Application of Open Innovations in Railway Transport and Their Importance for the Improvement of Railways

Until two decades ago, innovative activities within companies were primarily conducted using their own knowledge and internal resources. However, advancements in modern information technologies and IoT devices have enabled broader community engagement in identifying problems and proposing solutions across various sectors, including railway transport. Implementing the open innovation concept allows companies to use knowledge from the wider social environment. Traditional business processes for addressing specific railway challenges are often slow, complex, and costly. The advent of IoT has facilitated a more rational, swift, and cost-effective approach to resolving particular issues on the railways through open innovation and crowdsourcing. This business model has already been successfully utilized in numerous countries to enhance railways and address specific problems within these transport systems. One of the significant areas where open innovations are effectively applied is traffic safety. This research focuses on using the concepts of open innovations in railways to improve efficiency and railway traffic safety. Many railways apply open innovations to advance smart railway transport in smart cities. For the railway industry, embracing open innovation is essential for maintaining competitiveness in the transport services market. This research aims to identify the advantages and limitations of the open innovation model by analyzing its practical applications in the railway sector. Insights from practical experiences and theoretical studies indicate that numerous railways worldwide successfully address specific situations and challenges through crowdsourcing and open innovation. Despite these advancements, there remains significant potential for further development of open innovation within the railway

The Impact of the Tax System on Serbia's Competitiveness

Foreign direct investment (FDI) is an effective strategy for exploiting a country’s competitive advantages. This paper aims to assess the importance of certain factors of the tax system for the activity of foreign investors in Serbia. In particular, it aims to determine how the national tax structure affects Serbia’s ability to improve its competitiveness in attracting FDI. The research was conducted in the second quarter of 2023 and included an online survey of 88 foreign companies that had invested in Serbia between 2001 and 2019. The study used the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the independent samples t-test. Four factors were analysed, namely the tax rate and the corporate tax base, as well as the tax rate and the personal income tax base. The results show that the corporate tax rate is the most important factor influencing the decision of foreign investors to invest in Serbia

Predictive Insights into Digital Competencies: A Data-Driven Approach to Inclusion

Despite their significant demographic presence, accounting for nearly 16% of the global population, persons with disabilities (PWDs) remain underrepresented in research on their inclusion in digital society, revealing a significant gap in scientific understanding compared to the general population. To address this gap, this study proposes an innovative approach to empowering PWDs by developing predictive models that anticipate PWDs’ digital competence perceptions based on socio-demographic and contextual factors. The study was conducted on a sample of 250 PWDs in Serbia using a validated instrument based on the Digital Competence Framework (DigComp). Standard multiple regression was used to estimate the models for each DigComp competence area. The results show that three variables are statistically significant in all five DigComp areas: age, health conditions (walking impairments) and employment status (employed). The prediction of PWDs’ digital competence is also influenced by gender and education level, which were found to be statistically significant predictors in four DigComp competence areas. The development of predictive models that assess PWDs’ digital competence perceptions based on socio-demographic profiles enables personalized support and promotes digital inclusion through emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). The limitations of the study lie in the sample size, method of data collection and reliance on self-assessment

The Drivers of Business Process Innovation in Serbian Entrepreneurial Firms

This study aims to investigate the types o f business process innovations promoted by Serbian entrepreneurial enterprises and to identify the factors that drive such innovations. The final sample includes 172 active entrepreneurial enterprises established in 2015. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, principal component analysis, correlation and multiple regression analysis. From two different perspectives, Serbian entrepreneurial businesses introduced a variety of business process innovations: those related to product or service development and those related to the production of goods or services. The quality o f interaction within the entrepreneurial team and the organizational culture are the most important factors driving business process innovations in the production of products and services. In the area o f business process innovation in product or service development, the primary triggers are owner persistence and organizational culture. To date, there are no studies addressing the drivers o f business process innovation in Serbia. Understanding the specific factors that foster diverse forms of innovation can improve the effectiveness of innovation management in entrepreneurial firms, facilitate future innovation, and improve firm performance

Regional potential for ICT collaboration in the context of Smart Specialisation in the Western Balkans

This document is a publication by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), the European Commission’s science and knowledge service. It aims to provide evidence-based scientific support to the European policymaking process. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the position or opinion of the European Commission. Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission is responsible for the use that might be made of this publication. For information on the methodology and quality underlying the data used in this publication for which the source is neither Eurostat nor other Commission services, users should contact the referenced source. The designations employed and the presentation of material on the maps do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the European Union concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries

Climate Responsive Green Building Strategies in Circular Cities: A Comparative Study for Two Regions

This paper provides a comparative analysis of green building strategies in circular cities from an architectural perspective. It focuses on Belgrade, Serbia, which has a temperate continental climate, and Podgorica, Montenegro, with a mild subtropical climate. The data were gathered through an online questionnaire disseminated among 140 architects in both cities. A five-point Likert scale was applied, and the data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, version 23). Descriptive statistics, factor analysis, reliability testing, and group comparison methods were employed to ensure a valid, reliable, and transparent framework for processing and interpreting the research of data. By analyzing locally available materials, technologies, and climate factors, the research found that the adoption of circular economy principles does not significantly differ between the cities. This suggests that economic and policy-related factors may have a greater influence than initially expected. Additionally, there was no significant difference in the integration of greening strategies integration (p = 0.08), challenging the assumption that climate-responsive design would lead to distinct variations in urban form. However, locally available materials and technologies had a stronger impact on green building practices in Serbia (p = 0.01). The study highlights that sustainable architecture is shaped by a combination of local resources, regulatory frameworks, and socio-economic conditions rather than climate factors alone. These insights contribute to the theoretical advancement of climate-smart green building strategies in circular cities. They provide valuable guidance for practitioners and policymakers. Future research should further explore the interplay of socio-economic and regulatory influences to refine strategies for climate-responsive and circular architecture

Digital transformation as a factor in the economic development of Montenegro

Digital transformation in Montenegro is an evolving process that aims to use digital technologies to boost economic growth, improve governance, enhance public services and foster innovation. The main objective of this chapter is to analyze the impact of public administration reform as a determinant of Montenegro's economic development on the achieved economic and social results, which are determined by the achieved level of various key economic parameters, such as: GDP, FDI, import and export of goods and services. In this context, special emphasis was placed on the analysis of two indicators: EGDI (E-Government Development Index) and EPI (E-Participation Index). The methodological concept and the analysis of the first part are based on official data from the World Bank and Monstat, while the second part is based on the UN eGovernment Survey, an official report of the United Nations (UN E-Government Knowledgebase). The period covered by the survey is from 2012 to 2023. The results show that public administration reform is an important factor for Montenegro's economic development

Subsidies as a tool for empowering SMEs: from empirical effects to future opportunities in agri-food sector

Subsidies for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the most im-portant agricultural policy instruments in developing countries. They can be used to finance various needs of enterprises in primary agricultural produc-tion, food industry or in rural tourism. The expected impact of the granted subsidies is aligned with the primary objective of the enterprise’s activities: to achieve growing profit as the most significant financial outcome. The analysis in this paper aims to estimate the impact of subsidies on selected business results of SMEs in Serbia from 2013 to 2018, as well as their align-ment with the basic postulates of business activity. The sample consists of 226 enterprises registered for activities belonging to the agri-food sector. The effects of subsidies were estimated using the econometric analysis of panel data, with net profit as the dependent variable and total assets and total lia-bilities as the independent variables

An assessment of the socio-economic impact of water access for Roma and other marginalized groups in rural Serbia

This paper uses survey data aiming to assess the socio-economic impacts of providing water supply access to selected group of low-income communities in rural Serbia. Employing a mixed-methods approach, we have collected quantitative and qualitative data from beneficiaries of the water supply program to evaluate changes in quality of life, hygiene, nutrition, and new opportunities arising from reduced time spent on water collection. Results indicate that 94.6% of participants reported improvements in their quality of life, with an average satisfaction score of 8.8. Key benefits included enhanced hygiene and increased time for education and income-generating activities, though non-returnees exhibited higher satisfaction levels compared to returnees, highlighting persistent challenges for the latter group. The paper concludes that integrated strategies are essential to address both water access and broader socio-economic challenges. Recommendations for policymakers include the development of targeted interventions to improve infrastructure and support initiatives that facilitate employment and education