Vol.42, No 5 (2009)

Jože Jesenko

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

Uroš Stanič

Kosezi d.o.o, Cesta na Laze 7, 1000 Ljubljana

Robert Rudolf

RR CO. Ltd, Dunajska cesta 20, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Vanja Rangus

Regional Development Agency of The Ljubljana Urban Region, Tehnološki park 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Abstract

Background/Purpose: In this article, the authors present a method of measuring the efficiency of use of national and European public funds for promoting action in companies, including the process from a draft idea to the placement of a product or service on market. The method of measuring has been done with a matrix system, through which we have shown the distribution of public funds between service brokers that offer services for the raising of the abilities to the companies. The matrix system includes the impact matrix of service brokers on innovation enablers. Based on the assembling matrix, we have composed efficiency measures, which can serve policyholders in guiding and controlling public funds.

Andreja Verbič

Trnovlje 18, 4207 Cerklje, Slovenija

Tomaž Kern

University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences, Kidričeva cesta 55a, 4000 Kranj, Slovenija

Drago Vuk

University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences, Kidričeva cesta 55a, 4000 Kranj, Slovenija

Abstract

Background/Purpose: This article uses a business process renovation method to address an environmental protection problem. The presented case, studied in factories which remake crude vegetable oil (soapsuds remake), focuses on reengineering one of the business pro­cesses which is classified as an obligatory process. This process has to be performed to comply with the requirements of the existing ecology legislation. Therefore, it is reasonable to take a radical approach – business process reengineering. Soapsuds with oil remnants are a secondary product in the vegetable oil refining process. According to the legislation, secondary pro­ducts as waste are not acceptable for the environment. Soapsuds remake as it is currently carried out produces technical fatty acids and, as a side product, calcium sulphate. Calcium sulphate is listed as special waste; therefore it must be deposited in a special waste landfill site. In the course of searching for a solution to this ecological problem, a new idea came up, namely that soapsuds are taken to the biogas plant. At the biogas plant, they can be decomposed into biogas, which is then used to generate electric energy, for heating or to supplement municipal gas. Thus, the reengineering of the process is upgraded into process innovation and environmental innovation. Using data obtained from the available literature, we managed to prove that process reengineering, which is simultaneously process innovation and ecological innovation, can be applied in practice. Side products resulting from the anaerobic digestion of soapsuds in the biogas plant comply better with the requirements of the Slovenian ecological legislation than those occurring in the process used up to now.

Mitja Ruzzier

University of Primorska, Faculty of Management, 6104 Koper, Cankarjeva 5, Slovenia

Tine Nagy

University of Primorska, Faculty of Management, 6104 Koper, Cankarjeva 5, Slovenia

Robert Ravnihar

Skupina Aliansa, Verovškova ulica 60, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Abstract

Background/Purpose: This article presents some findings about the process of patenting of Slovenian and foreign researchers in scientific research. Based on the reviewed literature and with help of our conceptual model, we establish that the patenting process can be divided into three separate phases: knowledge detection phase, knowledge dissemination phase and knowledge transfer phase. During the process of researching and patenting, a variety of factors affect the results, which can be divided into two groups: internal and external factors. In Slovenia, patents are statistically significant for researchers working and exploring in the fields of natural science and engineering. Research results in the form of a patent largely depend on financial support and work experiences of individual researchers or research groups. The commercialization of a patent means a successful ending of the research process, as many positive benefits are expected.

Franka Piskar

Sanolabor, d. d., Leskoškova 4, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Armand Faganel

Faculty of Management, University of Primorska, Cankarjeva 5, 6104 Koper, Slovenia

Abstract

Background/Purpose: Customer relationship management – CRM implementations increased rapidly in Slovenia in the last few years, following the trends elsewhere. Studies reporting how the implementation project goes on before, between and after the implementation are scarce. We offer a thorough case study analysis of the CRM implementation with a positive outcome in a Slovene service company. Case study demonstrates that CRM implementation is a holistic and complex concept, which means that it is not merely an integration of new information technology, but everything that happens around the business processes changes. We recommend that the company has already established a process approach and the orientation toward customers. Study showed the need for efficient leadership, acquirement of resources and CRM strategy implementation control; trust to the software solution shouldn’t be self-understood. Through implemented analytical CRM company can improve the relationship with customers, achieve larger information sharing between employees and accept better strategic decisions.

Peter Veber

Avčinova 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Abstract

Background/Purpose: A virtual organization is a network of legally independent organizations and/or individuals that produce products and/or services based on a common business understanding. This new organization structure is posited as radical departure from the traditional, hierarchic, bureaucratic and co-located mode of organizing that dominated the twentieth century. In contrast, the characteristics of the new, virtual organization forms are seen to be dynamic, networked, distributed, digital, flexible, collaborative and innovative. The challenge, however, is to determine which organization as a subject employs virtual form and which not. The answer to this question is decidedly complex as most organizations have forms that are somewhere in between; therefore, it is usually only possible to determine how virtual one organization is on certain aspects. In the other words: what is the level of its virtuality? Several models for the assessment of organization virtuality have been developed by many different authors. The purpose of this paper is to investigate and present all the published models of virtual organization that are publicly available in the world literature. The strengths and weaknesses of all models found are presented, together with their mutual relations.

Andrej Mihevc

Savska c. 12a, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenija

Abstract

Background/Purpose: The aim of this article is to answer the question if regulation of call termination in mobile market is sufficient for effective regulation and to ensure the effective competition. The article will analyse the possibility to follow European Commission recommendations without additional market analyses. EC recommends analysing only the market for call termination on each individual mobile network to ensure the efficient competition on the whole mobile market. EC defines, based on demand and supply substitution and obstacles to enter the market, new 7 electronic communications markets and only one on the mobile market. National Regulatory Authorities mostly just follow the recommendation. The article defines which additional elements need to be taken into consideration and when to ensure the effective competition, based on co-relation between the services of termination and origination and its mathematical co-relation to market share. The article defines the border between the regulation, which can only follow EC recommendation and regulation of additional market definitions. Analysis and findings of the article show that because of correlations on the market is impossible to ensure an effective competition, just with the definition of mobile market for call termination on individual network on each geographical market.

Jože Kocjančič

Univerza na Primorskem, Fakulteta za management Koper, Cankarjeva 5, 6104 Koper

Štefan Bojnec

Univerza na Primorskem, Fakulteta za management Koper, Cankarjeva 5, 6104 Koper

Abstract

Background/Purpose: The paper analyses the impact of the dynamics of the large enterprises in the wood industry on the dynamics of small enterprises and the shadow economy in this industry. We use the unique firm-level survey data for the sample of small enterprises in the wood industry in Slovenia. We find relatively a small impact of the dynamics and size structure of the large enterprises on the dynamics of small enterprises in the wood industry. The important impact is found for the dynamics of the large enterprises on the shadow economy in the wood industry. The empirical results imply implications for the regulatory system to provide a proper institutional enabling framework for the formal sector, a proper financial system for financing at acceptable assurance and costs, and an informal education schemes to provide basic business knowledge and good practices.