Economic and legal determinants of export competitiveness of the food industry of Serbia

Most authors agree that countries try to specialize in international trade. Among most important factors, they mention: differences in production costs, demand, production factors mobility, interest rates, wages, trade balance, income, technological innovativeness and progress. Therefore, the subject of this research paper is the analysis of comparative advantage and export specialization of the food industry, using the Balassa index (RCA), Lafay index (LFI) and modified index of comparative advantage (Sm) and specialization in international trade using Grubel Lloyd's index (GL), in order to measure the comparative advantage and specialization and suggest economic and legal measures for the improvement of competitiveness and comparative advantage in international markets

The textile and clothing industry in the Danube region countries: Comparative advantages

The subject of this study is the analysis of comparative advantages of international export in the TC (textile and clothing) industry of the Danube region countries with a special focus on Serbia. The aim of this study is to analyze the comparative advantage and suggest possible economic and legal measures to strengthen export. This study observed export per capita and participation of TC industry export, and measured the comparative advantage and specialization of the Danube region countries in the period between 2005 and 2013. In the course of research, we used the Balassa (RCA) and Lafay (LFI) indexes of comparative advantage, and the GL index and RUV index of horizontal and vertical specialization in intra-industry exchange. The research has revealed positive comparative advantage in the export of the textile industry in the Czech Republic, Germany and Slovenia. In the clothing industry export, positive comparative advantage was revealed in the cases of: Bulgaria, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia and Serbia. The research has shown a positive comparative advantage of the TC industry sector in Serbia. The results of our research into the TC industry reveal the existence of correlation between comparative advantage and intra-industry specialization in international trade

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FARMERS COOPERATIVE SYSTEM IN AP VOJVODINA

On the basis of the systematization of relevant attitudes predominant today with respect to sustainability at the global level, the authors have made a concept of a questionnaire, carried out a survey and paper-presented the results of their research into the attitudes of directors of farmers cooperatives regarding the socio-economic, legal and ecological aspects of the sustainability of the cooperatives system as "the third sector" of the economy and rural areas in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, with a reference to the legal, economic and ecological ambience of business doing performed by cooperatives and other enterprises in the Republic of Serbia – with a special reference to obligations which, when sustainability is concerned, emerge from the need for harmonizing with the European Unions legislation

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE POLICY IN SUPPORT OF FARMERS COOPERATIVE SYSTEM

There is a rapidly expanding body of work which describes what needs to be done by business to help build a sustainable economy. This is generated by government, civil society and by business itself. However, there is a separation between what is expected of the sector, what is being achieved by individual companies and what business says in public about the future. There is also a review of the literature providing key principles of sustainable agriculture. Sustainable agriculture is a way of raising food that is healthy for consumers and animals, does not harm the environment, is humane for workers, respects animals, provides a fair wage to the farmer, and supports and enhances rural communities. Yet movements toward a sustainable agriculture is currently fragmented and without clear direction. This paper aims to explore this relationship between what has been identifed as the role of governoment and cooperatives in building a sustainable economy and the current situation. With exploratory research this paper attempted to stimulate debate about contemporary sustainability challengesits legal and policy framework. The fnal aim of this paper is to deal with the challenge of putting "evidence-based policy-making" and on how private sector can support evidence-based policy action

BENCHMARKING AS A FUNCTION OF COMPETITIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY IN BUSINESS

Benchmarking is a method of comparison between its own and the best possible organization that would contribute to the implementation of best practice solutions, new technologies, improvement of business processes and the quality of products, cost savings, increase of productivity, creativity, innovation and competitiveness on the market, and would lead to satisfying the needs and desires of consumers, as well as achieving efficiency in its own business. However, the concept of benchmarking affects the creation of new ideas and lucrative solutions to improve the existing organization, process and competitive products of high quality. It is, without doubt, the easiest way of applying and achieving best practice leader for the maximization of profit in business. There are several types of benchmarking, such as: the internal, external competitive, external functional, external generic, combined internal and external benchmarking. For a successful implementation of benchmarking, it is inevitable to choose a small number or a single leadership organization suitable for comparing and increasing of competitiveness and profitability in business

LEVEL OF CUSTOMER ORIENTATION AND CUSTOMER PROTECTION IN HOTELS IN SERBIA

Hotels present an engine of tourism development. Their standard and orientation towards specific target groups of customers determine the strength of tourism offer. In addition, they contribute to the agricultural development, too, because they are the great buyers of agricultural products. According to official data, the existing potentials of Serbian tourism have been insufficiently valorised and Serbian hotels are in pretty poor condition- compared to international standards. Taking these facts into consideration, we can raise a question whether the key problems of Serbian hotels lie exclusively in inadequate accommodation capacities, or perhaps that there is a lack of customer- oriented business philosophy. Also the question is to what extent the legal regulations contribute to the protection of customer rights and their satisfaction. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to ascertain the level of customer orientation in Serbian hotels, so as to find out whether members of hotel staff are acquainted with the notion of customer orientation and determine the degree to which this approach has been applied in practice. Conclusions and recommendations for improvement of competitiveness of hotels in Serbia are derived on the basis of research conducted by interviewing the employees of a sample of hotels in Serbia

EKONOMSKI EFEKTI I PRAVNI ASPEKTI ELEKTRONSKOG NOVCA I ELEKTRONSKOG PLAĆANJA

Elektronski novac i elektronsko bankarstvo je rezultat široke primene informaciono-komunikacione tehnologije (ICT). Razvoj informacione i komunikacione tehnologije, mnoštvo tehničkih i finansijskih inovacija intenzivira konkurenciju, utiče na unapređenje poslovnih procesa u bankama, između banaka i u odnosu sa klijentima. Predmet istraživanja u radu je analiza karakteristika, faktora razvoja i ekonomskih efekata elektronskog novca i elektronskog bankarstva, sa ciljem da ukažemo na moguće ekonomske posledice i neophodnost inoviranja i upotpunjavanja zakonske regulative u ovoj oblasti. U radu smo pošli od hipoteze da je elektronski novac i elektronsko bankarstvo, kao vid tržišnog komuniciranja, neophodno, da pozitivno utiče na brzinu i efikasnost poslovanja i da uspešnost zavisi od efikasne zaštite finansijske privatnosti korisnika