ERP System Implementation and Business Process Change: Case Study of a Pharmaceutical Company

The main objective of this paper is to present the impacts of information technology (IT) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems in business process renovation and to discuss selected aspects of the business processes and information modelling. This study presents the results of research conducted on reengineering business processes in Croatian companies, together with the results of analysis of the status and characteristics of ERP systems in Croatian companies. The results of this study were used to form hypotheses, which were then analyzed and compared against the results of a case study conducted by the authors on business process reengineering and the implementation of the SAP software solution in PLIVA pharmaceutical industry, Incorporated (PLIVA pharmaceuticals, Inc)

Loading of Pipeline Supports in a Micro-tunnel

Micro-tunnelling is a trenchless method for the application of underground utilities. If a tunnel is built as a shallow arc beneath obstacles, the insertion of steel pipeline presents a particular difficulty. A computational model has been developed in order to investigate the loading of pipeline wheel supports and the stresses in pipes during the insertion. The model is based on beam elements and includes the unilateral contact problem, which is solved by the iteration procedure presented in the paper. The results of simulations for four different paths are discussed and the improved path of the micro-tunnel is proposed

Menadžment poslovnih procesa i znanja u hrvatskim poduzećima

Contemporary companies function in constantly changing and highly turbulent business environment which is the cause of a constant need for change and learning at individual, group, organizational as well as interorganizational level (61). Organizational learning is considered to be one of the most promising concepts in modern managerial literature. According to de Geus ‘ability to learn faster than your competitors might be the only sustainable competitive advantage you have’ (11). Dimovski (12) provides an overview of previous research and identifies four perspectives on organizational learning. His model manages to merge informational, interpretational, strategic and behavioral approach to organizational learning and defines it as a process of information acquisition, information interpretation and resulting behavioral and cognitive changes, which should in turn have an impact on organizational performance. In recent research, another measurement variable for organizational learning emerged – Information quality (18). Another research topic introduced in this research was determination and evaluation of the business process orientation construct. Although definitions of the business process orientation vary, we adopt the McCormack’s and Johnson’s (2001) definition of process orientation: An organization that, in all its thinking, emphasizes process as opposed to hierarchies with a special emphasis on outcomes and customer satisfaction. McCormack and Johnson (2001) conducted an empirical study to explore the relationship between BPO and enhanced business performance. The research results showed that BPO is critical in reducing conflict and encouraging greater connectedness within an organization, while improving business performance. The more business process oriented an organization, the better it performs both from an overall perspective as well as from the perspective of the employees. The BPO construct describes a four-step pathway for systematically advancing business processes along the maturity continuum (Ad Hoc, Defined, Linked, and Integrated level). Each step builds on the work of the previous steps to apply improvement strategies that are appropriate to the current maturity level. It is important to note that trying to skip maturity levels is counter-productive, since each level builds a foundation from which to achieve the subsequent level. An organization must evolve through these levels to establish a culture of process excellence. The goal of our contribution was to test differences in the way companies learn and perceive their business process orientation in Slovenia and Croatia. During September and October 2005 questionnaires were distributed to Slovenian and Croatian companies with more than 50 employees. In Slovenian case, 203 completed questionnaires were returned (which accounts for 16.5% response rate) while in Croatia 202 completed questionnaires were returned to the research group (which accounts for 11.5% response rate). Received questionnaires from both countries allow us to compare the results and to implicitly test the impact of various country-based factors on the organizational learning phenomena. Using data gathered from two independent samples (Slovenia and Croatia) analysis of variance method and t-test were used in order to get the answer to our research question relating to differences in organizational learning and business process orientation between Slovenian and Croatian companies. Results indicate that Slovenian and Croatian companies differ only in 17 out of 48 items considering organizational learning research – especially in the way they acquire information and the way they perceive behavioral and cognitive changes currently under place. Croatian companies are more outward directed when acquiring information and are witnessing more turbulent changes in their internal as well as external business environment. Nevertheless, there are much more similar traits in the way Slovenian and Croatian companies learn than there are dissimilarities. However, there are some indications that Slovenian companies already bridged the transition period, while majority of Croatian companies still has to cross that bridge. Data analysis considering second part of the research revealed some important aspects of business process orientation in Slovenia and Croatia. It showed that Slovenian companies have reached slightly higher maturity level than Croatian companies, which was not surprising considering Croatian contemporary history. Though statistically significant, the difference is not large and the general state of the BPO in both countries is promising. Still, a lot is left to change and improve in order to transform the companies into process-oriented ones. The investigation also revealed some differences between both counties. Slovenian companies give more emphasis to the quality of process data and have monitoring and control systems in place to assure it. Besides that jobs are more frequently multidimensional and not just simple tasks in Slovenia then in Croatia. This is important aspect of process orientation whereby employees need to be equipped with wide arsenal of knowledge and skills in order to participate in different areas of a process. To realize BPO projects, most companies use different business process modelling/management methods and tools, which integrate components for static and dynamic modelling, measuring and monitoring the performance of the processes, as well as enabling the transformation of business process diagrams into tailor-made applications supporting the execution of workflows. The focus of this paper is to discuss the application of business process oriented concepts in different areas, depending on different projects' objectives and goals. The paper provides the results of a search in literature as well as a summary and comparison of features concerning business process modelling and business process management tools, placing them within an empirically derived framework.menadžment poslovnih procesa, menadžment znanja

Mastering the Digital Transformation Process: Business Practices and Lessons Learned

Due to its unique features and accessibility, the focus of implementing digital technology is no longer just to improve internal operations, but to expand internal dimensions, reach customers and external partners, affect services, integrate processes, disrupt markets, and fundamentally change industries. It is no surprise that the notion of digital transformation has garnered much research interest, especially from the practitioners’ point of view, but academic achievements are somehow lagging behind, possibly because frameworks for digital transformation are still evolving. In this article, we tried to address that gap by conducting holistic research of digital transformation in companies. We used a series of in-depth interviews to inform comprehensive case studies of three companies from different industries that are in different stages of digital transformation. We carefully investigated the companies’ experiences in the process of digital transformation, which are discussed here to provide valid theoretical framing. We conclude that, in addition to technology adoption, important factors for successful digital transformation are the ability of an organization to change and operational excellence in the integration of external digital services with internal IT support. In that light, we summarize our findings in a form of discovered (sub)dimensions that are the basis for the proposed digital transformation framing, while the narratives and case experiences provide with examples of best practice

Understanding emotions: origins and roles of the amygdala

Emotions arise from activations of specialized neuronal populations in several parts of the cerebral cortex, notably the anterior cingulate, insula, ventromedial prefrontal, and subcortical structures, such as the amygdala, ventral striatum, putamen, caudate nucleus, and ventral tegmental area. Feelings are conscious, emotional experiences of these activations that contribute to neuronal networks mediating thoughts, language, and behavior, thus enhancing the ability to predict, learn, and reappraise stimuli and situations in the environment based on previous experiences. Contemporary theories of emotion converge around the key role of the amygdala as the central subcortical emotional brain structure that constantly evaluates and integrates a variety of sensory information from the surroundings and assigns them appropriate values of emotional dimensions, such as valence, intensity, and approachability. The amygdala participates in the regulation of autonomic and endocrine functions, decision-making and adaptations of instinctive and motivational behaviors to changes in the environment through implicit associative learning, changes in short- and long-term synaptic plasticity, and activation of the fight-or-flight response via efferent projections from its central nucleus to cortical and subcortical structures

Polymorphisms of Vitamin D Receptor Gene in the Population of Eastern Croatia with Psoriasis vulgaris and Diabetes mellitus

The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible association between polymorphisms in the Vitamin D receptor gene (VDR gene) and tendency for development of psoriasis vulgaris and diabetes mellitus in the population of Slavonia, which is a region in the Eastern Croatia. In order to conduct the mentioned evaluation the restriction fragment length polymorphisms (ApaI, BsmI and TaqI) in the Vitamin D receptor gene were researched in three groups of patients: patients suffering only from psoriasis vulgaris, patients suffering only from diabetes mellitus, and patients suffering at the same time from both diseases. Four most common genotypes were found in all standardized control patients: triple heterozygotes BbAaTt (in 29.3% of the studied patients), bbAaTT (in 18.6% of the studied patients), bbaaTT (in 12.9% of the studied patients) and BbAATt (in 8.6% of the studied patients). Three most common VDR 3’-RFLP haplotypes determined in this study were: three-component baT, Bat and bAT haplotype. Results of the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium showed presence of BsmI polymorphism genotype frequencies disequilibrium in the group of patients suffering from psoriasis and ApaI polymorphism in the group of patients suffering from both diseases. According to the same statistical test all conditions for TaqI polymorphism genotype frequency were fulfilled in all groups of studied patients. There was no significant difference in distribution of BsmI, ApaI or TaqI polymorphism genotype frequencies between control patients and any of the subgroup of studied patients. In studied population none of analysed polymorphisms individually was associated with the risk of development of psoriasis, diabetes or combined phenotype

Structural basis of developmental plasticity in the corticostriatal system

Previous studies have shown that in developing monkey corticostriatal fibres terminate around striatal cytoarchitectonic compartments--cell islands, showing transfiguration around 105th embryonic day (E105) of gestation. In the present study we have analyzed these striatal cytoarchitectonic islands and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) rich patches in the developing human brain considering them as structural indicators of the development of the corticostriatal pathways. Postmortal brain tissue of 27 fetuses and prematurely born infants, ranging from 11-34 postovulatory weeks (POW) whose deaths were attributed to non neurological causes, were processed by Nissl method, AChE histochemistry and imunocytochemical technique (synaptophysin). All specimens are part of the Zagreb Neuroembryological Collection. Initial AChE patches, presumably corresponding to the dopaminergic islands, were seen as early as 10 POW whereas cytoarchitectonical cell islands were not observed until 14 POW The main developmental change occurs between 20-24 POW when AChE negative cell poor zones develop around cell islands. This transient AChE pattern of striatal organization reaches its peak around 28 POW being most prominent along lateral border of putamen. In one case of periventricular hemorrhagic lesion with premortem survival period we have found reorganization of AChE patches in the putamen which indicates structural plasticity of corticostriatal pathways. In conclusion we propose that cell poor zones serve as waiting compartments for growing corticostriatal fibers which approach striatum through subcallosal bundle and external capsule. The period of the existence of striatal compartments (14-30 POW) is a sensitive period for structural plasticity and vulnerability after periventricular lesions