A methodology for closing the gap between the competences of students and recent graduates and labour market needs. The case of the Republic of North Macedonia

The youth unemployment is one of the most pressing problems for every economy. For addressing this issue in the Republic of North Macedonia, numerous project initiatives and activities are in the phase of planning and implementation. Part of these is the implemented project: ‘Building capacities for better employability’. Through the project activities, it was proposed to be institutionalized the stakeholder cooperation for matching education curricula according to labour market needs. In order to increase the employability of students and graduates, the main aim which is also the goal of this study, was developing a methodology for closing the gap between the skills of students and graduates and the Labour market needs, by enhancing the entrepreneurial education dominance in high education curricula. Through advanced understanding of the entrepreneurial mind-set, new opportunities in teaching and learning can enhance the University provision. For that purpose, case studies for the best UK practices in employability were developed and a survey for investigating the needs and requirements of the Macedonian high-educational sector was conducted. The research findings comprised rich informative set of recommendations that was a base for developing the methodology for closing the skills gap. The methodology was organised in four main levels with a number of institutions (actors) and activities (measures) related to them. The application of this methodology resulted with an outline of a stakeholder plan that offers insights into other areas of study and research possibilities. The contribution of this study is twofold. It adds on the literature for high-sector education and employability, but also it has practical implications for all stakeholders responsible in coping with the unemployment issue. The proposed methodology assists in monitoring the labour market changes and addressing them with improvements in the university curricula accordingly. It could be a powerful tool in the hands of the stakeholders for better employability of the students/graduates and can facilitate whole process. Overall, it will support the Republic of North Macedonia’s future strategies at Government, University and Faculty level in their strides toward creating more skilful and employable youth

Innovativeness in Macedonian Companies: Evidence from the Community Innovation Survey

The importance of innovations for development of knowledge–based economies is widely acknowledged. However, certain challenges for researching the innovativeness in post–socialist economies still exist. We analyse the most influential drivers for innovativeness in Macedonian enterprises. Based on the extended literature review and the firm–level dataset collected by the CIS 2012 (Community Innovation Survey 2012), the conceptual model for identifying the factors that drive innovation was developed and tested with standard multiple regression. The findings confirm that firm innovativeness could be improved by extending the number of collaborators and sources for information and knowledge. Also, further investments in research and development for innovation positively impact the variety of innovation activities in companies. In addition to the theoretical and practical implications, this study is significant because the proposed method could be adjusted and applied in many countries where CIS research is conducted

Digital channels diminish SME barriers:the case of the UK

This article investigates the usage of digital channels by UK small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and assesses the impact caused on their strategic marketing position. The research is based on statistical analysis of 66 surveyed SMEs in the context of the digital era. Despite indications from the relevant literature about the reluctance of SMEs to adopt advances in technological communication, the research reported indicates a high level of usage of digital channels, especially social media (SM). The web 2.0 technologies that facilitate the new digital channels are standardised, interactive, ubiquitous and cheap. These features change the way how companies communicate and shift fundamental marketing and business concepts. Due to this shift, the SMEs’ barriers for technology adoption, including lack of financial resources, knowledge and skills, are diminishing. The latter, supported also by the research findings, increases the impact of SMEs bringing them closer to the large corporations in the global marketplace. The study is significant because it extends previous knowledge on technology adoption, with findings about the adoption of digital channels by SMEs, but more importantly, it opens up a novel insight into strategic literature for SMEs

The Effects of Programmed Kinesiological Treatment on Correction of Kyphosis and Flat Feet Deformity in Pupils / Efekti programiranog kineziološkog tretmana na korigiranje deformiteta kifoze i ravnog stopala kod učenika

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of programmed kinesiological treatment on transformation of postural spinal status in the sagittal plane - kyphosis and flat feet - pes planus, in IV to VI grade pupils (second triad of nine-year elementary school). The study was conducted on a 290 pupil sample.Eight (8) variables were applied in the study to evaluate postural spine status - kyphosis and flat feet - pes planus. The research had a longitudinal character. The use of contingent tables shows the frequencies and the corresponding percentages increase the deformity of the spine - kyphosis and flat feet - pes planus.The results of the study indicate the statistical significance of the percentage of deformity of the kyphosis and flat feet - pes planus. Changes in the arch of the feet and spine are mainly in the first stage of deformation, which also enabled the correction of the condition with the application of programmed kinesiological treatment.Therefore, in the global assessment of the quality and justification of the use of programmed kinesiological treatment for one school year, we must state that it contributed to the improvement of the deformity of the kyphosis and the flat feet of the research sample of pupils