Achieving Business Excellence Prize: The Case Of Trimo Trebnje d.d.

The late 1980s and early 1990s saw a global realization of the strategic importance of quality, and many countries established programmes to recognize quality and excellence. Companies pursuing an excellence strategy soon recognized that the award frameworks offered more than just a vehicle for recognition. The frameworks were seen to be best-practice models for implementing excellence strategies, performing self-assessments, benchmarking and, ultimately, delivering improved performance. The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, we present the business excellence from the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence model point of view. Second, we describe how employee results, customer results, and favourable society results are achieved through leadership driving policy and strategy, people, partnerships and resources, and processes, which ultimately lead to excellence in key performance results in a manufacturing company that won the 2002 Slovene National Quality Award based on the EFQM Excellence model

A male-produced aggregation-sex pheromone of the beetle Arhopalus rusticus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae, Spondylinae) may be useful in managing this invasive species.

The longhorned beetle Arhopalus rusticus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae, Spondylinae) is a common species in conifer forests of the Northern Hemisphere, but with global trade, it has invaded and become established in New Zealand, Australia, and South America. Arhopalus rusticus is a suspected vector of the phytopathogenic nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the causative agent of pine wilt disease, which is a major threat to pine forests worldwide. Here, we report the identification of a volatile, male-produced aggregation-sex pheromone for this species. Headspace odours from males contained a major male-specific compound, identified as (2 S, 5E)-6,10-dimethyl-5,9-undecadien-2-ol (common name (S)-fuscumol), and a minor component (E)-6,10-dimethyl-5,9-undecadien-2-one (geranylacetone). Both compounds are known pheromone components for species in the same subfamily. In field trials in its native range in Slovenia, (S)-fuscumol was significantly more attractive to beetles of both sexes, than racemic fuscumol and a blend of host plant volatiles commonly used as an attractant for this species. Fuscumol-baited traps also caught significant numbers of another spondylidine species, Spondylis buprestoides (L.), and a rare click beetle, Stenagostus rufus (De Geer). The pheromone can be exploited as a cost-effective and environmentally safe tool for detection and monitoring of this invasive species at ports of entry, and for monitoring the beetle's distribution and population trends in both endemic and invasive populations

Design of the reinforced concrete precast industrial buildings – critical evaluation of the requirements in Eurocode 8

Reinforced concrete precast buildings are common constructional system in Slovenia. However, we don't know enough about seismic vulnerability of these structures. Therefor an European project named "Seismic bahaviour of precast concrete structures with respect to Eurocode 8" was formed. Our faculty is also involved in this project. Analytical calculations were performed by researchers on IKPIR. The main goal of this degree study was to critically evaluate demands for seismic design of structures according to EC8. Analysis was performed on both one-storey and two-storey industrial buildings, that were previously designed using older JUS standards. The comparison showed higher level of seismic load in EC8. Therefor the values of longitudinal reinforcement of the columns were also higher. For most one-storey buildings the minimum values of longitudinal reinforcement satisfied all the requirements. A bigger dimensions of the columns were needed for two-storey buildings. In EC8 there are also more severe demands regarding local ductility in critical regions of the columns. More additional stirrups and a better confinement of the concrete core are needed. Important differences are also shown in serviceability limit state. When designing two-storey buildings the interstorey drifts dictate dimensions of columns

The Importance Of Performance Management Tools Usage For Surviving The Economic Crisis

The main objective of our research is to explore how using performance management (PM) tools impact the exit hazard of firms by considering a sample of Slovenian firms during the recent economic crisis. The paper finds that, when firm and industry characteristics are not accounted for, the firms that used PM tools in 2007 experienced around a 6 percentage points lower hazard of shutting down during the current economic crisis. Further, our study supports the view that firm size and age are more important determinants of a firms survival probability than the influence of using PM tools (and other firm characteristics) due to a strong and significant correlation between the use of PM tools and firm size and age

Performance Measurement In Large Slovenian Companies: An Assessment Of Progress

The prevailing literature and empirical studies on management of organizational performance stress the increasing importance of non-financial performance measures and propose companies to implement some kind of integrated performance measurement system. The purpose of our study is to investigate the characteristics of performance measurement and management in large Slovenian companies, focusing also on the progress made in the 5-year period. The analysis is based on two surveys conducted in the spring 2003 and summer of 2008. We investigate what do companies understand by “successful performance”, what are the most and the least important performance measures for companies, and what performance measurement systems do companies use. By answering these questions we discuss the impact of our results on the future development and growth of firms. The research results show that large Slovenian companies consider “successful performance” mostly in terms of implementing the strategy, followed by pursuing the goals of the owners and achieving the goals of different stakeholders. Most large Slovenian companies perceive financial performance measures as more important than non-financial, although they claim they measure both perspectives of their business. Our research results also suggest that 68% of large Slovenian companies in our sample use balance scorecard or some other integrated performance measurement system. These findings are generally in line with the existing theory and empirical evidence from other countries. Our main conclusion is that the prevailing role of financial key performance indicators in large Slovenian companies is appropriate for monitoring the effects of the current financial crisis but if companies want to succeed in the long-run they have to base their decisions also on non-financial measures that enable monitoring of many important capabilities for achieving long-term strategic goals

Pomen obvladovanja stroškov v javnem sektorju

Vprašanja obvladovanja stroškov in nadziranja poslovanja so vse aktualnejša tudi v slovenskih organizacijah javnega sektorja. Organizacije, ki so najbolj napredovale na tem področju, uvajajo v svoje poslovanje menedžerska orodja, ki prispevajo k obvladovanju stroškov in ki so se najprej uveljavila v proizvodnem sektorju. Prispevek se ukvarja z vprašanji obvladovanja stroškov v javnem sektorju. Namen prispevka je predstaviti obvladovanje stroškov in njegov pomen za uspešno delovanje vseh podjetij in drugih organizacij, s posebnim poudarkom na organizacijah javnega sektorja, v katerih se vse bolj uveljavljajo načela in pristopi, ki so sicer značilni za podjetja v zasebnem sektorju. Poleg tega v prispevku predstavljamo uporabo sodobnih menedžerskih orodij, ki prispevajo k obvladovanju stroškov v slovenskih podjetjih, ter na podlagi rezultatov empirične raziskave analiziramo vpliv njihove uporabe na uspešnost podjetij

Determinants Of Integrated Performance Measurement Systems Usage: An Empirical Study

Performance management literature has been advocating the balanced use of non-financial measures alongside traditional financial measures, possibly within integrated performance measurement systems, since the early 1990’s. The purpose of this paper is to explore how contextual factors (such as company size, industry, and market position), business objectives and knowledge about contemporary management tools influence the decision to implement Balanced Scorecard or similar integrated performance management systems. We tested our research propositions regarding the influence of these factors by using survey data and a logistic regression model. The study is based on a survey conducted in 2008 on a sample of 323 Slovenian companies. The sample consists of large, medium, and small firms from different industrial sectors, including manufacturing and service. Overall, our results confirm contextual factors, such as company size and industry, and knowledge about management tools as most important determinants of integrated performance measurement systems usage. Although market position and business objectives also receive some support for their influence, the results are generally weaker and more ambiguous