In the wood industry, forest certification stands as a pivotal factor that supports the implementation of sustainability and market acceptance. Recognizing its significance for both the wood sector ...and exports, this study explores the impact of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain of Custody certificates on the export of Croatian wood to European Union (EU) countries. Through a dynamic panel data analysis using the system Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimator, our aim is to uncover the implications of this certification on wood industry exports. Additionally, the model assesses other determinants of wood exports, such as GDP, GDP per capita, remoteness, manufacturing value added, unemployment, and the real effective exchange rate. The results indicate that the number of FSC certificates during the observed period (2000–2021) have a positive and significant impact on wood exports from Croatia, suggesting that wood certification plays a predominant role in shaping such exports. Furthermore, the econometric analysis confirms the statistical significance of selected macroeconomic indicators, including nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP), GDP per capita, unemployment, added value of manufacturing and real effective exchange rate, on wood exports. This study emphasizes the importance of forest certification in promoting wood exports and improving market competitiveness, offering a unique contribution to the literature by considering a range of macroeconomic factors in the analysis.
Corporate leaders often view innovation as a key contributor to superior profits, market sharing, and competitive positioning. However, confusion regarding the definition of innovation, how to create ...it, and how to implement it remains. In countries that are recent European Union members, little research has been done on innovation and how innovation is related to corporate management activities. In this study, the linkages were examined in the Croatian furniture industry. The first part of the study was to deconstruct innovation into three components: product innovation, production process innovation, and human resource innovation. The second part of the study evaluates the relationships between these innovation components and four company management activities/factors (research and development investments, company flexibility, export activity, and the Internet usage) were examined. Scale testing resulted in valid deconstruction measures of innovation. Hypothesized correlations between innovation components and company management factors were supported, although the results were not fully consistent with those of previous studies.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The study focuses on the selected aspects of investment measurement and management for the support of financial and economic decision-making of investors in wood-processing sectors. The aim of the ...study was to analyze the indicators for the structure and cost of capital of furniture and paper/forest branches in Slovakia, quantify the actual expected return on investment based on the selected methodology, and consequently find out the fundamental differences resulting from the specific conditions of given sectors. Methodologically, the study uses procedures for the weighted average cost of capital (WACC), capital asset pricing model (CAPM) for determining the cost of equity, and calculation of the beta coefficient considering the risk premium. The results of the study demonstrated a similar levered beta in both analyzed sectors (1.17 in furniture, 1.20 in paper/forest), but in each sector for a different reason. The expected rate of return is higher in furniture (7.84%) compared to paper/forest products at the level of 6.04%. The findings provide the possibility of comparing the required and expected rate of return on invested capital and making the appropriate long-term investment decisions.
Monitoring consumer buying behaviors in terms of their preferences and attitudes has been known as an important driver for the success and development of various industries, including a wood ...furniture manufacturing. The aim of this study was to identify and compare the purchasing behaviors of furniture consumers in the period before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two surveys were conducted in Croatia, the first in April and May 2020 with the assumption that consumer purchasing behaviors will change during the COVID-19 pandemic in the following year and the second one during March 2021. Differences regarding consumer purchasing behaviors and preferences for wood furniture between respondents regarding demographic and economic factors before and during the pandemic were found. The coronavirus pandemic is teaching us all hard lessons about resilience and adaptability, and new opportunities and solutions are essential. Nowadays, it is becoming increasingly important to produce information. Research offers insights into future design and building communication to better meet the information needs of different types of consumers and to more broadly increase the acceptance and appeal of wood furniture in society in the spirit of sustainable and bio-based circular economy.
•Architect perceptions of engineered wood products in Europe countries were studied.•A positive perception regarding the use of wood in general in all countries.•A lack of knowledge of principles of ...design options with EWPs.•The internet is the leading source of information used by architects.•There is a need for more technical information to understand the potential of EWPs.
The wood industries in Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Hercegovina (BiH) and Macedonia have a long tradition of producing a wide range of products. BiH and Macedonia have similar forest sectors and both countries have experienced similar problems in the manufacturing, sale and use of wood-based products in recent years due to the global financial crisis and resulting national economic challenges. Despite having a long and prosperous history, over the past two decades, the wood products sectors in these four countries have faced a steady decline in profitability, the ability to add value through downstream manufacturing, and overall competitiveness.
Engineered wood products (EWPs) are structural building materials that have been used since the early 1980s as replacements for, or in conjunction with, concrete and steel. In this study, we compare architect attitudes, awareness and preferences regarding the use of EWPs between these four countries. The study is based on a sample of 373 architects using on-line surveys. Results suggest that there is a positive perception regarding the use of wood in general in all countries, with the majority of respondents believing that wood use will increase in the future. However, specific to EWPs, differences were found in familiarity and knowledge of potential applications in timber-based construction. Results provide indicators of knowledge gaps between respondents and, conversely, where awareness and willingness to use EWPs exist. These findings can have implications for market opportunities, identifying barriers to EWPs adoption, and content for workshops, seminars, and other outreach mechanisms for architects.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Bogatstvo šuma na prostorima Republike Hrvatske uvjetovalo je razvoj pilanske prerade drva koja ima već stoljetnu tradiciju. S određenim zakašnjenjima u usporedbi s europskim zemljama, pilanska je ...prerada drva pratila razvoj tehnologije, zapošljavala stručnu radnu snagu te uz šumarstvo bila prva faza razvoja prerade drva. Troškovi su „u srcu“ mnogih poslovnih odluka. Nije dovoljno proučavati troškove za pojedino ili za ograničeno poslovno područje, već ih je nužno promatrati za cijeli lanac poslovnog procesa, tj. od dobavljača do kupca proizvoda ili usluga. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je usporediti čimbenike u proizvodnji uz pomoć kojih se mogu uspoređivati proizvodnje domaćih i inozemnih poduzeća kako bi se dobila slika konkurentnosti pilanarstva u Republici Hrvatskoj. Čimbenici koji su se uspoređivali jesu trošak po jedinici proizvoda, trošak sirovine s prijevozom, trošak energije, trošak kapitala (u ovom primjeru amortizacije) te trošak radne snage. Radi dodatnog povećanja i održavanja konkurentnosti, potrebno je više ulagati u tehnologiju kako bi se smanjili troškovi po jedinici proizvoda. Također treba utvrditi optimalnu tehnologiju s obzirom na kvalitetu, kvantitetu i vrstu drva.
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are main generators of employment and economic development in European Union. In Croatia and Slovenia, SMEs in wood processing (C16) and furniture manufacturing ...(C31) also play an important role in social cohesion and development of rural areas. The aim of this research was to investigate the current situation in SMEs in wood processing and furniture manufacturing regarding driving parameters of business and production management system in the time of a disturbed market situation caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic. Two different questionnaires in an e-mail survey were used to collect data for this research from companies and from experts in the field of management, production and marketing. Various statistical tests were used using seven driving parameters on data collected from 212 SMEs. Also, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used on the data collected from 20 experts. Results showed that companies in the time of pandemic crisis and during the time of major disturbances in supply chain pay the most attention to their production program and quality of their products, and then to marketing activities and situation on the market. According to the results presented in this research, the management model can help SMEs managers, micro and small enterprises in particular, to improve their decision-making process, make the necessary innovations easier and faster, and maintain the sustainable business and production management system of their companies.
During the last decade, the Slovak and Croatian furniture industry markets have experienced changes that have made these markets more interesting for domestic and foreign investors. Furniture ...manufacturers and retailers are still trying to determine the best ways to adjust to customer demands, and understanding the furniture preferences of customers would provide beneficial information to the furniture industry. The purpose of this study, which was conducted in 2016, was to improve the knowledge regarding differences in the preferences of customers for furniture materials, attributes, and styles when purchasing furniture in Slovakia and Croatia. The findings showed that Slovak and Croatian respondents differ in their preferences for furniture materials, as well as the factors that influence their purchasing decisions when buying interior and exterior furniture. Overall, it was found that wood as the furniture material, compared with the surveyed substitutes, was widely preferred among the Croatian and Slovak respondents.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
This study explores attitudes toward sustainable-timber resource management and climate-change mitigation by extending the life cycles of wood products and their cascading in Central and Southeastern ...Europe. A comprehensive survey involving the general public and professional organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia, reveals significant support for wood product reuse in construction, emphasizing ecological aspects and sustainability. Despite doubts about wood product quality, motivation for reuse remains high. Challenges, including limited availability and cost, are acknowledged. Reusing and recycling wood products at the end of their life cycle can extend the life of the wood resource and reduce carbon emissions. Cascading is a promising way to combat climate change and prolong the life cycle of wood products. This study highlights the potential of cascading wood use, underscores the necessity to improve the quantification of wood usage through material intensity analysis of buildings, and emphasizes the requirement for more comprehensive education and explanations to promote sustainable practices.
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BFBNIB, GIS, IJS, KISLJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM, UPUK
Krajnji cilj inovacije jest poboljšanje poslovanja, a inovacijske aktivnosti u suvremenim uvjetima poslovanja smatraju se ključnim pokretačem poslovnog uspjeha pojedinoga gospodarskog subjekta, ...pojedine gospodarske grane, kao i cjelokupnoga gospodarskog razvoja neke zemlje. Industrije srednjeniske i niske tehnologije, kojima pripada i drvna industrija, međutim, iznimno su važan i daleko najveći dio proizvodnog sektora zemalja članica OECD-a, pokazuju izvanrednu stabilnost te zapošljavaju visok udio stanovništva, a drvna industrija, posebno proizvodnja namještaja, uspješno je izvozno orijentirana europska gospodarska grana unutar srednjerazvijenih zemalja. Inovativnost tvrtke te inovacija kao rezultat inovativnosti mogu biti vezane za brojne vanjske i unutarnje čimbenike tvrtke, stoga je cilj ovog rada bio objasniti povezanost inovacija i inovativnosti određenih vanjskih i unutarnjih čimbenika tvrtki koji imaju/mogu imati utjecaj na razvoj inovacija i inovativnosti tvrtki, a koja je dokazana u brojnim istraživanjima velikog broja znanstvenika/autora.
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