Publisher: Sveučilište Josipa Jurja Strossmayera u Osijeku, Ekonomski fakultet u Osijeku

EKONOMSKI VJESNIK / ECONVIEWS : REVIEW OF CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND ECONOMIC ISSUES

EKONOMSKI VJESNIK / ECONVIEWS : REVIEW OF CONTEMPORARY BUSINESS, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND ECONOMIC ISSUES

Frequency: 2 issues / Country: Croatia

Ekonomski Vjesnik / Econviews Review of Contemporary Entrepreneurship, Business, and Economic Issues is intended for researchers and practitioners, and devoted to the publication of papers that contribute to the theoretical, methodological and empirical insights in the complex field of economics. Articles can be based on quantitative as well as qualitative analyses; they can be a synthesis of previous research and discuss open issues in specific areas of social and economic practice. The journal welcomes papers focused on different levels of analysis (from individual cases to small or large samples) and contexts (SMEs and large companies, industrial sectors, local, regional and national economies, international economics, branches of economy, healthcare and education, labour and demographics, natural resources and other socio-economic frameworks). The papers undergo anonymous review process.

The journal is focused on research in economics, business economics and entrepreneurship, however, as these are closely intertwined with other disciplines information and technical sciences, law, sociology, psychology and other fields, multidisciplinary submissions are also welcome.

More about journal find out here:

http://www.efos.unios.hr/ekonomski-vjesnik/en/

Franchising – way to start new business venture and growth strategy

Franšiza - Način pokretanja poduzetničkog pothvata i strategija rasta poslovanja

Author(s): Aleksandar Erceg / Language(s): Croatian

Keywords: franchising; franchisor; franchisee; growth; starting new business venture; legal regulation;

Numerous literature deals with the franchise in the world, especially in English, while in Croatia there has not been a franchise book that provides insight into the basics of franchising. Book covers all important things about franchising: its origins, definition advantages and dissadvantages, theories used to explain reason for franchising, relation with entrepreneurship, legal side of franchising, influence on national economy, relation with other growth strategies, how to become franchisor and how to become franchisee. In addition, the book is also intended for others interested in franchise business (potential franchisors, franchisees, attorneys and consultants) and provides an overview of this highly dynamic and extremely popular relationship that is used throughout the world for business growth and entry into entrepreneurship.

Franchising in Eastern Europe - Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

Franchising in Eastern Europe - Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

Author(s): / Language(s): English

Keywords: franchising; advantages; disadvantages; barriers; Eastern Europe;

Book Franchising in Eastern Europe – Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow is the result of cooperation between several researchers from different countries whose main research interest is franchising, who covered different aspects of franchising and different countries. Franchising is in different stages of development in countries covered in this book, but there is still a lot of room for improvement. The book is organized into eight chapters. In the first two chapters, authors give a literature review of franchising as one of the most important ways of starting new ventures or growing a business and present the latest changes in franchising regulations worldwide. The following chapters present the franchising situation in Croatia, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Serbia and Macedonia. At the end of the book, we have included the European Code of Ethics for Franchising, which we find essential for the further development of franchising business in Eastern Europe.

Teaching Notes for Cases in Internationalization of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises

Teaching Notes for Cases in Internationalization of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises

Author(s): Veit Wohlgemuth,Anamarija Delić,Julia Perić,Aleksandar Erceg,Sunčica Oberman Peterka,Tine Lehmann / Language(s): English

Keywords: teaching notes; SMEs; internationalization; entrepreneurship;

The teaching notes in this book are one outcome of the Erasmus+ project INTernational ENtrepreneurship Skills Europe (INTENSE) which ended in August 2019. The project aimed to achieve targets set out in the “Agenda for the modernisation of Europe’s higher education systems” by improving the quality and relevance of higher education, by promoting mobility and cross-border cooperation, and by linking higher education, research and business sectors. The main project partners were five HEIs from different European countries: Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin, Germany, Turku University of Applied Sciences, Finland, Hogeschool Utrecht, the Netherlands, University Colleges Leuven-Limburg, Belgium and Josip Juraj Strossmayer of Osijek, Faculty of Economics in Osijek, Croatia. The objective of the project was to develop and implement an innovative and multifaceted teaching module on the internationalisation of SMEs to boost the entrepreneurial behaviour and internationalization of students, HEI staff and SMEs. These characteristics are linked to increased employability of both HEI students and HEI university staff, and to a better understanding of the process of internationalisation of SMEs by students and SMEs. The development of innovation competences and versatile international skills requires practice-oriented learning environments, the utilization of active learning, and innovative teaching methods. Lecturers are key players in supporting students’ innovation-oriented action, by deviating from the traditional teacher-centred approach. Instead, the project relied on international university-company cooperation as a learning environment. This enhanced not only students’ but also teachers’ and SMEs’ innovation competences, entrepreneurial skills and knowledge about internationalisation beyond classical classroom teaching. The involved SMEs also benefitted by receiving advice on their international business activities. However, the students did not just consult local SMEs in their internationalisation process but also cooperated with another student team in the target market of the SME’s internationalisation. The students documented their consultancy stories in teaching case studies. In this book we are presenting teaching notes for some of the case studies that are one result of the students’ and professors’ work during the transnational student consultancy projects. The connected cases and teaching notes summarise the main challenges that our partner firms faced and that the students were supposed to solve. We hope you will find them useful for your classes and that you and your students can benefit from our learning experience through these cases.

Cases in Internationalization of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises

Cases in Internationalization of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises

Author(s): / Language(s): English

Keywords: case study; SMEs; internationalization;

The case studies in this book are one outcome of the Erasmus+ project INTernational ENtrepreneurship Skills Europe (INTENSE) which ended in August 2019. The project aimed to achieve targets set out in the “Agenda for the modernisation of Europe’s higher education systems” by improving the quality and relevance of higher education, by promoting mobility and cross-border cooperation, and by linking higher education, research and business sectors. The main project partners were five HEIs from different European countries: Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin, Germany, Turku University of Applied Sciences, Finland, Hogeschool Utrecht, the Netherlands, University Colleges Leuven-Limburg, Belgium and Josip Juraj Strossmayer of Osijek, Faculty of Economics in Osijek, Croatia. The objective of the project was to develop and implement an innovative and multifaceted teaching module on the internationalisation of SMEs to boost the entrepreneurial behaviour and internationalization of students, HEI staff and SMEs. These characteristics are linked to increased employability of both HEI students and HEI university staff, and to a better understanding of the process of internationalisation of SMEs by students and SMEs. The development of innovation competences and versatile international skills requires practice-oriented learning environments, the utilization of active learning, and innovative teaching methods. Lecturers are key players in supporting students’ innovation-oriented action, by deviating from the traditional teacher-centred approach. Instead, the project relied on international university-company cooperation as a learning environment. This enhanced not only students’ but also teachers’ and SMEs’ innovation competences, entrepreneurial skills and knowledge about internationalisation beyond classical classroom teaching. The involved SMEs also benefitted by receiving advice on their international business activities. However, the students did not just consult local SMEs in their internationalisation process but also cooperated with another student team in the target market of the SME’s internationalisation. The students documented their consultancy stories in teaching case studies. In this book we are presenting some of the case studies that are one result of the students’ and professors’ work during the transnational student consultancy projects. The cases summarise the main challenges that our partner firms faced and that the students were supposed to solve. We hope you will find them useful for your classes and that you and your students can benefit from our learning experience through these cases. The teaching notes to each case are available upon request in a separate booklet.

Aging Society - Rethinking and Redesigning Retirement

Aging Society - Rethinking and Redesigning Retirement

Author(s): / Language(s): English

Keywords: demography; older population; rights; labor relations; health; healthcare; pension system; silver economy; communication; inclusion; media literacy; ICT; education; architecture;

The “Silver Tsunami” is here! According to various relevant sources such as the UN Population Division, the WHO, and the ILO, population across the world is getting older. By 2050, there will be more than 20% of the world’s population aged 65 years and over. Statistics for the European Union reveal the same - the age structure of the European population is expected to change significantly over the next decades and by 2060, the share of people aged 65 and above will increase from 18% to 30% compared to now, while the share of people aged above 80 will more than double. Thus, in addition to notions such as “Silver Tsunami”, “Age Wave”, and the like, it is not surprising that the European Union has launched a notion “Silver Economy” related to economic activities of the population aged 50 and over and their impact on various sectors of the national economy. This negative demographic transition, i.e. population aging, has shown four very distinctive features: unprecedented, pervasiveness, endurance and profound implications on human life in general. On a more personal level, what we are witnessing today as a trend, we will experience first-hand in the decades to come. Yet, times are changing. An aging population is becoming a reality that is surrounded by various myths when it comes to older people as workers or as consumers. The fact is that people today live longer and healthier lives, which requires a shift in perception of age when it comes to supply and demand sides of economics. It also holds true from the perspective of other disciplines. This, in turn, opens a new frontier in academic, practical and policy thinking about rethinking aging and redesigning retirement. This multidisciplinary edited book “The Aging Society: Rethinking and Redesigning Retirement” is one attempt not to be swept away by the “Silver Tsunami” tide. The content of the chapters reveals the multifaceted and highly complex issue of aging which brought together researchers from various fields. Aging has been initially dominant in medical research since it is primarily a physiological process, yet it has proven to be a social transformation with numerous repercussions calling for researchers from economics, communication, law and others to join the scientific discussion. The authors in this edition have tried to shed light on the potential of aging research by drawing attention to various topics such as aging as a normal process, concept and measurement of the quality of life of the elderly, financial challenges and retirement literacy of the older population, specific bioethical issues, silver architecture for seniors, protection of the rights and safety of older people in transport, social entrepreneurship and franchising, collaborative economy, an age-specific ICT use gap, media literacy and communication. The book has gathered authors from Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek – Faculty of Economics in Osijek, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Medicine Osijek / Clinical Hospital Center Osijek and Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture Osijek, as well as Faculty of Economics and Business Zagreb (University of Zagreb), Virovitica College, Croatian Education and Teacher Training Agency, University of Information Science and Technology, “St. Paul the Apostle” (Macedonia), Beykoz University, Vocational School at Department of Social Sciences (Turkey), Nisantasi University, Vocational School at Department of Logistics (Turkey), and Warsaw School of Economics (Poland). Such institutional diversity is a signal that the issue of aging is a universally attractive research topic that easily transcends disciplinary and national boundaries. As editors of this book, we feel obliged to applaud our authors for making a research effort and scientific contribution in the advent of the global COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Our gratitude is extended to our reviewers who have been affirmative towards the content and style of this work. The publication of this book will be a permanent reminder of strength, diligence, creativity and resilience of academic scholars as individuals and universities as institutions in times challenging us on both a personal and a professional level.

Companies' reaction to the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic – good practice examples

Reakcije poduzeća na prvi val pandemije COVID-19 - Primjeri dobre prakse

Author(s): / Language(s): Croatian

Keywords: strategic response; COVID-19 pandemic; effects of COVID-19; business response to COVID-19; creative strategic turns;

This booklet was created as a result of the work of graduate students of the Faculty of Economics in Osijek, who, during the winter semester in the academic year 2020/2021 listened to the courses Creativity and Innovation and Strategic Management. The aim of the project was to collect and critically evaluate the strategic and creative responses of micro, small and medium enterprises in the Republic of Croatia to the newly created business conditions during and after the first wave of locking or partial restriction of certain economic activities (so-called lockdown), caused by pandemic of coronavirus. The booklet combines the conclusions of seminar papers prepared by students in the form of infographics. The publication aims to: (i) highlight examples of good business practices and responses on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic; (ii) inspire and encourage other companies to design their own creative responses; (iii) contribute to raising awareness and finding effective solutions to overcome the negative effects of COVID-19 on economic activities; (iv) encourage students to apply professional knowledge, skills and abilities, but also develop positive values and attitudes related to the future profession.

Strategic Approach to Aging Population: Experiences and Challenges

Strategic Approach to Aging Population: Experiences and Challenges

Author(s): / Language(s): English

Keywords: aging; strategical implications; strategical thinking; technological opportunities; demographic threats and opportunities;

People across the world are living longer. According to the World Health Organization (2018), the world population that is older than 60 years will reach 22% by 2050, amounting to 2 billion people, which is a significant increase from 900 million in 2015. The number of older persons will outnumber children younger than five years. The pace of population aging is much faster than before, forcing all countries to face challenges that age brings, from health issues to human rights issues, each requiring proper policy response. As societies grow older due to increased longevity and improved health, older people change in terms of expectations they have related to life in the retirement age. There are many inspiring examples of older persons who want to pursue new activities, such as education, engage in a new career that corresponds to their passion neglected earlier, or continue to be a productive family or community member. It is not surprising to see that some older persons do not make a direct transition from employment to retirement but rather self-employment, implying a positively inverted U-shaped relationship between age and entrepreneurship. For example, to prove it, let us remember the founders of McDonald’s, Coca Cola and Kentucky Fried Chicken, were all over 50 years old when they established their business. One can conclude that older persons are heterogeneous, making aging difficult to handle research and policy-wise.

Economics and Aging: Emerging Issues

Economics and Aging: Emerging Issues

Author(s): / Language(s): English

Keywords: Demographic trends; aging population; elderly population; economics and aging; socio-economic consequences of aging; welfare of elderly people;

Population aging is an unstoppable demographic trend on a global level. Data and estimations point out that by 2030, 1 in 6 people will be 60 years and over, and the share of the population aged 60 and over will increase from 1 billion in 2020 to 1.4 billion. Furthermore, by 2050, the world’s population aged 60 and older will reach 2.1 billion. Persons aged 80 years and older are also expected to triple between 2020 and 2050, reaching 426 million (World Health Organization, 2021). Prolonged life expectancy, as well as changes in the age structure of the population, where the share of the elderly population is increasing and the share of the working population is on a downward trajectory, have significantly changed perceptions and paradigms related to an individual and collective approach to aging and its consequences for the economy and society as a whole. The perception of the traditional pattern of the life cycle - education, work, retirement – is changing. Individuals, organizations, and society are facing far-reaching consequences that require personal, organizational and socio-political intervention in creating a social environment capable of mitigating macroeconomic pressures and creating an environment that is friendly towards the older population and their needs and abilities. [...]

Aging Population - From Research to Public Policy

Aging Population - From Research to Public Policy

Author(s): / Language(s): English

Keywords: aging; elderly; policy; welfare systems; economic impact; media literacy; theology; civil law; demography;

Population aging is a demographic trend that is taking place on a global scale. According to the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the UN (2020), almost every country in the world is witnessing a population growth in the size and proportion of older persons. Approximately 728 million people are aged 65 and over, and the number is expected to increase in the next 30 years. The share of the global population aged 65+ is also expected to reach around 16% in 2050. These numbers call for institutional action where the academic community and policy makers should unite to find a way to manage this unprecedented global trend. In this context, it is crucial to identify the various problems of aging from the perspective of different disciplines (economics, organization and management, entrepreneurship, sociology, law, medicine, communication, etc.) and to find solutions that require, among other things, a multi-stakeholder approach. This approach relies on the synergy effect of various stakeholders, including public policymakers, national and local administration, the business sector, the health sector, and civil society. Unlocking the potential of knowledge sharing and embracing innovative approaches towards the multifaceted challenges of aging – encompassing financial well-being, quality of life, digital environment, new technologies, and cultural perceptions of the elderly – is the key to transforming this process into an opportunity by discovering effective solutions. This is the fourth in a series of publications dealing with population aging. The insights gathered during the previous editions - Aging Society: Rethinking and Redesigning Retirement (2020), Strategic Approach to Aging Population: Experience and Challenges (2021), and Economics and Aging: Emerging Issues (2022) served as an impetus for the publication of the fourth editorial book entitled “Aging Population: From Research to Public Policy”. The content of the book and the authors of the contributions come from different scientific fields, proving once again that the complex and multiple nature of population aging requires a multidisciplinary approach in its research nature. We want to thank all the authors who recognize the research potential and scientific interest in this demographic issue and who, with their researches, contributed to the economics of aging as an area that is increasingly being acknowledged and explored. Let us hope academic researchers and policymakers will intensify dialogue to design more policy measures for population aging.

Economics And Business Of Aging

Economics And Business Of Aging

Author(s): / Language(s): English

Keywords: Older Generations; Aging; Population; Europe; Social Welfare System; Demography; Retirement; Third Age; Grandchildren; Healthy Aging; Elderly People;

The aging population is an inevitable global trend with significant economic and societal impacts. As people live longer, the traditional life stages of education, work, and retirement are redefined. This aging process places macroeconomic pressures on both the economy and society. However, with technological advancements and supportive business and public policies acknowledging this demographic shift, aging can present opportunities rather than merely challenges. Understanding the aging process, its consequences, and the needs of older adults is crucial for economic and societal well-being. Age is a complex concept that includes chronological, biological, and other dimensions, all of which significantly influence the behavior of older individuals. Therefore, it is essential to deepen our understanding of population aging from various scientific perspectives and to develop innovative solutions and robust institutional support to create an economy and society that effectively integrates older individuals. The edited volume “Economics and Business of Aging” addresses research on demographic challenges, focusing on various aspects of population aging. With contributions from diverse authors and different scientific fields, the book provides a comprehensive view of aging, covering economic, medical, and health-related aspects. This wide array of research offers readers valuable insights into the numerous challenges and implications of aging. Although the book primarily aims at the academic community, its findings are also relevant to a broader audience. Managers and administrators can use these insights to improve work organization, manage an aging workforce, develop products and services for older consumers, and help public decision-makers enhance policies for the older population. We extend our gratitude to all the contributing authors and hope that their research will contribute to building a more age-friendly economy and society.