Qualitative Analysis of preliminary priority areas in the smart specialization process in the Republic of North Macedonia

The Republic of North Macedonia launched the process for preparation of the smart specialization strategy in accordance with the methodology and guidance provided by the Joint Research Centre. Smart specialization is of high importance for the future growth of the economy enabling strengthening the innovation potential, competitiveness and unleash of smart growth by defining high priority technological domains in which new added value can be created. The key goal is to identify and apply smarter and more competitive solutions in the domains, having in mind and supporting new challenges for digital and green transition, as well challenges caused by Covid 19. The strategy development process is comprised of bottom�up and top-down activities and involves many stakeholders. After the quantitative mapping of the country’s economic, innovation and scientific potential \ud based mostly on statistical data, 19 industries (grouped in 6 proposed domains) have been identified to have potential for smart specialization. This paper (Qualitative Analysis) is in-depth analysis and rationale of the emerging key priority domains and creates favorable conditions for the stakeholder dialogue within the Entrepreneurial Discovery Process in North Macedonia. The analysis is based on the input of more than 100 interviews performed with the key stakeholders, focus group meetings and information obtained from additional external analysis

Qualitative analysis of economic, innovation and scientific potential in North Macedonia

In 2018, the Republic of North Macedonia launched the process of designing its first Smart Specialisation strategy in accordance with the methodology and guidance provided by the Joint Research Centre. From its outset, the process was regarded to be of utmost importance to the future growth of the economy, strengthening competitiveness based on the country’s innovation potential and unleashing smart growth by defining high-priority domains in which new added value would be created. One of the key goals of this venture is to identify and apply smarter and more competitive solutions within the identified priority domains, taking into account new challenges for digital and green transition, as well as challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. After the quantitative mapping of the country’s economic, innovation and scientific potential, 19 industries have been identified as having potential in terms of Smart Specialisation, and these were grouped into 6 preliminary priority domains. These domains were analysed in-depth in the qualitative mapping phase, which provided the rationale for the final selection of priority domains in North Macedonia and served as a preparatory stage for the stakeholder dialogue within the entrepreneurial discovery process. The findings in this report are based on the input from more than 100 interviews held with the key stakeholders, subsequent focus group meetings and information obtained from additional external analyses

Future prospects of precision agriculture in Nepal

Precision agriculture is a management system based on information and technology which analyses the spatial and temporal variability within the field and addresses them systematically for optimizing productivity, profitability, and environmental sustainability. It is an emerging concept of agriculture that implies a precise application of inputs at the right place, at the right time, and in the right amount to minimize the production cost, to boost profitability and reduce risks. The three main elements of precision agriculture are data and information, technology, and decision support systems. This system of management is known as ‘Site-specific management’ which makes use of technologies like global positioning system, global information system, remote sensors, yield monitors, guidance technology, variable-rate technology, hardware, and software. Agriculture is the mainstay of Nepal but still is not proficient enough to appease the daily consumption needs. The ongoing system of farming practices in Nepal is deemed insufficient to explore the available resources in its optimum potential. Many cultivable lands in the country are still a virgin, and many indigenous crop varieties have remained unexplored in their wilderness that is rich in biodiversity. These possibilities embark great room for increasing agricultural productivity through the precision farming system if adopted the technology on a large scale within the country. The national economy can be flustered and the environment can also be conserved using precision agriculture. It can address all agricultural and environmental issues. It is a technically sophisticated system and requires great technical knowledge for successful adoption and implementation. This study examines the history, global scenario, scope of precision agriculture, and its importance, opportunities, threats, and challenges in Nepal

Video Conference as a tool for Higher Education

The book describes the activities of the consortium member institutions in the framework of the TEMPUS IV Joint Project ViCES - Video Conferencing Educational Services (144650-TEMPUS-2008-IT-JPGR). In order to provide the basis for the development of a distance learning environment based on video conferencing systems and develop a blended learning courses methodology, the TEMPUS Project VICES (2009-2012) was launched in 2009. This publication collects the conclusion of the project and it reports the main outcomes together with the approach followed by the different partners towards the achievement of the project's goal. The book includes several contributions focussed on specific topics related to videoconferencing services, namely how to enable such services in educational contexts so that, the installation and deployment of videoconferencing systems could be conceived an integral part of virtual open campuses

ZAŠTO JE HITNO POTREBAN MEĐUNARODNI INSTITUT ZA ODRŽIVU TEHNOLOGIJU U JUGOISTOČNOJ EUROPI

Though the major conflict within the SEE was 20 to 30 years ago, the SEE is still a major vulnerable area that can erupt and dangerously reverberate globally. The SEE is the most important unfinished job of the European unification. Seven countries in the SEE are still not members of the EU, and each enlargement creates at least mild frictions. The SEE has among the lowest employment rates in the world. All socio-economic and political indicators place the SEE countries at the bottom of Europe. The SEE is the major migratory route and within next decades about hundred million people will cross this area. The demographic and economic structures of the SEE aggravate the already vulnerable socio-political conditions. During the last 50 years the scientific activities in SEE countries have appreciably decreased creating a current intellectual vacuum in the most sensitive area – Mediterranean encounter of Africa, Asia and Europe. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a center of scientific excellence in SEE.Iako je glavni sukob u Jugoistočnoj Europi bio prije 20 do 30 godina, Jugoistočna Europa je i dalje glavno ranjivo područje gdje sukobi opet mogu početi, sa globalnim odjekom. Jugoistočna Europa je najvažniji nedovršeni posao europskog ujedinjenja. Sedam zemalja Jugoistočne Europe još uvijek nisu članice EU, a svako proširenje stvara barem blage razmirice. Jugoistočna Europa ima među najnižim stopama zaposlenosti u svijetu. Svi socio-ekonomski i politički pokazatelji stavljaju zemlje Jugoistočne Europe na europsko dno. Jugoistočna Europa je glavni put migracije, a u sljedećim desetljećima oko stotinu milijuna ljudi prijeći će ovo područje. Demografske i gospodarske strukture Jugoistočne Europe pogoršavaju već ranjive društveno-političke uvjete. Tijekom posljednjih 50 godina znanstvene aktivnosti u zemljama Jugoistočne Europe znatno su smanjene, stvarajući trenutni intelektualni vakuum na najosjetljivijem području - mediteranski susret Afrike, Azije i Europe. Stoga je neophodno uspostaviti centar znanstvene izvrsnosti u Jugoistočnoj Europi

Човечкиот капитал – фактор за градење конкурентска компаниска предност

The human capital has always been factoring for society`s growth, but is also a crucial factor in today’s competitive and propulsive global economy based on knowledge. In unstable business environment, comparative advantages of the companies are only temporary. In that context, people of the company are basic resource for permanent competitiveness. The human capital as a resource is composed of individual and collective knowledge, expertise and experiences, creativity and innovation, competences and capabilities i.e. the whole developing capacity of the people in the company for providing good business results. In the five M`s factors of production (5M: man, machines, money, materials and management), the human capital is the center without the company cannot function effectively. The contemporary view of the market success of the companies is connected with the concept of strategic competitiveness. Nowadays all managers admit that the process of gaining comparative advantage and good business and market success is based on human capital, so its development is true challenge for the leaders in formulating competitive strategy. The business environment which is characterized by suddenly changes, for achievement of comparative advantage, the role of the human capital in company is bigger than ever, and the gaining, development and sustained human capital can be main source of sustained company`s competitiveness. Клучни зборови: human capital, sustained company`s competitiveness, management of human resources, dynamic environment. ЈЕЛ Класификација: M10, O31, O3