjenu postojećeg stanja i formuliranje strategije razvoja hrvatskog visokog obrazovanja, još uvijek nisu na odgovarajući način istražena. Stoga se dani rezultati mogu shvatiti kao podrška upravljanju razvojem tog sustava, ali također i kao temelj za buduće analize., The paper presents the results of the research aimed at establishing the purpose and frequency of using information and communication technologies (ICT) among Croatian polytechnic students in learning and education processes. The research was conducted on a sample of 818 students enrolled in six polytechnics. Within data analysis the descriptive statistics indicators were calculated. Discriminant analysis was conducted to determine the ways of ICT usage according to which the defined student groups differ the most. Research results indicate that certain student groups, especially those enrolled in technical studies, use ICT more intensively. Furthermore, the research revealed that some aspects of ICT usage among Croatian polytechnic students have been neglected. The significance of this paper arises from the fact that the issues analyzed therein, although crucial for current situation assessment and for formulating the Croatian higher education development strategy, have not been adequately investigated. The results presented here can therefore be viewed as management support to the development of this system, but also as a basis for future analyses.

E-learning exhibits a growing presence at Croatian universities. Its implementation in the higher education system is part of the effort to improve the process of higher education and to make a significant step forward in turning the Republic of Croatia into information and knowledge society. In these efforts, one of the biggest problems is the unequal level of success in introducing e-learning, which is directly reflected in its acceptance level among student population. Whereas certain higher education institutions, primarily those providing information and computer science programs, are already applying this modern learning and teaching concept to a high degree, the others have yet to start implementing its basic forms. Within the Croatian higher education system no adequate research has been carried out regarding student perception of e-learning, i.e. it has not been investigated to what extent it is accepted among the students. Without a comprehensive analysis of this aspect, it is impossible to take full advantage of all its potentials and properly formulate development strategies for the future. This paper seeks to fill this gap, at least to a certain degree. Adequate methods of descriptive and inferential statistics have been used in the analysis., E-learning sve je zastupljeniji na hrvatskim sveučilištima. Njegovom implementacijom u sustavu visokog obrazovanja nastoji se unaprijediti proces studiranja te u tom segmentu napraviti značajniji iskorak Republike Hrvatske prema informacijskom društvu i društvu znanja. Pri tome jedan od najvećih problema predstavlja neujednačenost u dosezima uvođenja e-learninga, što se neposredno odražava na stupanj njegovog prihvaćanja među studentskom populacijom. Naime, dok pojedini fakulteti, poglavito oni koji izvode studije iz područja informacijskih i računalnih znanosti, već u velikoj mjeri primjenjuju taj suvremeni koncept učenja i poučavanja, na drugima tek započinju zaživljavati neke njegove osnovne forme. U sustavu hrvatskog visokog obrazovanja još uvijek nije na adekvatan način istraženo kako studenti percipiraju e-learning, odnosno koliko je on među njima akceptiran. Bez obuhvatne analize tog aspekta nije moguće u potpunosti iskoristiti sve njegove potencijale i pravilno oblikovati buduće razvojne strategije. Ovim radom nastojalo se barem u određenoj mjeri popuniti tu prazninu. U analizi su korištene odgovarajuće metode deskriptivne i inferencijalne statistike.

Over the last years, e‐learning has taken an important role in Croatian higher education as a result of strategies defined and measures undertaken. Nonetheless, in comparison to the developed countries, the achievements in e‐learning implementation are still unsatisfactory. Therefore, the efforts to advance e‐learning within Croatian higher education need to be intensified. It is further necessary to undertake ongoing activities in order to solve possible problems in e‐learning system functioning, which requires the development of adequate evaluation instruments and methods. One of the key steps in this process would be examining and analyzing users’ attitudes. This paper presents a study of Croatian students’ perceptions with regard to certain aspects of e‐learning usage. Given the character of this research, adequate statistical methods were required for the data processing. The results of the analysis indicate that, for the most part, Croatian students have positive perceptions of e‐learning, particularly as support to time‐honored forms of teaching. However, they are not prepared to completely give up the traditional classroom. Using factor analysis, we identified four underlying factors of a collection of variables related to students’ perceptions of e‐learning. Furthermore, a certain number of statistically significant differences in student attitudes have been confirmed, in terms of gender and year of study. In our study we used discriminant analysis to determine discriminant functions that distinguished defined groups of students. With this research we managed to a certain degree to alleviate the current data insufficiency in the area of e‐learning evaluation among Croatian students. Since this type of learning is gaining in importance within higher education, such analyses have to be conducted continuously.

The task of an agricultural management information system is to continuously provide the management with information required for decision-making within their scope of work. In order to do this, adequate quantitative models and computerized systems for their solving and analysis need to be implemented in the area of agricultural output planning. Since agricultural production is characterized by a level of uncertainty, it is normally not possible to estimate model parameters and relations with certainty, which has a direct impact on the effectiveness of planning. Such problems can be resolved to a significant degree by constructing decision support systems based on stochastic models. This paper will present as such the stochastic sum-of-ratios fractional programming model.

In order to achieve effective e-learning management, it is necessary to take into consideration different aspects related to its implementation. One of the most important activities is surveying users' opinions. The data obtained in such opinion polls help to identify problems in system functioning and start handling those issues. Since e-learning is being introduced into parts of Croatian higher education at differing paces, the aim of the research presented in this paper was to investigate how this situation is reflected in student perceptions. The scientific area of a particular institution, i.e. faculty or department where students are enrolled, was taken as the criterion variable. Within the research, we have calculated basic descriptive statistics, and conducted the analysis of variance and the discriminant analysis.

A range of methods have been developed as project management support. In order to improve decision-making efficiency in conditions of uncertainty, simulations began to be applied in the area of project management. In performing such simulations, the durations of project activities have to be defined as random variables. In this paper it is assumed that activity durations follow a beta PERT distribution. Different information required for decision-making in such a simulation model is obtained by means of adequate statistical methods. The decision-making process can be further improved by modified usage of certain elements of statistical analysis. A computer-aided statistical analysis thus becomes an indispensable tool for a project manager. The construction of adequate decision-making system and the development of software applications are prerequisites for implementing the proposed model.

The basic aim of all investors investing in securities is to achieve maximum yield while keeping their loss risks at a minimum. A number of techniques and methods have been devised as a decision support tool in this domain. In this paper, the initial model of portfolio optimization has been enhanced by using computer simulation. It was used in the model to generate random rates of return from the bivariate normal distribution. It was assumed that its parameters are established on the basis of empirical data and estimates of the expected rates of return for securities. In this model, the efficient solution set, from which an optimum portfolio is derived, is obtained by finding extrema of the function by means of the Lagrange method.

Computer simulation has found its place in the field of construction project management as well. Its usage in solving the scheduling problem can significantly enhance the project manager's decision-making, especially in today's complex operating conditions. The model of analysis of duration and cost estimate of construction projects, as presented in this paper, is based on a computer simulation. The theoretical framework for generating random numbers has been laid down by the triangular distribution. A key role in the model is played by statistical analysis whose usage ultimately results in establishing an appropriate confidence interval for the mean project duration.

Stock exchange indices are an important information basis for investment decisions, but also for decisions on macroeconomic policies. Although these indices largely reflect speculative activities, certain statistical procedures can nonetheless identify' the factors which influence their changes. This topic has not received due attention ever since the Republic of Croatia adopted the system of free market economy. In order to decrease such information insufficiency and to improve the decision-making process, this paper will present a model of establishing determinants of the Zagreb Stock Exchange index CROBEX. The construction and implementation of the model is based on computer support.

In order to achieve economic and social progress, it is particularly important to incorporate knowledge management into the education system. E-learning as a knowledge transfer tool is closely connected to knowledge management. This article examined the information and communication technology (ICT) competencies of Croatian and Scottish students to participate in knowledge transfer activities, as well as their perceptions of e-learning. The results of this study confirmed assumptions about differences in ICT usage and e-learning perceptions between students from the two countries, indicating a more favourable position for Scottish students. The results presented have a wider use, since the instrument developed can be used both for the analysis of differences between any two countries (educational systems), and in the context of multilateral analysis.