PROJECT EVENTS:
25-30. 04. 2022. Presenting the results of the project at the 16th International Week, organized by the partner institution Obuda University from Budapest, Hungary
Project coordinator, prof dr Ivan Mihajlovic, from Technical faculty in Bor, was invited to present the results of the project at the 16th International Week, that was organized in the period 25-29 April 2022, at the Obuda University in Budapest (https://kgk.uni-obuda.hu/english/international-week). The program of the International Week is available at: 16th International Week Brochure _ Óbudai Egyetem Keleti Károly Gazdasági Kar honlapja
International week is traditionally organized by this partner University and it presents the gathering of international researchers and students from different parts of the world. The 16th International Week was dedicated to the topic “New Challenges of the 21st Century – New possibilities – experiences of the pandemic. This was the great opportunity to present the results of our project to such competent international audience. Project coordinator, Prof. dr Ivan Mihajlovic, presented the results of the project: Monography with the research results obtained during the project (MONOGRAPHY_I4.0_2022); Special issue of the Serbian Journal of Management, dedicated to this project, available at (https://aseestant.ceon.rs/index.php/sjm/issue/view/1324) and also the software application developed in frame of the project. The presentation used by Prof. Mihajlovic for this event is available at: Presentation Course IW2022 IMihajlovic
At the end of the International Week, on 29-30 April, international event: 20th Management, Enterprise and Benchmarking Conference – MEB was organized (https://meb.kgk.uni-obuda.hu/). This was great opportunity to present our project results to international audience of the event. The program of the conference is available at: meb_program. Presentation used by Professor Mihajlovic is available at: IMihajlovic TFBOR MEB
01.12. 2021 – 15.04. 2021. Preparing monograph with the title “Possibilities and barriers for Industry 4.0 implementation in SMEs in V4 countries and Serbia”, based on the results of the project research
During this stage of the project, all partners from the Visegrad countries and project coordinator from Serbia were actively involved in preparing the reports of the survey for publication in the Monograph: “Possibilities and barriers for Industry 4.0 implementation in SMEs in V4 countries and Serbia”. The monograph contains the chapters, prepared by all the project participants, that are describing present situation in SMEs sectors, from the aspects of the Industry 4.0 application, in their regions. Also, the possibilities to increase the application of available digitalization tools, as well as barriers for this aspect of operations improve are addressed. The final online version of the monograph, is available HERE: MONOGRAPHY_I4.0_2022
The hard copy of the monograph will also be available soon.
21.02.2022. Online project round table
The round table with a topic “INDUSTRY 4.0 – IN YOUR BUSINESS NOW” was organized, by project team from Serbia, from University of Belgrade – Technical faculty in Bor. Initial idea was to organize the round table in the form of a combination of the face-to-face and the webinar meeting. Unfortunately, during to large number of Omicron – Covid 19 cases in Serbia, in the time when the round table was organized, it was not possible to arrange the face-to-face part of the meeting. This way, the round table was completely organized online. Members of the research teams from all partner institutions from Visegrad countries were engaged through the online attendances, using the ZOOM platform.
The webinar was used to discuss the final stages in preparing the Monograph dedicated to the project. Also, during the meeting, partners were assigned with their tasks in collecting and refereeing the manuscripts for the special issue of Serbian Journal of Management (www.sjm06.com) dedicated to the project results.
Also, this webinar was organized in order to establish potential framework for future international cooperation between the representatives of academia and entrepreneurs from Serbia and Visegrad countries. The aim of this project activity was also to share knowledge about entrepreneurial experience with digital technologies and digitalization. In this way, the webinar was used to present the initial version of the software application, developed through the project activities, which can be applied in the SMEs business for obtaining the competitive advantages and long-term sustainability. The software application is based on the platform, which can be used to collect the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, collected during interviews with entrepreneurs and placed in the google drive online database. The entrepreneurs who use the application, can than directly insert their own SWOT parameters of their SMEs and rate them. As the outcome of this application, it is possible to compare the results of their own SWOT analysis, with average ranges of the SWOT parameters, collected in the online database.
As another project outcome, grantee prepare also Recommendation for the implementation of the Industry 4.0 concepts into curriculums at the Engineering Management Department, TFB in Serbia. Aiming in innovating and improving the curriculums of the Technical faculty in Bor, Engineering Management Department, with the concepts of the Industry 4.0, and their practical application generated during this project. Following the trends of higher education development and the need for the application of digitalization, open science and Industry 4.0, certain courses at the TFB EMD will be improved. The modified curriculum should enable students to acquire knowledge and competencies which will be focused on the application of modern tools based on the available Industry 4.0 tools, in the business process. In addition to students, partner institutions will benefit from this project, being able to potentially further develop their curriculums, by offering contemporary content of study programs, based on connection between business and IT concepts, within the Industry 4.0 practice in Visegrad countries. This possibility was also discussed during the webinar.
23-25.11.2021. The meeting of the representatives of partner institutions in Budapest and visit to the Zwack Unicum factory
The meeting of the representatives from all participating Universities was held on 24. November 2021. on Obuda University, Keleti Faculty of Business and Management in Budapest. At the meeting, all partners presented some of the results of the survey conducted during the previous period. After the meeting, the visit to the Zwack Unicum factory was organized. This factory was a good example of implementing Industry 4.0 technologies into the business of a factory with a long tradition and well-known brand.
The schedule of the activities during the stay is available here: Agenda_Industry 4.0
The meeting attended two participants from Poland, one representative from the Czech Republic, four from Hungary, and two from Serbia. The list of participants is available here: List of participants
Also, considering present COVID situation, the meeting was organized in parallel online form. This way, some members of the project teams took part in the meeting via Zoom platform.
The Dean of the Keleti Business and Management faculty addressed the participants and wished them a warm welcome. She presented the faculty and their study programs in accordance with the subject of the Project. After the introductory words, representatives of all institutions showed the research results in the form of reports. They shared the experience of their countries regarding the level of implementation of Industry 4.0. in entrepreneurship. Participants discussed the current state of this issue at the national level and the readiness of entrepreneurs to learn and use digital technologies in business. After presentations, participants made a comparative analysis of the results from each country and brought conclusions about the similarities and differences.
At the end of the meeting, members were introduced one more time with the future Project activities. They arranged the plans for writing the papers that will be published in Monograph and the special issue of Serbian Journal of Management.
The next activity, after the meeting, was a visit to the Zwack Unicum factory. This factory has an interesting history and a long tradition. Participants watched the short movie about how this factory was developing and expanding its business during the decades and war. Zwack Unicum factory created an expansive world-famous brand, using digital technologies in marketing. The process of production and the relations to the customers have been raised to a higher level of digitalization.
Some of the presentations from project partners will be available here soon.
Contact person for this event from the Project coordinator institution is:
Prof. dr Ivan Mihajlovic, Technical Faculty in Bor, Serbia (imihajlovic@tfbor.bg.ac.rs)
Contact person from the host University:
Dr Andrea Tick, Obuda University, Keleti Faculty of Business and Management, Budapest, Hungary (tick.andrea@kgk.uni-obuda.hu)
15.06.2021. Second Online Round table of the project: “Possibilities and barriers for Industry 4.0 implementation in SMEs in V4 countries and Serbia”
The members of the research teams, from all partner institutions had additional online meeting (Round Table Discussion) on 15th of June 2021. At the meeting, the final form of the questionnaire that will be used to assess the entrepreneurs opinion on the Industry 4.0 and digitalization, was prepared. After some “fine tuning” and modification, on 25th of June, the questionnaire was placed on the online Google form, available at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1SOztNlRL9hkZJAMhkjH6BAr4bawfPo9UugIlsUCjGdo/viewform?ts=61309041&edit_requested=true .
Also, paper form of the questionnaire is created, and is available upon request.
The research, with available questionnaires, already started. The researchers from all institutions translated the questionnaire in their languages and started to interview the entrepreneurs. All collected responses, will be placed in the Google form and joint research data base will be created for following statistical data analysis and modeling, which is planed in the following stages of the project.
01.06.2021. Online Round table: “Possibilities and barriers for Industry 4.0 implementation in SMEs in V4 countries and Serbia”
The Round table with the topic “Possibilities and barriers for Industry 4.0 implementation in SMEs in V4 countries and Serbia” was organized in accordance to the project plan on the 01.06. at 17 O’clock. The meeting was organized online, using the ZOOM platform for the meeting. The ZOOM license was obtained by the host institution, University of Belgrade – Technical faculty in Bor.
Representatives of all partner institution were participating in this meeting. The participants of the Round Table, from the Obuda University (Hungary) were: Kissné Fekete Judit, Saary Reka and Tick Andrea. From the Tomas Bata University in Zlin (Czech Republic), the representatives were: Petr Novak, Michal Kolář and Michael Adu Kwarteng. From University University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava (Slovak Republic) representatives were Michal Kubovics and Marianna Urmínová. Representatives of the University of Economics in Katowice (Poland) were: Aleksandra Szewieczek, Andrzej Piosik and Dariusz Grabara. Foreign experts on the aspects of Industry 4.0., as the representative of the academic institution, outside Visegrad countries or Serbia, were Jose Manuel Dias Lopes from Portugal and Monika Varbanova from Bulgaria. Representatives of the Technical Faculty in Bor – University of Belgrade, and experts invited for this event – who organized this Round table, were: Ivan Mihajlović , Isidora Milošević, Danijela Voza and Sanela Arsić.
International Online Round Table: Possibilities and barriers for Industry 4.0 implementation in SMEs in V4 countries and Serbia (1st of June 2021)
During the round table, all participants were informed with the work plan and the following activities of the project. The special attention was given to the activity: ” Conducting the survey”, which is scheduled for the period of time 07/06/2021 to 31/08/2021. For this activity, researchers should prepare the questionnaire form and the hypothetical research framework (model), based on which the survey will be conducted among the entrepreneurs. For that purpose joint google drive was formed in which the draft document for the initial survey was shared among all project researchers. Also, agreement was made that the next meeting will be organized in 14 days, that is 15th of June 2021.
ABOUT THE PROJECT:
International research project “Possibilities and barriers for Industry 4.0 implementation in SMEs in V4 countries and Serbia” is financially supported by the Visegrad Fund – link. The registration number of the project is 22110036.
Short description of the project:
Modern technologies based on Industry4.0 change the business environment, especially in SMEs. This opens a new field in research and possibilities for continuing and strengthening academic collaboration among partner institutions in Visegrad countries (V4) and Serbia which the focus would be on acceptance of Industry4.0 concepts in SMEs. The aim of this project is to develop small however practical software application, adaptable to the needs of decision-makers in SMEs’. It will be intended for SMEs that want to embrace and utilize digital transformation in their business operation.
Project Coordinator: Prof. dr Ivan Mihajlovic, University of Belgrade, Technical Faculty in Bor
Project team from University in Belgrade, Technical Faculty in Bor, Serbia: Prof. dr Isidora Milošević; Assistant Professor Danijela Voza and Assistant Professor Sanela Arsić
Partners: Official V4 partners that will participate in the project activities and the events are:
- University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava; web-page of the partner institution: http://www.ucm.sk
- Óbuda University, Keleti Faculty of Business and Management – Hungary; web-page of the partner institution: http://uni-obuda.hu
- Tomas Bata University in Zlin – Czech Republic ; web-page of the partner institution: www.utb.cz
- University of Economics in Katowice – Poland; web-page of the partner institution: http://www.ue.katowice.pl/
Implementation period of the project: 01/06/2021–31/03/2022