• There are not many wooden products that consumers would buy on pure impulse. Their decision regarding the purchase of a product normally undergoes a process of consideration -the

In a market environment where changes are constant, understanding customer buying behaviour is crucial for companies in order to operate both successfully and effectively. We analysed how different age groups and net monthly incomes per household influence consumer decisions in Slovenia, Serbia and Croatia in the case of furniture purchases, when the three main factors are material, price and service. Each factor was further divided into three levels. In the case of material, the respondents could choose between solid wood, chipboard and fibreboard or other materials. In the case of price, they could choose between a low, middle or high price range, and in the case of services, they could choose between pre-sales, sales and after-sales services. With conjoint analysis, we analysed the markets in Slovenia, Serbia and Croatia. The important differences in consumer buying behaviour in these three countries were discovered. The results of the research will serve as a useful basis for wood sector companies to design more successful marketing strategies, which will help them to achieve their goals in different target markets.

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are main generators of employment and economic development in European Union. In Croatia and Slovenia, SMEs in wood processing (C16) and furniture manufacturing (C31) also play an important role in social cohesion and development of rural areas. The aim of this research was to investigate the current situation in SMEs in wood processing and furniture manufacturing regarding driving parameters of business and production management system in the time of a disturbed market situation caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic. Two different questionnaires in an e-mail survey were used to collect data for this research from companies and from experts in the field of management, production and marketing. Various statistical tests were used using seven driving parameters on data collected from 212 SMEs. Also, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used on the data collected from 20 experts. Results showed that companies in the time of pandemic crisis and during the time of major disturbances in supply chain pay the most attention to their production program and quality of their products, and then to marketing activities and situation on the market. According to the results presented in this research, the management model can help SMEs managers, micro and small enterprises in particular, to improve their decision-making process, make the necessary innovations easier and faster, and maintain the sustainable business and production management system of their companies.

The wood industries in Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Hercegovina (BiH) and Macedonia have a long tradition of producing a wide range of products. BiH and Macedonia have similar forest sectors and both countries have experienced similar problems in the manufacturing, sale and use of wood-based products in recent years due to the global financial crisis and resulting national economic challenges. Despite having a long and prosperous history, over the past two decades, the wood products sectors in these four countries have faced a steady decline in profitability, the ability to add value through downstream manufacturing, and overall competitiveness. Engineered wood products (EWPs) are structural building materials that have been used since the early 1980s as replacements for, or in conjunction with, concrete and steel. In this study, we compare architect attitudes, awareness and preferences regarding the use of EWPs between these four countries. The study is based on a sample of 373 architects using on-line surveys. Results suggest that there is a positive perception regarding the use of wood in general in all countries, with the majority of respondents believing that wood use will increase in the future. However, specific to EWPs, differences were found in familiarity and knowledge of potential applications in timber-based construction. Results provide indicators of knowledge gaps between respondents and, conversely, where awareness and willingness to use EWPs exist. These findings can have implications for market opportunities, identifying barriers to EWPs adoption, and content for workshops, seminars, and other outreach mechanisms for architects.

Monitoring consumer buying behaviors in terms of their preferences and attitudes has been known as an important driver for the success and development of various industries, including a wood furniture manufacturing. The aim of this study was to identify and compare the purchasing behaviors of furniture consumers in the period before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two surveys were conducted in Croatia, the first in April and May 2020 with the assumption that consumer purchasing behaviors will change during the COVID-19 pandemic in the following year and the second one during March 2021. Differences regarding consumer purchasing behaviors and preferences for wood furniture between respondents regarding demographic and economic factors before and during the pandemic were found. The coronavirus pandemic is teaching us all hard lessons about resilience and adaptability, and new opportunities and solutions are essential. Nowadays, it is becoming increasingly important to produce information. Research offers insights into future design and building communication to better meet the information needs of different types of consumers and to more broadly increase the acceptance and appeal of wood furniture in society in the spirit of sustainable and bio-based circular economy.

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) make up over 99% of all industrial enterprises in southeast Europe. A similar percentage of SMEs can be found within southeast Europe's wood-processing and furniture manufacturing companies. This research aimed to investigate the current situation in the production management systems of SMEs in wood-processing companies in select Southeast European countries and to suggest possible improvements according to the results. A total of 30 small and medium companies from different countries in the region were surveyed to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of their production management systems. This research aimed to propose a model to create better systems within SMEs in the woodprocessing branch and, therefore, achieve better production and business results. In addition, a total of 10 experts who work with management systems in wood-processing from the examined countries were surveyed with the same purpose. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) analysis of experts' opinions showed that the managers in small and medium enterprises for wood-processing and furniture manufacturing should pay the most attention to the conditions of the market, promotion, marketing, range of products, and product quality.

Corporate leaders often view innovation as a key contributor to superior profits, market sharing, and competitive positioning. However, confusion regarding the definition of innovation, how to create it, and how to implement it remains. In countries that are recent European Union members, little research has been done on innovation and how innovation is related to corporate management activities. In this study, the linkages were examined in the Croatian furniture industry. The first part of the study was to deconstruct innovation into three components: product innovation, production process innovation, and human resource innovation. The second part of the study evaluates the relationships between these innovation components and four company management activities/factors (research and development investments, company flexibility, export activity, and the Internet usage) were examined. Scale testing resulted in valid deconstruction measures of innovation. Hypothesized correlations between innovation components and company management factors were supported, although the results were not fully consistent with those of previous studies.

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