Mineral resources are life and driving force of the European Union. It is gaining awareness not only in the EU dependent on imports, but also in the world. In the context of the growing population and the growing demands of economies for natural resources, this type of material management has a significant negative impact on the environment. The main aim of the study was to justify the model of circular economy on the national level, based on the disparities between the regions of Slovak republic. To meet the objective, mostly one-factor analysis was implemented. The circular model, which is based on the partial replacement of primary raw materials by secondary ones, should, on the one hand, limit the depletion of natural resources and, on the other hand, reduce the amount of waste produced. The presented work focuses on the issue of sustainable development, which is closely related to the circular economy, and then explains the circular economy model, including the differences from the linear arrangement and possible obstacles to its implementation for the specific conditions of the Slovak republic. From the results, it is clear that the proposed circular model would be helpful to improve the inefficiencies and disparities on the regional and national level.

Research background: As companies evolve over time, so do their goals. In the past, the main goals of companies were profit and goals (as market share), are no longer relevant or effective. These goals are outdated, and companies have replaced them with goals that are consistent with the current changing times of competition. Worldwide, most large companies are using, or planning to use, a new approach called value-based management that focuses on value creation. Therefore, the main goal of companies using a value-based management approach is value creation. Purpose: This study aims to validate the existence of a statistically significant relationship between the economic value added (EVA) indicator, which represents the successful implementation of the value creation process in companies, and selected value generators. Method: For this study, information about 14,313 companies operating in the Visegrad Four countries were collected from their respective financial statements. The research period was 2019–2020. Twenty value generators were selected for this study. The hypotheses were tested using the correlation coefficient. The strength of the relationship between the observed variables is described by using the Pearson correlation coefficient. Findings and value added: A trivial or small dependence was observed between the EVA indicator and non-current assets, current financial assets, and income tax. A moderate dependence was observed between the EVA indicator and stocks, receivables, interest expenses, and other liabilities. A large dependence was observed between the EVA indicator and bank loans, profit and loss (P/L) statement, and the cost of capital. The survey results can be a useful tool for businesses in their efforts to focus on a suitable value generator in the process of value-based management implementation, focusing on the process of value creation.

The article discusses the benefits and barriers associated with the implementation of integrated management systems. The results of a questionnaire survey conducted in Slovak and Ukrainian companies with implemented IMS confirm that Ukrainian and Slovak companies generally perceive the introduction of IMS positively, regardless of the length of the period (number of years) IMS is implemented. The most frequently reported benefits were (1) increased quality of products and services, (2) a competitive, and (3) customer acquisition and retention. With regard to barriers perceived, Ukrainian companies generally perceive the introduction of IMS positively, although slightly larger barriers were overcome by larger companies, the opposite was true for Slovak companies. However, the dependence of the perception of barriers in the IMS implementation on the size of the company was not statistically proven. The most frequently reported barriers were an administrative burden and a lack of tools for IMS auditing and evaluation. The study expands the empirical evidence on perceived benefits and barriers of IMS implementation and can serve managers in their effort to overcome the difficulties and take full advantage of IMS implementation.

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