Vol.45, No 2 (2012)

Marek Lisiński

Academy of Business in Dąbrowa Górnicza, Department of Management, ul. Cieplaka 1c, 41-300 Dąbrowa Górnicza Poland

Włodzimierz Sroka

Academy of Business in Dąbrowa Górnicza, Department of Management, ul. Cieplaka 1c, 41-300 Dąbrowa Górnicza Poland

Paweł Brzeziński

Academy of Business in Dąbrowa Górnicza, Department of Management, ul. Cieplaka 1c, 41-300 Dąbrowa Górnicza Poland

Adam Jabłoński

Academy of Business in Dąbrowa Górnicza, Department of Management, ul. Cieplaka 1c, 41-300 Dąbrowa Górnicza Poland

Abstract

Background/Purpose: Our article presents the results of research on the use of modern management concepts in companies from the so-called traditional sectors of the economy in Lesser Poland and Silesia Voivodeships. The study group consists of 125 companies operating in metallurgy- and steel-related sectors such as machinery, coke, mining and energy. Studies have confirmed that the companies surveyed utilise modern management concepts in their activities, although such utilisation is highly diverse (only one company pointed out that it does not utilise any such concepts). The most popular management concepts are con­trolling and outsourcing. In contrast, Balanced Scorecard and Business Process Reengineering belong to the group of rarely used strategies.

Ante Galich

Université du Luxembourg, Faculty of Languages and Literature, Humanities, Arts and Education, Route de Diekirch (B.P.2), L-7201 Walferdange, Luxembourg

Lutz Marz

Social Science Research Center Berlin, Reichpietschufer 50, 10785 Berlin, Germany

Abstract

Background/Purpose: The article at hand illustrates how new types of coopetition emerge in the transformation of large technical systems. It builds on the latest literature on coopetition and highlights diverse institutional arrangements for coopetition, their effects on the actual innovation and the potential benefits for the firms involved. In contrast to many incremental innovations, the transforma­tion of large technical systems requires the cooperation of many diverse actors as various resources are needed. This does not only open up the opportunity of new private-private or public-private cooperations but also brings about various new forms of commonly performed practices.

Milena Alič

Mercator, d.d., Slovenčeva 25, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Abstract

Background/Purpose: The paper presents the dynamics in number of top management system certificates (ISO 9001, ISO 14001) focusing on the situation in Slovenia in the last two years when a significant increase of cancelled certificates was noticeable. We studied this phenomenon in order to find out its reasons and effects on the performance of the organizations. Some recognized relations between quality management systems and company performance from literature review were used for setting hypotheses which were analytically proved. We assumed that quitting management system certificates was related to decrease in busi­ness performance. Empirical part of our research was based on the data of Slovenian certification bodies and on published annual financial reports of Slovenian organizations. In the survey some characteristics and performance of the organizations which gave up certification were analysed. We came to interesting findings that cancelling certificates was related to decrease in business performance and often even to closing of organizations. The downsizing of the business was increasing through the time. So, 2 years after cancelling certificates only 8% of the organizations still present growth in their income and revenue, besides almost 40% of them quit or would have to quit their business. It was also found out that the business performance after cancellation of the certificates was related to the business performance before it and to the reason for cancellation as well. Two years after cancellation there was a 3-times higher proportion of failed organizations (= 45% of previously non-profitable organizations) among the organizations that had operated at a loss before the cancellation of their certificates, compared to those previously having a profit. Among the claimed reasons for certificate cancellation organizational changes (in 35% of all the organizations losing certificates) and cancellation of certificates by certification bodies (in 41% of these organizations) were the most common ones related to the failure of these organizations.

Slavko Ažman

Porsche Slovenija d.o.o., Bravničarjeva cesta 5, Ljubljana, Slovenija

Boštjan Gomišček

University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences, Kidričeva 55a, Kranj, Slovenija

Abstract

Background/Purpose: The paper examines the nonlinearity and asymmetry between the satisfaction with individual attributes of the service and overall satisfaction in the context of passenger car servicing in Slovenia. The data set that was analysed was acquired from a regular survey on customer satisfaction with vehicle repair and maintenance services of four European automotive brands in Slovenia, carried out in 2005 and 2006 through 12,941 computer-assisted telephone interviews. Specifically, this study utilizes regression analysis in order to test the asymmetry and nonlinearity of the link between the attribute-level performance and overall satisfaction. The results show that the influence of dissatisfaction is different from the influence of satisfaction, and that the influence of satisfaction on overall satisfaction is greater than the influence of dissatisfaction. The results also show that nonlinearity is applicable to certain attributes of vehicle servicing, but not to all. We can sum up that precise knowledge of the correlation between the attribute-level performance of vehicle servicing and overall service satisfaction is important. Results show that caution must be employed in the evaluation of the importance of individual attributes on overall satisfaction, since the importance can change depending on the level of satisfaction. It appears that focusing on improving satisfaction is more important than focusing on lessening dissatisfaction. Results also show that the improvement of attribute-level performance offers diminishing returns; therefore, selective investment in activities for increas­ing customer satisfaction is sensible if satisfaction levels are already relatively high.

Anja Žnidaršič

University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences, Kidričeva c. 55a, 4000 Kranj, Slovenia

Borut Werber

University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences, Kidričeva c. 55a, 4000 Kranj, Slovenia

Abstract

Background/Purpose: The paper presents the comparison of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) usage in Slovenian micro enterpris­es, using data derived from two studies carried out in years 1999 and 2009. Data for the studies were collected via structured interviews with owners or top managers of micro enterprises. We compared hardware and software equipment, business properties, characteristics of the interviewees and their impact on the successful use of ICT. The results show considerable changes in the ICT equipment, but that does not reflect in a better use of software compared to a decade ago. Key factors of successful use of ICT remain the same. The investment in ICT depends on owners’ decisions and the most important factors are the owners’ formal education and their skills and knowledge in ICT field. It was indicated that in recent years the invest­ment of education in ICT field for both groups, owners and employees, was considerable lowered.

Mojca Gaber

Sora 55, 1215 Medvode

Miha Marič

Univerza v Mariboru, Fakulteta za organizacijske vede, Kidričeva cesta 55a, SI-4000 Kranj, Slovenija

Marko Ferjan

Univerza v Mariboru, Fakulteta za organizacijske vede, Kidričeva cesta 55a, SI-4000 Kranj, Slovenija

Abstract

Background/Purpose: We explore the relationship between the company’s size and measurable attributes of an employment ad. We were inter­ested in which attributes were most affected by the size of a company and what the relationship between these attributes is. Company size was measured by the number of employees of a company. Attributes, which we used in our study, are: size, color, and price of an employment ad, the number of repetitions and number of applications per job ad. Through our research we also determined the medium which most companies used to publish job advertisements. In the paper, we present the theoretical framework, research results and proposals for further development.

Peter Dular

Acroni d.o.o., Cesta Borisa Kidriča 44, 4270 Jesenice, Slovenija

Mirko Markič

Univerza na Primorskem, Fakulteta za management, Cankarjeva 5, p.p. 345, 6104 Koper, Slovenija

Abstract

Background/Purpose:

Darko Drev

Inštitut za vode Republike Slovenije, Hajdrihova 28c, 1000 Ljubljana; Univerza v Ljubljani, Fakulteta za gradbeništvo in geodezijo, Inštitut za zdravstveno hidrotehniko, Hajdrihova 28, 1000 Ljubljana

Aleksandra Krivograd Klemenčič

Univerza v Ljubljani, Fakulteta za gradbeništvo in geodezijo, Inštitut za zdravstveno hidrotehniko, Hajdrihova 28, 1000 Ljubljana; Univerza v Ljubljani, Zdravstvena fakulteta, Oddelek za sanitarno inženirstvo, Zdravstvena pot 5, 1000 Ljubljana

Jože Panjan

Univerza v Ljubljani, Fakulteta za gradbeništvo in geodezijo, Inštitut za zdravstveno hidrotehniko, Hajdrihova 28, 1000 Ljubljana

Boris Kompare

Univerza v Ljubljani, Fakulteta za gradbeništvo in geodezijo, Inštitut za zdravstveno hidrotehniko, Hajdrihova 28, 1000 Ljubljana

Abstract

Background/Purpose: Wastewaters from textile industry are generally highly loaded. Their load can be determined by engineering standards, stand­ards of best available technologies and annual operational monitoring. Investigation presented covers all textile factories in Slovenia obligated by the Directive 96/61/ES on integrated pollution prevention and pollution control; two textile factories in Slovenia were studied in details. In the majority of discussed textile factories significantly higher pollution emissions that would be expected on the basis of engineering and Best Available Techniques (BAT) standards were found. The reason is outdated technological equipment which departs significantly from BAT standards. As the textile factories in Slovenia are mostly con­nected to public sewer networks which are terminated by central treatment facility, economic viability of installing treatment plants for efficient wastewater pre-treatment is questionable. It is mandatory to achieve the required criteria for discharge into public sewers. More efficient treatment is justified only when it is cost efficient. Economic viability is assessed in terms of costs, which consist of expenses for fresh water supply, environmental taxes, charges for wastewater collection and wastewater treatment and expenses of effective treatment within the factories.