Sustainable Production Management Model for Small and Medium Enterprises in Some South-Central EU Countries

Denis Jelačić, Andreja Pirc Barčić, Leon Oblak, Darko Motik, Petra Grošelj and Matej Jošt
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Denis Jelačić: Department for Production Management, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Andreja Pirc Barčić: Department for Production Management, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Leon Oblak: Department of Wood Science and Technology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Darko Motik: Department for Production Management, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Petra Grošelj: Department of Forestry and Renewable Forest Resources, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Matej Jošt: Department of Wood Science and Technology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-15

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: production management model; small and medium enterprises; wood processing and furniture manufacturing; management parameters; analytic hierarchy process (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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