Entrepreneurial Factors Influencing Recovery from Covid-19: A Country-Level Analysis

This study examines the impact of entrepreneurship ecosystem factors on the recovery of entrepreneurship from the COVID-19 pandemic and offers valuable insights to drive growth. By analyzing the Serbian dataset from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor National Expert Survey in 2022, the study employs linear regression analysis to investigate the relationship between Entrepreneurial Framework Conditions and post-pandemic recovery. Data were collected through interviews with 40 experts representing the government, academia, and industry. The National Entrepreneurship Context Index score for Serbia\u27s entrepreneurial environment quality in 2022 is 4.6 which positions Serbia in the middle of the continuum of included country scores. The results of the analysis have shown that Market openness (β = .474; p < .01) and Achieving the UN Sustainable Economic Development Goals (β = .460; p < .01) have a direct positive impact on the recovery of entrepreneurs from the consequences of COVID-19. The limitations of the study are related to the demographics of the sample, self-reported data, geographic scope, focusing only on the Republic of Serbia, cross-sectional design that does not capture the dynamic and evolving nature of the recovery process. Given these limitations, future work could incorporate a more diverse sample to enhance the generalizability of the findings.This research provides important insights and policy recommendations to leverage entrepreneurial practices for economic recovery following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

Улога својстава и памћења именитеља на формирање појмова: бихејвиорални, неурални и приступ когнитивног моделовања

The basic aim of this dissertation was to demonstrate the way in which different label features influence concept formation, specifically their learning and generalization. These labels could be verbal or non-verbal, presented auditory or visually. In the experiments, participants learned novel categories (aliens) labelled with novel labels (pseudo-words or novel non-verbal emblems and sounds). During experiments, ERPs were recorded. In Chapter I, the effects of verbal auditory labels on concept formation were examined, specifically, the way in which the level of phonological difference between labels influence the learning of novel categories. Results showed that learning of categories labelled with phonologically more different labels was significantly faster and generalized better compared to categories labelled with phonologically more similar labels. Furthermore, this property is independent from the effects of sound symbolism. In Chapter II, the effects of differences of non-verbal labels (visual or auditory) on category learning was examined. Results showed that there were no differences of influence of non-verbal labels on category learning, no matter if they were more different or not. In Chapter III, relations between the effects of verbal and non-verbal labels on category learning were examined. Results showed that auditory verbal labels which were phonologically more different led to faster learning and generalization of novel categories, which was not the case with other types of labels. In Chapter IV, the effects of explicit instruction given to the participants in the experiments to pay special attention to the labels during categorisation and to learn them were examined. Results showed that participants learned faster and generalized better once the instruction was given, while the absence of instruction led to the diminishing of label effects on category learning. Finally, in Chapter V, a neural network was constructed, the task of which was to simulate the effects of phonological differences of labels on category learning. The model successfully simulated these differences, since it learned categories labelled with phonologically more different labels faster compared to the less different ones. From the results obtained in this dissertation we can conclude that the effects of label features on category learning is significant, which is specially the case with auditory verbal labels and their phonological difference. As a result of these findings, category learning based on the difference level hypothesis was designed. This hypothesis explains category learning as probability, which is based on the compound difference between visual properties of the categories and the difference of their labels. These results lead to the more fundamental conclusion that relations between language and thought are mutually influential and that these entities are not completely independentОсновни циљ ове дисертације је био да покаже како различите карактеристике именитеља утичу на формирање појмова, тј. на њихово учење и генерализацију. Ти именитељи могу бити вербални и невербални, изложени аудитивно или визуелно. Коришћени су експерименти у којима су испитаници учили нове категорије (ванземаљце) именоване новим именитељима (пресудо-речима или претходно невиђеним невербалним амблемима и звуковима), при чему су испитаницима снимани и ERP мождани таласи. У I поглављу, испитивана је улога аудитивних вербалних именитеља на формирање појмова, тачније како фонолошка разлика именитеља утиче на учење нових категорија. Резултати су показали да је учење категорија именовано фонолошки различитијим именитељима брже, а генерализација боља у односу на оне именоване фонолошки сличнијим именитељима. Такође, ова особина је независна од утицаја језичког симболизма. У II поглављу, испитиван је утицај различитости невербалних именитеља на учење категорија (визуелних и аудитивних). Резултати су показали да не постоје разлике у утицају невербалних именитеља на учење категорија, без обзира на то да ли су они различитији или не. У III поглављу, испитиван је однос утицаја вербалних и невербалних именитеља на учење категорија. Резултати су показали да само аудитивни вербални именитељи који су фонолошки различити доводе до бржег учења и генералицације, што није случај са осталим врстама именитеља. У IV поглављу је испитиван утицај експлицитне инструкције испитаницима да обрате пажњу на именитеље и да их запамте. Резултати су показали да испитаници брже уче и боље генерализују категорије када добију инструкцију, док изостанком инструкције ефекти на учење категорија изостају. Најзад, у V поглављу је конструисана неурална мрежа чији је задатак био да симулира ефекте фонолошке различитости именитеља. Модел је успешно симулирао ове различитости, јер је показао да је учење брже када су фонолошке разлике између именитеља веће. Резултати добијени у дисертацији наводе на закључак да је утицај карактеристика именитеља на усвајање појмова изузетно битан и да се пре свега односи на вербалне именитеље и њихове фонолошке разлике. Као производ ових резултата, дефинисана је хипотеза учења категорија базираног на нивоу разлике. Ова хипотеза описује учење категорија као вероватноћу која је базирана на заједничкој разлици између њихових визуелних карактеристика и разлика у именитељима. Такви резултати наводе на фундаменталнији закључак да је однос мишљења и језика међузависан и да они никако нису потпуно независн

Product lifecycle management with knowledge management as a strategic approach for innovative enterprise environment

Process planning knowledge (PPK) is one of the most important knowledge in production manufacturing enterprise. This paper analyzes the PPK and the concept of process planning information model (PPIM) implemented in production enterprise. In second part of the paper, there is done the basic information about PLM concept as a business strategy for product development where are included PPK and PPIM approaches, strategy which offer possibilities for innovation. Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) is the process of managing the whole life cycle of a product starting from generating an idea, concept description, business analyzes, product design, solution architecture and technical implementation, to the successful entrance to the market, service, maintenance and innovative product improvement

The Impact of Quality Management Purchasing Practices on Purchasing Performance in Transitional Economies

This study examines the nature of relationships between quality management practices in purchasing and purchasing-related organisational performance within ISO 9001:2008 environment in transitional economies. The study was based on managers’ responses from 90 ISO 9001:2008 certified large organisations from Serbia. The findings show that quality management practices in purchasing positively affect purchasing performance. Further, purchasing performance is found to be a significant mediator between quality management practices and time-based performance. However, despite the overall good predictive model power, the explained variance on time-based performance is quite low. Thus, the effects on time-based performance are arguable. PLS-SEM Importance-performance analysis reveals that purchasing performance, cross-functional coordination and personnel management have relatively high performance, while benchmarking has the lowest value of the performance index. Consequently, the implementation of quality management practices in purchasing along with ISO 9001:2008 might be a part of a good strategic choice for transitional organisations to overcome troublesome transitional times. Still, the discrepancies between this study and the results from developed economies yield potential improvement areas on how organisations in transitional economies should manage purchasing practices

Knowledge management diagnosis in Vojvodina firms by using Bukowitz and Williams model

The main purpose of this paper is to empirically analyse the state of knowledge management (KM) practice in one particular region. In order to access the state of Vojvodina firms regarding the applicability of KM program, the Knowledge Management Diagnostic model was applied. Hypotheses based on the specific integrated set of KM were established and statistically tested on a sample of 190 Vojvodina companies from various industries, government institutions and public enterprises. Survey methodology was used with the aim to gather data about KM practice and other related organizational aspects. Our findings show the extent to which individual steps of KM at the whole sample deviate from the maximum value assigned. This survey provides a foundation for practicing engineering managers to position company and recognize the steps of KM that can be improved in order to achieve strategic value and close the gap between the average and maximum value assigned to each step

Numerical Model of Fragmentation Hazards Caused by a Tank Explosion

The paper analyses the fragmentation of a horizontal cylindrical tank caused by the effect of boiling liquid expanding vapour explosion (BLEVE). A fragmentation model for identification of kinematic parameters is proposed. The originality of the model lies in the introduction of initial acceleration. Using this model, the initial velocity can be assessed without knowing the values of explosion energy and the mass of fragments. The application of this model reduces the uncertainty in assessing the range of fragments and the risk of fragmentation. The initial acceleration of fragments generated in an explosion is assessed according to the geometry and type of the tank material. The initial acceleration, which does not depend on the kinematic parameters of the constant wall thickness of the tank, allows a reliable assessment of the launch angle of a fragment. Characteristic forms of the fragment trajectory are identified, depending on the aerodynamic and thrust acceleration coefficients, and probability distributions of the fragment ranges are given. Relevant factors in the assessment of fragmentation hazards include the trajectory of a fragment, the height of a target and its distance from the tank. It was concluded that aerodynamic fragments at distances of up to 50 m are not a danger to targets of up to 15 m high. Fragments with high air resistance and low thrust can endanger targets of the same height at distances of over 200 m. The presented fragmentation model includes the effect of heating due to the BLEVE effect and can be applied to all types of tanks

Learning by internationalization: positive effects on innovation in Chinese companies

Svrha ovog istraživanja je analiza odnosa između inovacija i internacionalizacije, kao i testiranje prezentiranog modela istraživanja. Istraživanjem je obuhvaćeno 486 kompanija iz Kine i dokazano je da internacionalizacija pozitivno utječe na sva četiri tipa inovacija, i to proizvoda, procesa, marketinga i organizacije. Također je dokazano i da se za postizanje inovacija u području marketinga i organizacije naročito preporučuje tzv. internacionalizacija visoke razine. Istraživanje je također dokazalo da je direktni kontakt sa stranim kupcima od iznimnog značaja za ostvarivanje većih koristi od internacionalizacije u kontekstu unapređenja sva četiri tipa inovacija.The purpose of this research is to analyse the relationship between innovation and internationalization in Chinese companies and to test presented research model. During the research process, 486 companies from China were analyzed and all four types, product, process, marketing and organizational innovations are proved to be positively influenced by internationalization. In addition to this, it is proved that for improvement of marketing and organizational innovation high-level of internationalization is highly recommended. What is more, this research has proved that direct contact with foreign customers is extremely important for having higher benefits of internationalization in the context of improvement of all four types of innovation

Toxicity of carvacrol and its potential in preventing L-arginine-induced pancreatic damage

Carvacrol (5-isopropyl-2-methylphenol) is a monoterpene present in the essential oils of many aromatic plants of the Lamiaceae family, including the genera Origanum, Thymus, Thymbra, and Satureja. Carvacrol is reported to have a variety of biological properties and its activity might partially be responsible for the activity of ethnomedicinal plants rich in this monoterpene. Our present work aims to estimate the damaging effect of carvacrol on Wistar rat pancreatic tissue, as well as to evaluate its protective action in preventing pancreas damage induced by L-arginine. The toxic and beneficial (in a low dose of 10 mg/kg) properties of carvacrol were assessed by measuring serum α-amylase and lipase activities and tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Also, the pathohistological appearance of pancreatic tissue was assessed, where the presence of edema, inflammation, necrosis, and hemorrhage was scored. The application of higher doses of carvacrol (100 and 500 mg/kg) produced a significant increase in serum α-amylase activity, followed by inflammatory cell infiltration and patchy interlobular edema. In the L-arginine-induced pancreatitis model, a dose of 10 mg/kg of carvacrol was able to prevent the increase in serum α-amylase and lipase activities, as well as to prevent MDA formation compared to the animals that received L-arginine only. Pathological changes also followed the biochemical picture, where mild edema and inflammatory infiltration, with few necrotic areas, could be seen in the tissues of animals treated with carvacrol prior to L-arginine treatment. On the contrary, the tissues of the animals that received L-arginine only displayed massive leukocyte infiltration with edema and significant necrotic areas. One can speculate that the activity of carvacrol is probably arising from its ability to affect the function of multiple cellular mediators, as well as to prevent oxidative tissue damage by mitigating cell oxidative mechanisms