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The foundry industry is responsible for the production of several potentially polluting and hazardous compounds. One of the major sources of pollution is the use of organic binders for the manufacturing of sand cores and sand moulds. To address this problem, in recent years, the use of low-emission products, known as inorganic binders, has been proposed. Their use in ferrous foundries, otherwise, is limited due to some problematic features that complicate their introduction in the manufacturing process, as often happens when a breakthrough innovation is introduced. In light of this, the aim of this work is to provide a Green Innovation Practice (GIP) to manage the introduction of green breakthrough innovations, as previously described, within an existing productive context. This practice was applied to better manage the experimental phase of the Green Casting Life Project, which aims to evaluate the possibility of using inorganic binders for the production of ferrous castings. After describing the state of the art of GIPs and their application in manufacturing contexts, the paper described the proposed GIP and its application to a real case consisting of testing inorganic binders in a ferrous foundry.

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to determine which characteristics the student population, especially student rural population, perceives as typical of women and men entrepreneurs, respectively, their grouping into latent factors, and the identification of possible differences in attitudes of respondents with regard to their demographic variables. Methodology: An indicative survey was conducted on a sample of 1,157 respondents of the student population in Croatia by a questionnaire as a research tool. Descriptive statistical data analysis, inferential statistics, simple analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA) and exploratory factor analysis were used in the research. Results: The results show that there are differences in attitudes towards the characteristics of women entrepreneurs and men entrepreneurs, with particular emphasis on differences in the perception of women’s entrepreneurship in rural areas. Conclusion: Positive trends in thinking about women’s entrepreneurship in rural areas are very interesting and promising, which may eventually result in a reduction in the women’s unemployment rate in rural areas and in valuing women as capable entrepreneurs.

The paper investigates predictors of information and communications technology (ICT) usage in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) among European Union member states - developed countries (EU-28) - and the Western Balkans developing countries (WB-5) in the period 2010-2018. It aims to suggest measures for the improvement of ICT usage among SMEs in WB-5 countries. Primary data for a thorough qualitative analysis of ICT use by the WB-5 SMEs were obtained through interviews at the firms’ level. Secondary data were obtained from credible international business support organizations and relevant scholarly literature. The analyses were performed utilizing the regression analysis.The authors have identified many variables that influence ICT use through the literature review. From these, they selected ICT access, functional literacy, and gross domestic spending on research and development (R&D) as being vital to the improvement of ICT usage among SMEs in developing countries.

Field studies were conducted in the northeastern part of the Republic of Croatia to determine the influence of the critical period of weed interference on sunflower (Helianthus annuus) yield, yield components, and oil content. For this purpose, different durations of competition were established, allowing weeds to infest the crop for increasing periods of time after planting or maintaining plots weed-free for increasing periods of time after planting. The beginning and the end of the critical period of weed control (CPWC), based on a 5% and 10% loss of sunflower yield, were determined by fitting the four-parameter log-logistic equations to the relative seed yield. The total weed biomass increased progressively in relation to the increase in the competition. The beginning of the CPWC period, based on a 5% acceptable yield loss, ranged from 141 to 234 growing degree days (GDD), which corresponded to the two-to-four true leaf development stage (the V2–V4 growth stages) across both sites and years. The crop had to be kept weed-free until a period when sunflower inflorescence began to open and flower (the R4–R5 growth stage) or from 1365 to 1932 GDD. The sunflower yield and yield components varied between the years and among locations. An increasing duration of weed interference negatively affected crop height, head diameter, and 1000-kernel weight, but not seed oil content.

Field margins are pollinator-friendly habitats and important refuges for many pollinators. As a valuable food resource throughout the vegetation season, not just when crop species are in flower, field margins need to be protect or restore in areas of intensive farming. This paper examines the floristic and functional structure of weed communities on field margins in the northeastern part of the Republic of Croatia. A phytocoenological survey was conducted during the summer period of 2017 and 2018. A total of 32 field margins was analyzed for species richness, abundance and their role for entomofauna. Floristically rich field margins consist of 72,6% plant species beneficial to pollinators. Foraging period can be stretching throughout the year, but stabile and high flowering period is from May to end of September. Among highest ranked honeybee plants, several invasive species with significant relative abundance are: Solidago gigantea, Asclepias syriaca and Amorpha fruticosa who pose a serious threat to plant biodiversity. Positive role of vegetation from field margins was not valuable for pollinators only, but they also serve as supply the substrates that provide a shelter and nesting sites.

The objective of this paper is to determine how winemakers in Eastern Continental Croatia use marketing in their business. In addition, the paper aims to analyse the distribution of wine products and identify promotional activities that are considered most appropriate for the promotion of wine and further development of the wine sector. A survey was the method used to collect the data, and a survey questionnaire was used as the instrument. The survey was performed on a sample of n=30 winemakers from five counties in Eastern Croatia (Osijek-Baranja, Vukovar-Srijem, Virovitica-Podravina, Požega-Slavonija, and Brod-Posavina). The surveyed winemakers use a combination of direct and indirect distribution channels to sell their wine. The majority of surveyed winemakers sell wine through channels such as the cellar door and wine festivals. These channels are particularly attractive to small and medium winemakers because they can increase their profits. However, to be competitive in the market, Croatian winemakers must adopt new distribution channels and means of communication, increase their marketing efforts and make a shift from sales-oriented to market-oriented strategy.

Weed infestation is a major cause of the poor yield of soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merr.); therefore, proper weed management represents one of the most important and expensive steps in soybean production. Field experiments were established in northeastern parts of Croatia, in the Vukovar-Syrmia county from 2014 to 2016, arranged in a split-plot design with four replications. Two different studies were conducted: the first study was to determine the weed interference, weed biomass accumulation, yield, and yield components of soybeans growing in three different rows spacing (25, 50, and 70 cm), and the second study aimed to simulate a risk analysis by building models of probabilities for generating profit as a result of weed control. The weed community in soybean during the study period comprised 34 dicot and grass species of a varied perennation. Compositional differences in the weed community tended to be affected most by the year (humid–arid environment), followed by row spacing. There were no differences in the weed biomass accumulation with a reduction in row spacing from 70 to 50 and 25 cm. The dominant weed species Amaranthus retroflexus, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Chenopodium album, Datura stramonium, Setaria viridis, and Sorghum halepense formed the main biomass and were spread over all row spacings. There was a significant influence of row spacing, the duration of weed interference, and year on soybean yield and yield components. Weed infestation until the second trifoliate (V2) stage had no detrimental effect on soybean yield, regardless of the row spacing. The number of pods per plant significantly decreased at the same V2 stage in 25 and 50-cm rows, but in 70-cm soybean rows, this process started later, at four unfolded trifoliate leaves (V4 stage). A 1000 kernel weight was less sensitive to weed infestation and was significantly decreased at full flowering (R2 stage) in 25 and 70 cm rows, while it already decreased at the V4 stage in 50 cm rows. The probability distribution of achieving a profit showed the best results for soybeans growing in 70 cm rows, with preemergence herbicide application and two inter-row cultivation.

Srednjoročna simulacija razvoja glavnih agrarno-političkih pokazatelja tržišta goveđega mesa u Hrvatskoj do 2030. godine izrađena je putem modela parcijalne ravnoteže AGMEMOD (AGricultural MEmber State MODeling). Rezultati modela do kraja simuliranoga razdoblja, uz pretpostavku nastavka postojećih mjera i instrumenata Zajedničke poljoprivredne politike, potvrđuju razvoj negativnih trendova u sklopu tržišta goveđega mesa uočenih pregledom povijesnih podataka. Do kraja simuliranoga razdoblja očekuje se smanjenje ukupnoga broja goveda za 8,63% i proizvodnje goveđega mesa za 24,46%, dok domaća potrošnja raste za 25,91%. Negativni proizvodni pokazatelji uz rastuću domaću potrošnju mogli bi uzrokovati rast uvoza goveđega mesa za 82,68%, uz stupanj samodostatnosti od 49% do 2030. godine. Cijena goveđega mesa od ulaska Hrvatske u Europsku uniju je stabilna, te se stabilan razvoj, uz blagi trend smanjenja, očekuje do kraja simuliranoga razdoblja.

This paper presents the analysis of internal development factors in manufacturing and services companies from the selected SEE countries, by using strategic planning model - modified SPACE (Strategic Position and ACtion Evaluation) analysis. The advantage of the SPACE model, as A. Rowe defined it, is a possibility to apply it with the excellent results when analysing companies in highly developed countries as well as in developing countries. The structure of the differences among manufacturing and service companies was performed using canonical discriminative analysis. The most significant development factors were chosen from the modified SPACE strategic planning model and correlated with companies’ internal development factors. Research results indicate that service companies perceive internal development factors more importantly for the market successes than manufacturing ones. At the same time, they experienced more aggressive strategic posture.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME sector) carry a significant component of an overall economy performance in both developed and developing countries. This paper presents the results of innovation activities analysis on a given sample of SMEs from the Republic of Serbia. By implementing a complex questionnaire for assessing innovation activities authors investigate what innovation activities are conducted in sampled enterprises. Results are processed with Cochran Q, McNemar and statistical significance tests and indicate what particular innovation activities measures enterprises focus on, as well as what measures are considered as relevant by enterprises but are not used. At the same time, the factor analysis was performed to test the quality and structure of the questionnaire itself, namely whether measures of achieved innovation performances of enterprises are properly divided into categories. Additionally, specific innovation activities were analyzed and their implementation modalities by the sampled enterprises. The results contribute in the domain of better understanding of innovation activities measurement within SMEs coming from developing countries. Based on the research results, we got the insight into specific innovation activities SMEs perform, as well as key innovation performance indicators SMEs use.

Beekeeping is an ancient activity that is gaining interest among practitioners and society in general. It is as an activity with positive impacts in the environmental, social and economic spheres, with the potential to reconnect these dimensions and contribute to sustainable development. Thus, it is important to determine the profiles of beekeepers across the world, and to understand the main social, economic or ecological drivers that shape their activities. Hofstede cross-cultural dimensions were used to better explain differences between countries. A survey was undertaken of beekeepers in different countries (Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, and Spain) in the native language of each nation. A total of 313 questionnaires, using an online platform or in paper form, was delivered face-to-face during training or dissemination events in 2019. Norway and Finland were the countries with the highest percentage of respondents with a university degree (>80%), while Spain (42%) and Croatia (48%) presented the lowest percentages. Most participants were experienced beekeepers (59% had more than five years of experience) with more than 50 colonies. With the exception of Italy, beekeeping appears to be a hobby or an additional professional activity. The main beekeeping products for these beekeepers were honey, wax, colonies and propolis, with an average honey production per season of 24.5 kg/hive. Crossing socio-demographic characteristics and Hofstede cross-cultural dimensions showed a relation among countries with higher Power Distance Index (PDI; this value expresses how society accepts and expects a certain inequality of power) and lower annual income and educational level (Croatia, Portugal, and Spain). A strong correlation appeared between Masculinity Femininity Index (MFI; this value refers to gender effects in society, with feminine societies meaning that the dominant values are caring for others and quality of life, as opposed to masculine societies, which are driven by competition, achievement and success) and age, income and education, with Norway presenting the most feminine society, with more educated and older beekeepers. The Uncertainty Aversion Index (UAI; this value explains how members of a society feel when dealing with unknown situations) was strongly associated with education. The results showed that increasing beekeepers’ income will contribute to balancing the distribution of power among members of society, and that this might be achieved by training, especially in Croatia, Portugal, Spain, and Italy.

Future agriculture and food supply chain is one of the pillars of human survival and prosperity in the long run. The planet’s ecosystem is very fragile and influenced by a large array of very diverse natural and human factors which are frequently interdependent. Regardless of root cause, climate change, pollution and depletion of non-renewable resources and several other unfavorable processes are in place. We can argue that the increase of the average temperature is just a part of a long-term natural cycle and not the consequence of human negligence and pollution, but in the end, it doesn’t matter. The ecosystem is changed and agricultural plants might not survive the change and adopt in time. Relevant and fairly reliable indicators are available, but it seems that nobody is paying attention to those staggering numbers and trends. Doomsday preppers are well known to be a rather suspicious and concerned group of people about the reliability of future food supply chain. But even they somehow assume that agricultural production will go on, and the only problems that could occur are short run disruptions in distribution. The main challenge for future agriculture and food supply chain is to produce more food with considerably less resources in a sustainable manner for a rapidly growing population, preferably even reducing current levels of pollution. Securing future agriculture and food supply chain is a complex task, which requires not only new technologies but also a paradigm shift in the current technological and economic system. Possibly the most important change is the change in current agricultural practices and agricultural education. Reliability of the food system is heavily dependent on mineral oil and significant amount of transportation. Moreover, global agriculture is extremely centralized and profit oriented. Intense push of GMOs into standard agricultural practice led to severe reduction of biodiversity in agriculture. Once upon a time, countless genotypes of same varieties offered unprecedented genetic variability, which was one of the key factors of survival. Today, large GMO fields are populated with only several genotypes. In occurrence of very harmful effects for that particular genotype, whole fields could be simply wiped out. Additionally, patented genes and the domination of hybrid seeds are major obstacles for farmers’ own seeds production and provision of decentralized food production during and after possible capital disturbances of future agriculture and food supply chain. To change that situation it’s not possible to implement just partial solutions, but a paradigm shift and systematic solutions are required Mankind is only a part of a global system, together with some valuable resources that play a crucial, but not so visible role, in the planet’s ecosystem. Forests occupy roughly one third of the earth's land surface. Because of their size, forests play a major role in the functioning of the biosphere and not only a role limited to business. Unprecedented deforestation compensates for loss of arable land, but badly influences the planet’s biosphere. It seems rather rational to get to the consensus quickly and replace the management paradigm in a sense that we govern and manage something that belongs to us, with the stewardship paradigm in a sense where we steer and cherish the most important resources, vital for our own survival.

Entrepreneurial skills are necessary for all graduates who are planning their own start-up business. Those skills are asked more and more by employers, even from fresh graduates of technical backgrounds. This paper compares two extracurricular programs involving students of four different, all non-economics programs from Croatia and the USA. Several challenges were identified during the research. Preparing and executing entrepreneurial educational programs for students with very uneven level of relevant foreknowledge was one of them. Integration of classroom and e-learning methods and achievement of an effective combination of being educational, interesting and attractive in the same time were additional challenges. Gender of the participants, previous education, entrepreneurial background of their families and immediate plans upon the graduation were determined as influencing variables on their satisfaction with the program.

This examination is based on comparison of honey production, in countries of European Union, transition countries and The Republic of Croatia. The situation in Croatia is shown with all information about honey production. All data are compared with already managed European countries. In comparison with registrated number of beekeepers and hives, Croatia belongs to transition countries with the smallest number of beekepers and hives. On the other hand, values, such as, number of hives per beekeper and average honey production by hive, classify Croatia ahead of transition countries. There are very few professional beekepers in Croatia, as well as in other transition countries, but not countries of The European Union. Honey production in Croatia has been increasing last seven years and in the last few it increased more than 50%. Export of honey in the last 2 years is half of the complete honey production, which accomplish conditions for export enlargement. At the same time, import of honey is considerable reduced. Conditions for export can be better with production of biological clean honey (eco-honey), since Croatia has great resources for it. Also, cost of Croatian honey on the foreign market, will be considerable higher.

V anketni raziskavi so podani pomembnejši rezultati analize možnosti trženja ekoloških proizvodov na širšem celjskem območju. Anketni vzorec je sestavljalo 250 naključnih anketirancev. Z analizo profila kupcev, motivov nakupovanja in informacijskega menedžmenta je ponujen primer strategije trženja. Rezultati ankete kažejo dobro poznavanje ekološkega kmetijstva na širšem celjskem območju. Sveža, zdrava in okusna hrana spada po mnenju anketirancev med pomembnejše motive nakupovanja. Informacije o poreklu in načinu pridelave išče dobra polovica vprašanih. Po rezultatih ankete se je izkazalo, da je 88% anketiranih pripravljenih nakupovati ekološke proizvode neposredno pri proizvajalcu. Za ekološke proizvode so anketiranci pripravljeni plačati tudi nekoliko več. Raziskava je potekala v okviru projekta Research Support Scheme - Open Society Support Foundation, No.:108/1998.

V juniju 1999 je bila narejena anketa med kmetovalci, ki so že zainteresirani za ekološko kmetovanje. Zanimale so nas možnosti za ekološko pridelovanje glede na obstoječe razmere. Lokacija vzorca je bila na delu SV Slovenije, ki ga pokrivajo kmetijsko svetovalne službe v okviru Zavoda za živinorejo in veterino Celje. Vključenih je bilo 50 kmetij. Med anketiranimi je bilo 64% že vključenih v kontrolo ekološkega pridelovanja. Lega 56% anketiranih kmetij je bila nad 600 m nadmorske višine. Največ kmetij (36%) je imelo med 20 in 30 ha skupnih površin (obdelovalne površine, gozd). Sklopi vprašanj so bili povezani neposredno z ekološko pridelavo, s tehnološko ekonomskimi podatki nepremičnin (gospodarska poslopja, stavbišča, obdelovalne površine) in mehanizacije, opreme ter staleža živine. Vrednosti anketiranih gospodarstev se gibljejo med manj kot 100.000 in več kot 500.000 DEM. Po oceni anketiranih je vrednost letnih prihodkov v 40% primerov ocenjena od 10.000 do 20.000 DEM. Pri največjem deležu vzorčenih kmetij (36%) znašajo letni stroški poslovanja med 10.000 do 20.000 DEM. Motiv za vključitev v kontrolo ekološke proizvodnje je za 50% anketirancev že način dela in življenja. Raziskava je potekala v okviru projekta Research Support Scheme - Open Society Support Foundation, No.:108/1998.