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The ISO 9001 quality management systems standard is widely accepted around the world. This is the standard that is also widely acquired by companies in Slovenia, where the number of certificates per million inhabitants can be compared with France, Canada, Germany or Finland. Motivation for the introduction of this standard differs considerably and is most often connected with demands, requested by customers in supply chains. Companies that implemented the standard keep asking the question whether it was worth it to maintain the quality system and what added value it brought. Based on the empirical analysis, this contribution proves that positive effects can be noticed in different business activities stemming from the implemented quality system. In addition, the research confirms that all advantages are strongly connected with the sufficient positive energy of employees or with the satisfactory level of maturity of the quality system.

Empirical research has been done on the basis of structured questionnaires gathered from 212 responses of Slovenian companies that had already acquired the ISO 9001 quality standard certificate by 2002. The questionnaires were sent via mail and supported by telephone calls and personal contacts in order to get the best responses possible. The results of the analysis have been compared with numerous research activities and contributions written by authors who all write in favor of quality systems.

The results of discussed research activities reveal a positive understanding and use of ISO 9001 standard as an important tool for managing companies. Still, an important question remains unanswered in many companies: how can they keep top management involved in ISO 9001?

Companies without an implemented quality system as well as enterprises with an existing quality system can use the research results in their decisions regarding further activities, through which they intend to implement quality systems in order to ensure continuous improvement of their business activities in the direction of TQM business model.

The purpose of this paper is to present the usefulness of the combination of the European Foundation for Quality Management excellence model and the balanced scorecard integrated into the management model for competitiveness and performance development.

The presented model is the result of a business research where comparative analysis of the two models has been carried out. Both models have been thoroughly studied from different points of view. Such an approach enabled one to define the strengths, weaknesses and similarities of the two models.

On the basis of the robustness of both models a combination was formed integrated into the management model, which is likely to be better, more effective and simpler to use in practice, and which will support an increase in competitiveness and performance development.

Within the research the aim has been focused on close research into interactions presented in the integrated management model. Throughout research, consideration was given to the problem of its external validity which is somehow limited. Here analytical generalisation is discussed. A number of cases can be found in which a combination of both models has been used in different ways. The way of combination in the integral management model, which is presented here, was carried out in 2005 in an important Slovenian international company.

The originality can be found in the particular approach towards comparative analysis and also in the result, which represents a combination of the two models integrated in an original manner into the integral model of management. Companies which have not yet introduced, as well as those which have already introduced, one of the researched management tools will be able to use the results of this research for further upgrading/consolidation in the sense of the model combination of both. The synergetic effects of the interactions of the combination between both management approaches will have a positive effect on increasing company competitiveness.

The purpose of the paper is to present the common use of the Delphi method, the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and dynamic fuzzy cognitive maps for the development of a future scenario in correlation with climate warming.

A combination of the Delphi method, the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and dynamic fuzzy cognitive maps was employed to construct a future scenario as a learning device.

Based on the data, the future is not going to be so bad but also not very attractive even if it is assumed that human consciousness about global warming issues will remain high. After a few years or so it will be possible to stop negative climate processes but not possible to fix the problem in the sense that the situation we have now can be substantially improved.

This paper is of interest for foresight practitioners and policy makers who want to employ a hybrid approach to scenario development.

The paper is the first to try to use a combination of different methods for scenario development related to climate change.