Industry In Slovakia Research Articles

Ergonomic Assessment of Physical Load in Slovak Industry Using Wearable Technologies

The physical tasks of workers are demanding, particularly when performed long-term in unsuitable working position, with high frequency, heavy load, after injury, with developing damage of health or reduced performance due to advanced age. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) result from overuse or develop over time. Work activities, which are frequent and repetitive, or activities with awkward postures, cause disorders that may be painful during work or at rest. There is a new technology in the market, occupational exoskeletons, which have the prerequisites for minimizing the negative consequences of workload on WMSDs. We provided pilot quantitative measurements of the ergonomic risk at one selected workplace in a Slovak automotive company with four different workers to prove our methodology using wearable wireless multi-sensor systems Captiv and Actigraph. At first, the test was performed in standard conditions without an exoskeleton. The unacceptable physical load was identified in considerable evaluated body areas—neck, hip, and shoulder. Next, the passive chair exoskeleton Chairless Chair 2.0 was used in trials as an ergonomic measure. Our intention was to determine whether an exoskeleton would be an effective tool for optimizing the workload in selected workplaces and whether the proposed unique quantitative measurement system would give reliable and quick results.

Contribution of Mining Industry in Chosen EU Countries to the Sustainability Issues

In recent years, the mining industry has achieved an important position in the national economy due to its increasing productivity. However, since 2000, there have been signs of a slowdown, resulting from the national and local conditions of the mining industry. It is for these reasons that we have concluded that this type of industry must be assessed not only from the economic but also from the national and regional sectors, because the performance of the mining industry is directly affected by the value of mineral deposits and the structure of other industries. The present paper aims to analyze the development of the mining industry in Slovakia, in comparison with similar development in chosen European Union countries. Slovakia has been considered as a country with mineral resources and mineral-based products representing an important part of Slovakia’s foreign trade, with the significant imported mineral resources including mainly mineral fuels and ore raw materials. The development of the mining industry is assessed from the economics through the growth rate of gross domestic product (GDP) and through the national aspect through the rate of growth of the national economy. The aspects are evaluated by the multi-criteria method Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), with which we evaluated the country with the best mining industry development. The results of detailed quantitative analyses of the selected indicators for mining industry development for individual European Union countries show a fluctuating trend during the observed period, which is characterized by development disparities. Such results can be used to determine raw material policies in the relevant countries.

Current Perspectives on Development of Industry 4.0 in Logistics of Machinery and Equipment Industry in Slovakia

Abstract The aim of the paper was to evaluate the current situation of Industry 4.0 in logistics in the machinery and equipment industry in Slovakia. The intention of the paper was to fill a research gap in the form of identification and analysis of the studied issue in the selected industry in Slovakia. The identification and analysis of the subject issue were conducted in 57 enterprises in the machinery and equipment industry in Slovakia. The results of the investigated issues were interpreted through descriptive and inferential statistics. The research instrument was a questionnaire, which involved a construction of several types of questions. The results of the testing showed that enterprises with different numbers of employees perceive, implement and use Industry 4.0 technologies in logistics. Also, based on the statistical hypothesis testing, it was confirmed that big data and the Internet of Things are the most used of the Industry 4.0 technologies in the selected logistics processes. The connection between Industry 4.0 and Logistics 4.0 will be an increasingly dominant theme as the Fourth Industrial Revolution represents a change that almost every enterprise in the world is going through or will go through.

Spatial patterns and time-accessibility of supplier network of the automotive industry in Slovakia

The article deals with the spatial pattern of the supply network of the automotive industry according to the time-accessibility to four car assembly plants in Slovakia. Empirical results are anchored in the spatial concept of integrated periphery and theoretical framework of the nested structure. We obtained the data after a personal meeting with the General Secretary of the Association of the Automotive Industry in Slovakia. The database contains a list of 313 suppliers of different levels. We assume that with increasing distance from automobile assembly plants and decreasing level of the supply network, the geographical concentration of the supply network will become lower. Our results confirm the assumption that tier-1 suppliers are located closer to assembly plants with higher geographical concentration compared to bottom suppliers‘ levels. On the other hand, these spatial patterns change when we consider a regional production system of the automotive industry that reaches beyond the national territory scale (e.g., KIA) or a launch of a new car assembly plant (JLR) arriving into a developed environment with an existing network of suppliers.

Creative industries in Slovakia and their pricing strategies as the part of their marketing mix

The aim of this article is to contribute to the understanding of the possibilities of application of selected pricing strategies in the conditions of the creative industries in Slovakia. A creative product has interesting economic aspects, which are conditioned by its specific parameters. The economic potential of a creative product is a way of returning the investment in its creation, as well as a way of generating profit. In this case, the economic potential is the set of economic utility – uniqueness, intellect, knowledge, talent and skills added by each participant in the process of product creation. These characteristics make the products of the creative industries fundamentally different from those of traditional manufacturing. The added value of a creative industry product is not determined by the amount of work invested in its creation, but by the subjective perception of consumers, insofar as its consumption satisfies their personal needs. Pricing in creative industry enterprises results from a number of factors that determine the strategic direction of the enterprise and its output. This fact in turn influences the strategy of conceiving and creating individual prices. These play an important role in the strategic marketing of creative industry enterprises, despite their specificities (zero price or free entry, voluntary, list-based). It should be noted that prices are set differently in the non-profit sector and in the for-profit sectors producing in the creative industries. This means that in terms of the marketing mix of each tool, the pricing functions need to be taken into account.

Performance Motivation and Employees of Different Generations in Slovak Industrial Enterprises

Currently, there are four unique generations of employees on the labour market (Generation BB, Generation X, Generation Y, and Generation Z. The individual performance of employees is largely influenced by their motivation to perform. The main aim of the article is to present the results of the research focused on the analysis of the performance motivation of different generations in Slovak industrial enterprises. A standardized psychodiagnostic performance motivation questionnaire (D-M-V) was used for data collection, which was distributed to six industrial enterprises operating in Slovakia. The research sample consisted of N=158 respondents (administrative employees and managers). By evaluating the established research hypotheses, statistically, significant relationships were identified between the monitored variables from the D-M-V questionnaire and perceived age discrimination and the possibility of further education in industrial enterprises. Proven and quantified statistically significant relationships can be used to increase individual employee performance, which contributes to the overall performance of the organization.

Management and Economic Sustainability of the Slovak Industrial Companies with Medium Energy Intensity

Industry 4.0 and related automation and digitization have a significant impact on competition between companies. They have to deal with the lack of financial resources to apply digital solutions in their businesses. In Slovakia, Industry 4.0 plays an important role, especially in the mechanical engineering industry (MEI). This paper aims to identify the groups of financial ratios that can be used to measure the financial performance of the companies operating in the Slovak MEI. From the whole MEI, we selected the 236 largest non-financial corporations whose ranking we obtained according to the amount of generated revenues in 2017. Using factor analysis, from eleven traditional financial ratios, we extracted four independent factors that measure liquidity (equity to liabilities ratio, quick ratio, debt ratio, net working capital to assets ratio, current ratio), profitability (return on sales, return on investments), indebtedness (financial leverage, debt to equity ratio), and activity (assets turnover, current assets turnover) of the company. Our analysis is an essential prerequisite for developing a realistic financial plan for companies operating in the MEI, especially when considering investments in new technologies related to Industry 4.0.

Sustainability in the Most Globalized Sectors of Creative Industries in Slovakia

Research background:To achieve long-term sustainability, it is necessary to strive for a green economy and come up with solutions to address limitations to resource footprints. This will require innovations across the board and creativity in all fields. Creativity and sustainability are closely linked. The sustainable development requires concerted efforts towards building an inclusive and resilient future for the planet. Innovation, the business of ideas, is increasingly seen as the key to future societal prosperity and business success.Purpose of the article:The aim of the paper is to analyse the sustainable development of the most globalized sectors of the creative industries in Slovakia mainly measured by the value added. The value added according to Kalecki (1990) is the sum of wages and profits of the companies.Methods:Sustainability, innovation and value creation (or value added) are nowadays the object of particular attention by the various stakeholders as economic institutions, public and governments.Findings & Value added:This is the first research paper which has used the data on value added recently calculated for the media, publishers and software enterprises, which represent the most globalized sectors of the creative industries in Slovakia. The companies with the highest value added have reached the sustainable development and the best economic performance within the media, publishers and software enterprises’ sector.

Impact of Covid-19 on the Creative Industries in Slovakia: Evaluation and Elimination

Research background: The restrictions pose a threat to the creative industries, as some companies and self-employed persons suffer major losses. Many freelancers and micro-enterprises work in the creative industries. They depend more than others on events and markets for earning money. The 33 288 employees that comprise the CIs are therefore hit particularly hard by COVID-19. Purpose of the article: The aim of the paper is to measure the Covid-19 impacts on the Creative industries in Slovakia and evaluate the economic compensation suffered from Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic. The compensation payments consist of a certain percentage of the income from the year 2019 and encompass business expenses such as rent and other fixed costs. Methods: Our calculations on the extent to which the creative industries (CIs) and its sub-markets are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic are based on data from Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic, the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic and the FINSTAT database for the year 2019 and 2020. Findings & Value added: The effects of the ordered closures and the associated effects in the individual sub-sectors and occupational fields are estimated. For this reason, economic effects are calculated and recorded based on a scenario analysis. In a second step, the international perspective on the COVID-19 pandemic will be considered. Overall, the analysis of the consequences of the pandemic for the creative industries is intended to provide an overview of the possible consequences in the creative industries and, together with the knowledge about the procedures in other countries, to make political action needs more clearly recognisable.

The Origin of the Modern Insurance Industry in Slovakia and the Contribution of Dr Ján Alojz Wagner to its Development

Objective : The aim of the article is to capture the key elements determining the development of modern insurance in today’s Slovakia and to evaluate the role of Dr Ján Alojz Wagner in the establishment of insurance companies with Slovak capital on the territory of today’s Slovakia, which principally means in the newly-formed Czechoslovakia. Research Design & Methods : In-depth analysis of historical sources from several sources, such as libraries, archives and depositories. We used documentary, biographical and archival methods, which are useful in terms of historical research. Findings : A summary and analysis of Dr Wagner’s contribution to the establishment and subsequent development of the insurance industry in the region of Slovakia. Implications / Recommendations : We consider Dr Wagner to be a figure who contributed to the formation of this market, and we believe that an understanding of his work can help us to better understand how the Slovak insurance industry currently operates. Contribution : This article is a summary and analysis of Dr Wagner’s contribution to the establishment and subsequent development of the insurance industry in the region of Slovakia. Dr Wagner’s ideas were a knowledge base for the development of insurance in Slovakia, and his practical work laid the foundations of the Slovak insurance market.

Barriers and specifics preventing the global development of Slovak family enterprises in wood-working and furniture industry

Research background:The worldwide importance of family business is evidenced by its more than seventy percent share in all enterprises. A survey in the field of family business in wood-working and furniture industry in Slovakia has not been carried out yet. The situation is not helped by the fact that the family business is not legally defined in the conditions of Slovak Republic.Purpose of the article:The presented contribution tries to eliminate these shortcomings. Its goal is to map the situation of family wood-working and furniture enterprises in Slovakia as a hitherto unexplored segment to capture a view of their current position together with the main internal and external determinants hindering their development in practice and to approach the potential areas of future development of the businesses in question from their point of view.Methods:The research method of the questionnaire survey was chosen.Findings & Value added:Based on the results of the survey, it can be stated that more than half of enterprises in wood-processing and furniture industry are family-owned and their main determinants of development can be considered lack of skilled labor and increasing intensity of competition with specific problems arising from the nature of family business which is underestimation of the issue of succession. The vision of the future development of these family businesses is to take advantage of the growing demand for organic products which they have at disposal.

Influence of COVID-19 Pandemic on The Most Globalized Sectors of Creative Industries in Slovakia

Research background:The COVID-19 pandemic is far more than a health crisis. The mentioned pandemic is changing communities and economies at their core. While the impact of the pandemic will differ from country to country, it will most likely rise poverty and inequalities at a global scale. Estimating the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on societies, economies and vulnerable groups is necessary to inform and tailor the responses of governments and partners to recover from the crisis and ensure that no one is left behind in this effort. Without urgent socio-economic responses, global suffering will escalate, jeopardizing lives and livelihoods for years to come.Purpose of the article:The aim of this contribution is to measure the influence of Coronavirus on the Creative industries entities in Slovakia, which are the most globalized (they have the international partners, cooperation or owners), to provide the various scenarios of the economic development in this field and to propose the recommendations about the development of international cooperation.Methods:The influence of COVID-19 pandemic on media companies, broadcasting channels, software companies, was determined by filings for bankruptcy or restructuring and on the basis of the number of laid off employees.Findings & Value added: Based on the reached results, we conclude that the Creative Industries entities such as media companies, broadcasting channels, software companies, which produce the digital content, were not so negatively affected. Many of the changes due to digitization have been positive, however, again in unexpected ways.

Learning Needs Determination for Industry 4.0 Maturity Development in Automotive Organisations in Slovakia

Purpose: This paper aims to present the results of the study focused on the assessment of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) maturity level and adoption level of Quality 4.0 (Q4.0) intelligent technologies in organisations operating in the automotive industry in Slovakia (OEMs, Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers). The results serves as inputs for identification of learning and development needs.Methodology/Approach: The background of the study was a literature review and quantitative research. The I4.0 maturity model published by PwC (2016) was used in the study, while dimension elements were adjusted to the specifics of the automotive industry.Findings: Tier 1 and Tier 2 automotive suppliers are in the early stages of I4.0 maturity and adoption of Q4.0 intelligent technologies. OEMs achieve the level of horizontal collaborators in most of the dimensions. Q4.0 intelligent technologies are mostly adopted at an average level. Further development of OEMs to achieve the level of digital champions requires new disruptive business models and a fully integrated partner ecosystem.Research Limitation/Implication: The research is limited by the sample size and target levels of particular dimensions, related elements and Q4.0 intelligent technologies, which were not examined.Originality/Value of paper: The results bring more in-depth insight into the current state of I4.0 maturity and Q4.0 technology adoption level of the automotive organisations in Slovakia. There is no evidence of the study examining holistically the I4.0 maturity and Q4.0 technologies in the automotive.

Bankruptcy Prediction with the Use of Data Envelopment Analysis: An Empirical Study of Slovak Businesses

The paper deals with methods of predicting bankruptcy of a business with the aim of choosing a prediction method which will have exact results. Existing bankruptcy prediction models are a suitable tool for predicting the financial difficulties of businesses. However, such tools are based on strictly defined financial indicators. Therefore, the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method has been applied, as it allows for the free choice of financial indicators. The research sample consisted of 343 businesses active in the heating industry in Slovakia. Analysed businesses have a significant relatively stable position in the given industry. The research was based on several studies which also used the DEA method to predict future financial difficulties and bankruptcies of studied businesses. The estimation accuracy of the Additive DEA model (ADD model) was compared with the Logit model to determine the reliability of the DEA method. Also, an optimal cut-off point for the ADD model and Logit model was determined. The main conclusion is that the DEA method is a suitable alternative for predicting the failure of the analysed sample of businesses. In contrast to the Logit model, its results are independent of any assumptions. The paper identified the key indicators of the future success of businesses in the analysed sample. These results can help businesses to improve their financial health and competitiveness.

Comparison of Foundry Industry in Slovakia and Czech Republic

Abstract Foundry industry is an important supplier of complex shape parts for other industrial branches. It depends on the development of customer demand in other industries. The current paper compares the structure and sales of foundry industry in Slovakia and Czech Republic.

Comparison of Foundry Industry in Slovakia and Hungary

Abstract Foundry industry is an important supplier of complex shape parts for other industrial branches. It depends on the development of customer demand in other industries. The following paper compares the structure and sales of foundry industry in Slovakia and Hungary.

Application of the EFQM Model to Assess the Readiness and Sustainability of the Implementation of I4.0 in Slovakian Companies

The fourth industrial revolution (I4.0) is expected to increase quality, efficiency, availability, sustainability, the reduction of costs, the demand for energy and environment, and mainly increase the level of occupational health and safety (OHS). New procedures or paradigms of this revolution deflect from already used standards and create an assumption for building the exceptionality of organizations. The main idea of the performed research was to assess how managers in the Slovak industry perceive the readiness of organizations for the implementation of I4.0. The aim of this study, applied in 53 companies, was to assess two areas: the integration level of complex safety into management systems; and the impact of digitalization on OHS. The applied methodology was based on a modified EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management) exceptionality model. Answers were transformed into numeric figures using a so-called spider web diagram. In the conclusion of this article, there are described interesting differences in the two mentioned areas based on the perception of both top management and the estimation of the readiness degree of the Slovak organizations for I4.0 concept.

Comparison of the Results of a Data Envelopment Analysis Model and Logit Model in Assessing Business Financial Health

This paper focuses on business financial health evaluation with the use of selected mathematical and statistical methods. The issue of financial health assessment and prediction of business failure is a widely discussed topic across various industries in Slovakia and abroad. The aim of this paper was to formulate a data envelopment analysis (DEA) model and to verify the estimation accuracy of this model in comparison with the logit model. The research was carried out on a sample of companies operating in the field of heat supply in Slovakia. For this sample of businesses, we selected appropriate financial indicators as determinants of bankruptcy. The indicators were selected using related empirical studies, a univariate logit model, and a correlation matrix. In this paper, we applied two main models: the BCC DEA model, processed in DEAFrontier software; and the logit model, processed in Statistica software. We compared the estimation accuracy of the constructed models using error type I and error type II. The main conclusion of the paper is that the DEA method is a suitable alternative in assessing the financial health of businesses from the analyzed sample. In contrast to the logit model, the results of this method are independent of any assumptions.

Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the automotive industry in Slovakia and selected countries

The new coronavirus has far-reaching economic impacts all over the world and, due to the openness of the Slovak economy, it also has an impact on Slovak companies as well as car plants. Except that paralyzed European demand for vehicles, as well as the entire supply chain. The result was the fact that there was no one to make or something to make. And so the manufacturers, together with the suppliers, closed their productions for operational and hygienic reasons. However, this will have a very big impact on the economy as a whole, as the car industry is a fundamental pillar. The paper is pointed to highlight the current effects of the pandemic and measures in the automotive industry in Slovak republic and selected countries.

Dynamic Models of the Creative Industries’ Behaviour

The aim of the paper is to analyse the models describing the development of the Creative Industries in Slovakia. Creative industries are described as the industrial components of the economy in which creativity is an input and content or intellectual property is the output. The creative industries have therefore appeared to be newly represented as a significant and rapidly growing set of industries; an important sector, in other words, for policy consideration. Based on the following findings, we can conclude that the second model is precisely predicting the relationship between the growth in the creative industries and in the aggregate economy in Slovakia. With improved cultural statistics, also a more developed and theoretically better founded analysis would be possible. We therefore see our article primarily as a much-needed step towards developing statistical tools in empirical cultural policy on a consistent basis.