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Book part
Publication date: 25 October 2023

Tinde Kovacs Cerovic, Jadranka Ivkovic, Mónika Kapás and Evgeny Ivanov

Key international and intergovernmental organizations assess the size of the Roma population in Serbia to be around 4–600.000, rendering Serbia among the five countries in Europe…

Abstract

Key international and intergovernmental organizations assess the size of the Roma population in Serbia to be around 4–600.000, rendering Serbia among the five countries in Europe with the highest percentage of Roma population. Although Roma in Serbia have a long history of self-organization, cultural and media organizations, and are formally recognized as national minorities with a National Council of the Roma National Minority as a body with political decision-making influence, the Roma community in Serbia, as in most other European countries, is the most disadvantaged and underprivileged group in the country, often living in underdeveloped neighbourhoods with limited access to social services, especially education and health.

The educational attainment of the Roma population in Serbia, as in other countries in Europe, is far below the attainment of the general population. The education indicators are showing a developing trend, albeit slow. Roma integration policies evolved in Serbia from the early 2000s in the general policy framework of Equity of Education and Inclusive Education and a comprehensive education reform agenda, promoted and legally endorsed by the 2009 Law on the Foundations of the Education System. As the consequence of such an approach, the Roma integration policies intertwined and mutually reinforced with other reform policy areas. The most important post-2000 policies supporting the integration of Roma students into education are the introduction of pedagogical assistants in elementary schools and preschool institutions as a profession, paid from the budget, abolishing the system of school readiness assessment, introducing individual education plans and intensifying affirmative action and scholarships for enrolment in secondary and tertiary education.

Details

Lifelong Learning and the Roma Minority in the Western Balkans
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80382-522-9

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 March 2024

Nemanja Berber and Dimitrije Gašić

The main goal of this study is to determine the role of employee commitment in the relations between the compensation system and turnover intentions of employees in the Republic…

Abstract

Purpose

The main goal of this study is to determine the role of employee commitment in the relations between the compensation system and turnover intentions of employees in the Republic of Serbia, as well as to investigate whether there is a mediating effect of employee commitment in this relation.

Design/methodology/approach

The primary methodology implemented in the research was data gathering, obtaining theoretical research works on the proposed relations and empirical studies based on the PLS-SEM, analysed by IBM SPSS Statistics and SmartPLS data processing software. The data for the analysis was obtained from a total sample of 764 employees, collected in the Republic of Serbia via an online questionnaire.

Findings

The results indicated a positive statistically significant relationship between the formative construct (compensation system) and reflective construct (commitment), as well as a negative statistically significant relationship between the compensation system and reflective construct (turnover intentions). Employee commitment partially mediates the relationship between the compensation system and turnover intentions of employees.

Originality/value

The study was conducted in Serbia and is thus rooted in the specific national context which is characterized by high power distance and high uncertainty avoidance and more collectivistic society with feminine values more expressed. Most of the previous investigations related to the mentioned constructs were performed in companies from more developed countries, including Western Europe and the United States of America, whereas there has been no such research conducted in Serbia to date. The results portrayed a mismatch between the expected relations regarding the attitudes of employees to the rewards and the proposed national context. Modern companies in Serbia need to follow a modern reward mechanism to build stronger commitment and decrease turnover intentions. Moreover, in most earlier research works, compensation was examined in terms of satisfaction with rewards, while this study was based on questions related to perceptions of employees toward HR compensation practices (“The organization offers me”-type questions), not related to their satisfaction. Further, in the majority of previous research works, the compensation system was examined as a variable in combination with other HR processes (staffing, training and development, career development, employee relations, HR planning, communication, etc.), as a HPWP, while in this case the authors used only the practice of compensation (reward elements and employee performance evaluation) to investigate relations with commitment and turnover intentions.

Details

Employee Relations: The International Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0142-5455

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2024

Dunja Demirović Bajrami, Marija Cimbaljević, Marko D. Petrović, Milan M. Radovanović and Tamara Gajić

The current study aims to examine if the internal marketing and employees’ personal traits can predict their green innovative behavior at the workplace.

Abstract

Purpose

The current study aims to examine if the internal marketing and employees’ personal traits can predict their green innovative behavior at the workplace.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted with 683 frontline employees working in four- and five-star hotels in Serbia. Zero-order bivariate correlations among variables and linear multiple regression were conducted to predict green innovative behavior based on internal marketing, personality traits and psychological capital. Binary genetic algorithms were used to segregate the subset of predictors that would be most suitable to describe variance in the outcome.

Findings

The results showed that internal communication, incentive and reward systems, work support, work environment, openness and creative self-efficacy were the most important predictors of almost all the phases of green innovative behavior.

Originality/value

The research showed that a multidimensional approach in analyzing green innovative behavior is necessary as some factors can be significant or not so significant predictors. Acknowledging that innovation is a multistage process, entailing distinct activities and requiring varied individual behaviors to accomplish each task, amplifies the importance of this inquiry. Employees’ personal characteristics have direct impact on green innovative behavior in hospitality. Further, the results gave an insight into the possible mix of elements of internal marketing that can be used for boosting employees’ green innovative behavior in hospitality. This is important as implementing effective internal marketing practices empowers organizations to motivate employees to invest discretionary efforts.

目的

本研究旨在探讨内部营销和员工个人特质是否能预测他们在工作场所的绿色创新行为。

设计/方法/途径

在塞尔维亚的四星和五星级酒店中, 对683名一线员工进行了调查。在变量之间进行了零阶双变量相关性和线性多元回归, 以预测基于内部营销、个性特质和心理资本的绿色创新行为。使用二元遗传算法(GAs)将适用于描述结果变异性的预测子集进行分离。

发现

结果显示, 内部沟通、激励和奖励制度、工作支持、工作环境、开放性和创造力自效能是几乎所有绿色创新行为阶段的最重要的预测因素。

独创性/价值

研究表明, 分析绿色创新行为需要采用多维度的方法, 因为某些因素可能是更或更少决定性的预测因素。承认创新是一个多阶段的过程, 涉及到不同的活动, 并要求采用不同的个体行为来完成每个任务, 这加强了对这一调查的重要性。员工的个人特征直接影响了酒店业的绿色创新行为。此外, 结果揭示了可以用于促进酒店业员工绿色创新行为的内部营销元素可能的混合。这是重要的, 因为实施有效的内部营销实践使组织能够激励员工投入可自由支配的努力。

Propósito

El presente estudio examina si el marketing interno y los rasgos de personalidad de los empleados pueden predecir su comportamiento innovador ecológico en el lugar de trabajo.

Diseño/metodología/enfoque

Se realizó una encuesta a 683 empleados de primera línea que trabajan en hoteles de cuatro y cinco estrellas en Serbia. Se llevaron a cabo correlaciones bivariadas de orden cero y regresiones lineales múltiples (LM) para predecir el comportamiento innovador ecológico en función del marketing interno, los rasgos de personalidad y el capital psicológico. Se utilizaron algoritmos genéticos binarios (AGs) para segregar el subconjunto de predictores más adecuado para describir la variabilidad en el resultado.

Hallazgos

Los resultados mostraron que la comunicación interna, los sistemas de incentivos y recompensas, el apoyo en el trabajo, el entorno laboral, la apertura y la autoeficacia creativa eran los predictores más importantes en casi todas las fases del comportamiento innovador ecológico.

Originalidad/valor

La investigación demostró que es necesario un enfoque multidimensional para analizar el comportamiento innovador ecológico, ya que algunos factores pueden o no ser predictores significativos. Reconocer que la innovación es un proceso de múltiples etapas, que implica actividades distintas y requiere comportamientos individuales variados para realizar cada tarea, amplifica la importancia de esta investigación. Las características personales de los empleados influyen directamente en el comportamiento innovador ecológico en la industria hotelera. Además, los resultados ofrecen una visión de la posible combinación de elementos de marketing interno que se pueden utilizar para impulsar el comportamiento innovador ecológico de los empleados en la hotelería. Esto es importante ya que la implementación de prácticas eficaces de marketing interno permite a las organizaciones motivar a los empleados para que inviertan esfuerzos discrecionales.

Article
Publication date: 6 February 2024

Marija Bratić, Adam B. Carmer, Miroslav D. Vujičić, Sanja Kovačić, Uglješa Stankov, Dejan Masliković, Rajko Bujković, Danijel Nikolić, Dino Mujkić and Danijela Ćirirć Lalić

Understanding the multifaceted images of tourism destinations is critical for effective destination marketing and management strategies. Traditional approaches, including…

Abstract

Purpose

Understanding the multifaceted images of tourism destinations is critical for effective destination marketing and management strategies. Traditional approaches, including conceptualization of destination images or analysis of their antecedents and consequences, are commonly used. This study aims to advocate the inclusion of visitors’ latent profiles based on cognitive images to enrich the evaluation and formulation of destination marketing and management strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis focuses on Serbia, an emerging destination, that attracts an increasing number of first-time, repeat and prospective visitors. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were used to test the potential dimensions (tangible and intangible cultural destination; infrastructural and accessible destination; active, nature and family destination; sensory and hospitable destination; and welcoming, value for money (VFM) and safe destination) of the cognitive destination image factors scale while subtypes (profiles) were obtained using latent profile analysis (LPA).

Findings

The cognitive image component encompasses the perceived attributes of a destination, whether derived from direct experience or acquired through other means. The study identified the following profiles: conventional destination; sensory and hospitable destination; welcoming, VFM and safe destination; secure and active family destination and accessible cultural destination, which are presented individually with their sociodemographic assets.

Originality/value

The main contribution of the paper is the application of a novel method (LPA) for profiling visitor segments based on cognitive destination image. From a theoretical perspective, this research contributes to the extant body of literature pertaining to the destination image, thereby facilitating the identification of discrete latent visitor segments and elucidating noteworthy differences among them concerning a cognitive image.

Article
Publication date: 15 December 2023

Stanimir Čekerinac, Ana Starčević, Miloš Basailović, Dušan Sekulić and Nevena Divac

Prison settings have limited resources, and it is of particular interest to analyze which antipsychotics are commonly prescribed in these conditions and to determine the…

Abstract

Purpose

Prison settings have limited resources, and it is of particular interest to analyze which antipsychotics are commonly prescribed in these conditions and to determine the prevalence of the adverse effects.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional, epidemiological survey was used to measure the prevalence of antipsychotic prescribing among adult prisoners in Sremska Mitrovica Prison in 2020.

Findings

The prevalence of antipsychotic use was 7.58%. The most commonly prescribed antipsychotic was clozapine (45.36%), but also olanzapine, haloperidol and risperidone were prescribed. The incidence of extrapyramidal adverse effects was nonexistent and the metabolic parameters did not differ between participants using metabolic syndrome–inducing antipsychotics and those who were prescribed metabolically inert medications. The prescribed doses were lower compared with the recommended.

Research limitations/implications

This research includes certain points that should be cautiously considered. First, the data were cross-sectional and the findings did not provide causal interpretations. Second, the data are from a single penitentiary institution, albeit the largest in the country; however, that may affect the generalizability of the findings. Third, because the included subjects were not hospitalized, some laboratory analyses were not available, according to the local regulations, and thus the prevalence of metabolic syndrome could not be precisely determined.

Practical implications

The prevalence of the antipsychotic use in prison environment is significantly higher than in general population. The most frequently prescribed antipsychotics are clozapine and olanzapine. The prevalence of adverse effects is rare, however, that is possibly due to low doses of the prescribed antipsychotics. The list of therapeutic options available to the incarcerated persons in this facility is also limited. The list of available antipsychotics does not include some atypical antipsychotics with more favorable safety and tolerability profile, such as aripiprazole or cariprazine. Long-acting antipsychotic injectables were also not available to these patients. Laboratory analyses are not regularly conducted and do not include some essential parameters such as lipid status or differential blood count. Low-dose antipsychotics for behavioral symptoms appears to be well tolerated under prison conditions where adherence is assured. It is effective during the prison stay but long-term effects, especially after release from prison, had not been studied.

Social implications

This paper advocates for better quality of health care in this correctional facility: more therapeutic options and better laboratory monitoring. The authors justify the use of clozapine in this settings due its benefits in reducing violence and aggression; however, further research would be necessary to clarify does the use of clozapine in incarcerated persons cause behavioral improvements that could result in shorter incarcerations, less recidivism and better quality of life.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first insight of the antipsychotic prescribing practice in Serbia. There is very limited data on prisoners’ health care, especially mental health care, in Balkan countries. The antipsychotic prescribing pattern in this sample is characterized with higher than expected clozapine use, but without expected adverse effects.

Details

International Journal of Prison Health, vol. 20 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2977-0254

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 22 August 2023

Marko Vladisavljevic and Lara Lebedinski

This paper aims to analyse COVID-19’s effects on job loss and job finding rate in Serbia, focusing on groups with already low employment before the pandemic, such as youth, women…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to analyse COVID-19’s effects on job loss and job finding rate in Serbia, focusing on groups with already low employment before the pandemic, such as youth, women, low-educated and rural areas.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors exploit the panel structure of the Labour Force Survey (LFS) data for Serbia to analyse if the impact of the pandemic on transition probabilities was different for vulnerable groups and their counterparts during the first year of the pandemic.

Findings

The results indicate that stagnation in overall employment growth in Serbia during the first year of the COVID-19 crisis resulted from decreases in new hiring rather than increases in job losses. However, trends differed for vulnerable groups. Young workers faced the highest increase in job losses, partly due to their higher shares in informal wage employment. In contrast, decreases in job finding rates were particularly high among low-educated and in rural areas.

Practical implications

After the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, employment opportunities of vulnerable groups further deteriorated, and already existing labour market inequalities were exacerbated. These effects are partially due to policies implemented to mitigate the crisis, which focused on preserving permanent employment while leaving vulnerable workers and groups unprotected.

Originality/value

The authors investigate the annual effects of the first year of the pandemic in a country with a large informal sector and explore the role of vulnerable groups’ job characteristics in transition changes.

Details

Applied Economic Analysis, vol. 31 no. 93
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2632-7627

Keywords

Expert briefing
Publication date: 18 March 2024

A Central Bank regulation reaffirming the euro as sole legal tender has alarmed Kosovo’s Serbs who see it as a direct threat to their existence and is jeopardising already complex…

Abstract

Details

Ecofeminism on the Edge: Theory and Practice
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80455-041-0

Book part
Publication date: 25 October 2023

Andrea Óhidy

In this chapter, Andrea Óhidy discusses some pivotal issues of the book. Firstly, she shows the common challenges for current and future EU-member states to increase the…

Abstract

In this chapter, Andrea Óhidy discusses some pivotal issues of the book. Firstly, she shows the common challenges for current and future EU-member states to increase the participation and success of Roma people in education and lifelong learning. Then she discusses policy strategies and measures for Roma Inclusion in the Western Balkan states Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia. They try to improve the social situation of Roma people but also to promote minority languages and cultures. She found the main cause of the similarities concerning the strategies and concrete projects for possible solutions in the adaptation of the EU Roma inclusion policy in the Western Balkan states as part of their negotiations for EU membership. She considers the implementation of these policy measures and also the educational attainment and success of Roma in the Western Balkans unsatisfactory.

Details

Lifelong Learning and the Roma Minority in the Western Balkans
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80382-522-9

Keywords

Expert briefing
Publication date: 27 November 2023

After an incident in late September that left one Kosovar police officer and three Serbian gunmen dead, the dispute over Kosovo’s sovereignty has become more dangerous, prompting…

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