EXAMINING ENTREPRENEURIAL ORIENTATION – PERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIP AMONG CROATIAN SERVICE SMES

The relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and business performance has been widely researched. However, in scientific literature there is still a need for further clarification when observing the before mentioned concepts, especially within the service SME context. Likewise, when observing this relationship it is necessary to look into the impact of entrepreneurial orientation on individual segments of business performance, i.e. on financial and non-financial constructs. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to explore the association of entrepreneurial orientation and small and medium business performance, while observing performance both as unidimensional and multidimensional concept. Furthermore, the paper tests whether moderation effect of external environment exists between entrepreneurial orientation and business performance among Croatian service SMEs

Entrepreneurial Orientation, Strategic Networking, and Croatian SMEs Performance: A Configurational Approach

Background: Many studies on entrepreneurship indicate an affirmative entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and small firm performance interrelationship. However, the empirical results are inconclusive, especially when firms face certain contingencies. Objectives: Strategic networking and environmental dynamism are important to SMEs\u27 performance; therefore, the goal of this study is to apply a configurational approach for developing a model that promotes the roles of strategic networking and environmental dynamism as moderating variables in the EO-performance relationship. Methods/Approach: For determining which model fits the data best, a moderated linear regression analysis was used as an analytical method to test the proposed hypotheses. Specifically, configurational, contingency and universal models were examined. Results: Results reveal that a configurational model provides a statistically better explanation of variance in performance compared to both contingency and universal models. Conclusions: By adding strategic networking to the EO-performance relationship, our study helps explain why some firms, although restrained with internal resources, can still achieve entrepreneurial projects since required resources can be acquired from external network partners. Limitations of this study encompass the sample size, the use of a subjective scale, questioning of only one representative of the firm, and the short-term aspect of the study

Konstrukcijski monitoring obnovljenog telekomunikacionog tornja 'Avala'

Paper presents application of long-term Structural Health Monitoring - SHM of the rebuilt TV tower 'Avala'. According the actual trends for improvement of maintenance serviceability, safety and durability, on this structure is applied modern designed system for observation stress and deformation structural response. In the introduction are briefly introduced basics of the modern trends for improvements of serviceability infrastructure and other structures by recently published guidelines and standard drafts. Applied system for structural monitoring of the rebuild TV tower on Avala is described in details. Explained are general concept, disposition, applied transducers and central acquisition unit for logging, analysis and storing recorded data. .U radu je prikazana primena dugotrajnog monitoringa stanja konstrukcije obnovljenog TV tornja 'Avala'. U skladu sa savremenim tendencijama za unapređenje održavanja, eksploatacije, sigurnosti i trajnosti objekata, i na ovoj značajnoj konstrukciji primenjen je savremeni pristup osmatranja naponsko-deformacijskog stanja konstrukcije. U uvodnom delu prikazan je savremeni trend u unapređenju funkcionisanja postojećih infrastrukturnih i drugih objekata izražen kroz skorije publikovane preporuke za sprovođenje monitoringa stanja konstrukcija u savremenim uslovima. Detaljno je obrazložen primenjeni sistem konstrukcijskog monitoringa obnovljenog TV tornja na Avali. Prikazana je opšta koncepcija, dispozicija, primenjeni senzori i centralizovano registrovanje i analiza merenih veličina

Konstrukcijski monitoring obnovljenog telekomunikacionog tornja 'Avala'

Paper presents application of long-term Structural Health Monitoring - SHM of the rebuilt TV tower 'Avala'. According the actual trends for improvement of maintenance serviceability, safety and durability, on this structure is applied modern designed system for observation stress and deformation structural response. In the introduction are briefly introduced basics of the modern trends for improvements of serviceability infrastructure and other structures by recently published guidelines and standard drafts. Applied system for structural monitoring of the rebuild TV tower on Avala is described in details. Explained are general concept, disposition, applied transducers and central acquisition unit for logging, analysis and storing recorded data. .U radu je prikazana primena dugotrajnog monitoringa stanja konstrukcije obnovljenog TV tornja 'Avala'. U skladu sa savremenim tendencijama za unapređenje održavanja, eksploatacije, sigurnosti i trajnosti objekata, i na ovoj značajnoj konstrukciji primenjen je savremeni pristup osmatranja naponsko-deformacijskog stanja konstrukcije. U uvodnom delu prikazan je savremeni trend u unapređenju funkcionisanja postojećih infrastrukturnih i drugih objekata izražen kroz skorije publikovane preporuke za sprovođenje monitoringa stanja konstrukcija u savremenim uslovima. Detaljno je obrazložen primenjeni sistem konstrukcijskog monitoringa obnovljenog TV tornja na Avali. Prikazana je opšta koncepcija, dispozicija, primenjeni senzori i centralizovano registrovanje i analiza merenih veličina

Water quality of the North Banat basal aquifer system

North Banat, an area of about 2329 km2 administered by six municipalities, is the extreme northeastern part of the Republic of Serbia and located in the southeastern margin of Pannonian depression. Drinking water is supplied under artesian or sub artesian pressure of Lower Pleistocene (Q1) or Upper Pliocene (Pl3) from confined aquifers. Tapped water-bearing beds in Banat dip from northeast to the south, reaching a depth of some 300 m at surrounding of Kikinda. Chemically, these 'uncommon' waters are a natural rarity controlled by geological and hydro geological characters of the water-bearing strata. The quality of water, periodically tested and examined, is discussed in this paper and its chemical composition is interpreted in terms of the regional geology

The role-share-influence of the posterior tibial slope on rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament

Background/Aim. Posterior tibial slope is one of the most citated factors wich cause rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The aim of this study was to determine the association of a greather posterior tibial slope on the lateral condyle, that is a lesser posterior tibial slope on the medial condyle, with ACL rupture. Methods. The patients were divided into two groups. The study group included the patients with chronic instability of the knee besause of a previous rupture of ACL. The control group included the patients with knee lesion, but without ACL rupture. Posterior tibial slope measuring was performed by sagittal MR slices supported by lateral radiograph of the knee. We measured posterior tibial slope on lateral and medial condyles of the tibia. Using these values we calculated an average posterior tibial slope as well as the difference between slopes on lateral and medial condyles. Results. Patients with ACL rupture have highly statistically significantly greather posterior tibial slope (p < 0.01) on lateral tibial condyle (7.1° : 4.5°) as well as statistically significantly lesser posterior tibial slope (p < 0.05) on medial tibial condyle (5.0° : 6.6°) than patients with intact ACL. Conclusion. Great posterior tibial slope on lateral tibial condyle associated with the small posterior tibial slope on the medial tibial condyle, that is a positive differentce between lateral and medial tibial condyles are factors wich may cause ACL rupture

Geological effect on the Grlište reservoir water quality

This work presents analytical data for copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn) of the Grlište storage reservoir that was built for water supply to Zaječar and the nearby communities. Because there was not any industry of military work that could be a source of heavy metals, the research focused on the geology of the area drained to the impounded lake. Occurrences and deposits of minerals in the area were registered and concentrations of copper, zinc and manganese in the lake analyzed and graphically represented. Water samples the analyses were taken at the upstream and downstream ends and the middle of the lake, each from three depths: lake surface, mid-depth and near the floor. Measurements spanned the period from 1991 to 2004. The copper and zinc concentrations had a gently rising trend in all sections, and manganese only in the upstream end of the lake

Laser Processing of Ni-Based Superalloy Surfaces Susceptible to Stress Concentration

Reliable and resilient constructions are basic for ensuring the safety of various structures. The superalloys are used as constructive materials due to their superb mechanical properties and endurance. However, even these materials can have certain areas where the stress concentration is higher than expected, such as drilling holes, which are common in various structures that need additional enhancement. Surface laser modifications of the areas surrounding the holes drilled in Nimonic 263 sheets are done by pulsed picosecond and nanosecond Nd:YAG laser irradiations with pulse durations of 170 ps and lt = 8 ns, respectively. Following the laser surface treatment, the effectiveness of the enhancement was analyzed by the microhardness test and the deformation test. The results show that the deformation and stress values are decreased by 25-40 percent, showing the improvement in the resilience to deformation. The Vickers microhardness test results indicate an improvement in the Nimonic 263 microhardness. The dimensions of the microcracks are higher for the untreated material in comparison to the laser-treated material

Laser Processing of Ni-Based Superalloy Surfaces Susceptible to Stress Concentration

Reliable and resilient constructions are basic for ensuring the safety of various structures. The superalloys are used as constructive materials due to their superb mechanical properties and endurance. However, even these materials can have certain areas where the stress concentration is higher than expected, such as drilling holes, which are common in various structures that need additional enhancement. Surface laser modifications of the areas surrounding the holes drilled in Nimonic 263 sheets are done by pulsed picosecond and nanosecond Nd:YAG laser irradiations with pulse durations of 170 ps and lt = 8 ns, respectively. Following the laser surface treatment, the effectiveness of the enhancement was analyzed by the microhardness test and the deformation test. The results show that the deformation and stress values are decreased by 25-40 percent, showing the improvement in the resilience to deformation. The Vickers microhardness test results indicate an improvement in the Nimonic 263 microhardness. The dimensions of the microcracks are higher for the untreated material in comparison to the laser-treated material