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There is no doubt that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a significant role in the economy of one country. The aim of this paper is to rank SMEs failure factors in order to identify the most influential ones. Identification of the most influential factors can help SMEs develop an optimal strategy for improving a business environment and remove obstacles they encounter while conducting business. In addition, the existing and future entrepreneurs/managers would become aware of potential obstacles. Therefore, they would be able to prepare an appropriate response to overcome these obstacles. For the ranking of the failure factors of SMEs, the hybrid Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP)–Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluation (PROMETHEE) model was used, which represents a new approach to ranking of the failure factors. The ABC method was applied to the obtained results in order to separate the group of the most influential factors. This group includes the following factors: Economic issues, Possibility of increasing capacity, Political issues, the Supply of electricity, Management of receivables/payables and Legislative issues. The obtained results indicate that the main problems which SMEs encounter come from the environment in which they operate, as well as from SMEs themselves. Therefore, there is an additional need to improve the business environment for SMEs, and also to identify these factors and resolve the problems in order to reduce the potential SMEs failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of this paper is to develop and prioritize renewable energy scenarios for electricity production. The model proposed in the paper was applied on the example of the municipality of Štrpce, enclave in south Kosovo**. The model consists out of three phases, and the decision-making and planning process involves a group of decision makers, i.e. selected experts and stakeholders. In the first phase, a group of decision makers, using a collaborative planning method and Homer pro software, defined eight renewable energy scenarios based on renewable energy potentials and electricity demand in Štrpce. In the second phase, a group of decision makers, using the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis, defined a total of 22 criteria to evaluate scenarios. Finally, in the third phase, a group of decision makers used fuzzy analytical network process methodology to prioritize scenarios. Results show that a scenario that includes installation of photovoltaic panels in Štrpce households to cover 50% of the electricity demand is first ranked. The proposed model has a universal character which means that it can be applied in other municipalities/cities and regions. Also, the model enables collaborative planning through the inclusion of different stakeholders whose number and type can be adjusted according to the subject/ area of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the results of the statistical modeling of the ground-level ozone concentration in the air in the close vicinity of the city of Zrenjanin (Serbia). This study is aimed at defining the dependence of ozone concentration on the following predictors: SO2, CO, H2S, NO, NO2, NOx, PM10, benzene, toluene, m,p-Xylene, o-Xylene and ethylbenzene concentration in the air, as well as on the meteorological parameters (the wind direction, the wind speed, air pressure, air temperature, solar radiation, and RH). Multiple linear regression analysis (MLRA) and artificial neural networks (ANNs) were used as the tools for the mathematical analysis of the indicated occurrence. The results have shown that ANNs provide better estimates of ozone concentration on the monitoring site, whereas the multilinear regression model once again has proven to be less efficient in the accurate prediction of ozone concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The paper presents the results of empirical research on the effects of some criteria of the EFQM excellence model on satisfaction and loyalty of the employees in the banking sector in Serbia. All but one of the hypotheses in the defined model were proven by statistical evaluation of empirical results. The one which could not be proven is the hypothesis of a positive impact of the organization's relationship toward security and society on the business result, which makes specificity of transitional economic conditions in which the studied banking sector operates. Statistical analysis was performed using V.16 LISREL software package where statistical significances of the studied set were defined together with b and t values of the defined paths in the defined model. Researches have shown that criteria of EFQM excellence model can be used to develop and improve the functioning of the banking system in Serbia and develop the TQM practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the analysis of the results of a scientific and research work for the group of technical-technological faculties, University of Belgrade, in the post-accreditation period (2008 - 2010), measured through a number of published papers in journals with an impact factor and citations, generated by SCOPUS database. A number of papers and a number of citations for the observed period (3 years) are presented by categories of teachers for each faculty separately. Quality Index was calculated as the ratio of cited and published papers, for each faculty, and according to the number of researchers, which eliminates the influence of the faculties' size on total results. Multicriteria PROMETHEE II - GAIA analysis defines the clusters of faculty, which determine the importance of actual contributions of technical faculties (University of Belgrade) on the way to the Shanghai list of 500 first-ranked universities in the world [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents the results of 4 years long monitoring of concentrations of SO2 gas and PM10 in the urban area around the copper smelter in Bor. The contents of heavy metals Pb, Cd, Cu, Ni, and As in PM10 were determined and obtained values were compared to the limit values provided in EU Directives. Manifold excess concentrations of all the components in the atmosphere of the urban area of the townsite Bor were registered. Through application of a multi-criteria analysis by using PROMETHEE/GAIA method, the zones were ranked according to the level of pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coordinated cell movements in epithelial layers are essential for proper tissue morphogenesis and homeostasis, but our understanding of the mechanisms that coordinate the behavior of multiple cells in these processes is far from complete. Recent experiments with Madin-Darby canine kidney epithelial monolayers revealed a wave-like pattern of injury-induced MAPK activation and showed that it is essential for collective cell migration after wounding. To investigate the effects of the different aspects of wounding on cell sheet migration, we engineered a system that allowed us to dissect the classic wound healing assay. We studied Madin-Darby canine kidney sheet migration under three different conditions: 1) the classic wound healing assay, 2) empty space induction, where a confluent monolayer is grown adjacent to a slab of polydimethylsiloxane and the monolayer is not injured but allowed to migrate upon removal of the slab, and 3) injury via polydimethylsiloxane membrane peel-off, where an injured monolayer migrates onto plain tissue culture surface, as in the case of empty space induction allowing for direct comparison. By tracking the motion of individual cells within the sheet under these three conditions, we show how the dynamics of the individual cells' motion is responsible for the coordinated migration of the sheet and is coordinated with the activation of ERK1/2 MAPK. In addition, we demonstrate that the propagation of the waves of MAPK activation depends on the generation of reactive oxygen species at the wound edge.