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

Modeliranje ponašanja pilona mosta na probno opterećenje primjenom regresijske analize kao linearan i nelinearan proces

This paper presents the procedure for dynamic system identification regarding behaviour of bridge pylon for test load, and the numeric example had been illustrated by examination of \u27\u27Sloboda\u27\u27 bridge in Novi Sad. Since pylon shifts, occurred during test load, were long-period in nature, static GPS method had been applied for measurements. To identify dynamic process of the construction, auto-regression model with external input (ARX) had been selected. The process had been approximated as linear and non-linear. Establishing model degree had been performed by autocorrelation function and parameter significance test. It had shown that the shifts of pylon along the longitudinal axis of the bridge, occurring due to the load action, must be described as a result of non-linear process; while shifts, occurring orthogonal to longitudinal axis of the bridge, occurring due to the temperature change, are the result of linear process. Model fitting was also analyzed, observing the pylon as both rigid and deformable body. Higher percentage of fitting (alignment) had been achieved when the construction had been viewed as a deformable body.U radu je opisan postupak identifikacije dinamičkog sustava ponašanja pilona mosta na probno opterećenje, a brojčani primjer ilustriran je ispitivanjem mosta „Slobode“ u Novom Sadu. Kako su pomjeranja pilona pri probnom opterećenju dugoperiodična, za mjerenja je primijenjena statička GPS metoda. Za identifikaciju dinamičkog procesa konstrukcije izabran je autoregresijski model s vanjskim pobuđivanjem (AutoRegressive with eXternal input – ARX). Proces je aproksimiran kao linearan i nelinearan. Za utvrđivanje stupnja modela primijenjena je autokovarijacijska funkcija i test značajnosti parametara. Pokazano je da se pomjeranja pilona mosta, u smjeru duže osi, koja nastaju pod utjecajem opterećenja, moraju opisati kao rezultat nelinearnog procesa; dok su okomita pomjeranja, koja nastaju uslijed promjene temperature, rezultat linearnog procesa. Također je analizirano fitovanje modela (suglasnost) kada je pilon promatran kao kruto i kao deformatibilno tijelo. Ostvaren je veći postotak fitovanja kada je pilon promatran kao deformatibilno tijelo

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

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

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

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

3D-Microarchitectural patterns of Hyperostosis frontalis interna: a micro-computed tomography study in aged women

Although seen frequently during dissections and autopsies, Hyperostosis frontalis interna (HFI) - a morphological pattern of the frontal bone thickening - is often ignored and its nature and development are not yet understood sufficiently. Current macroscopic classification defines four grades/stages of HFI based on the morphological appearance and size of the affected area; however, it is unclear if these stages also depict the successive phases in the HFI development. Here we assessed 3D-microarchitecture of the frontal bone in women with various degrees of HFI expression and in an age- and sex-matched control group, hypothesizing that the bone microarchitecture bears imprints of the pathogenesis of HFI and may clarify the phases of its development. Frontal bone samples were collected during routine autopsies from 20 women with HFI (age: 69.9 +/- 11.1years) and 14 women without HFI (age: 74.1 +/- 9.7years). We classified the HFI samples into four groups, each group demonstrating different macroscopic type or stage of HFI. All samples were scanned by micro-computed tomography to evaluate 3D bone microarchitecture in the following regions of interest: total sample, outer table, diploe and inner table. Our results revealed that, compared to the control group, the women with HFI showed a significantly increased bone volume fraction in the region of diploe, along with significantly thicker and more plate-like shaped trabeculae and reduced trabecular separation and connectivity density. Moreover, the inner table of the frontal bone in women with HFI displayed significantly increased total porosity and mean pore diameter compared to controls. Microstructural reorganization of the frontal bone in women with HFI was also reflected in significantly higher porosity and lower bone volume fraction in the inner vs. outer table due to an increased number of pores larger than 100m. The individual comparisons between the control group and different macroscopic stages of HFI revealed significant differences only between the control group and the morphologically most pronounced type of HFI. Our microarchitectural findings demonstrated clear differences between the HFI and the control group in the region of diploe and the inner table. Macroscopic grades of HFI could not be distinguished at the level of bone microarchitecture and their consecutive nature cannot be supported. Rather, our study suggests that only two different types of HFI (moderate and severe HFI) have microstructural justification and should be considered further. It is essential to record HFI systematically in human postmortem subjects to provide more data on the mechanisms of its development