If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -The purpose of this paper is to elucidate on specific risk mitigation approach which is known as "scenario approach". Description of stepwise process of their elaboration, which is worth considering for managers, offers feasible tool not only for company risk management improvement but also for significant enhancement of the quality of company strategic planning. Authors also draw attention to advantages and disadvantages of investment and strategic scenario planning. Theoretical implications of using scenario approaches are exemplified both by the set of investment projects and company strategic planning process where method in question was applied. Design/methodology/approach -As for methods applied which fulfilled research strategies, it is worth mentioning following items: analysis which explores particular parts of methodology of scenario elaboration and application, the way of obtaining information, impact on strategy, working with risks and organizational support of outcomes in company environment; synthesis observing context and natural relation of problems solved which supports research hypotheses formulation; induction generalizing facts acquired from results in companies; deduction to be grounds on which conclusion of this paper was drawn up; abstraction used upon evaluation of case studies; comparison assessing consistency and inconsistency of phenomena and objects; description inevitable for characterization of companies and environment in which they operate; interview collecting information inevitable for the evaluation of the way of working with scenarios and company knowledge standards; modelling was used upon consideration about possible future development of factors observed. Findings -The paper arrived at conclusion, that scenario approach, when used appropriately, may significantly mitigate risk exposure of the company. Conclusions which have been made on selected industrial companies can be extended to other industrial branches. Practical application of scenario planning method confirmed that this approach was superior to deterministic single scenario model. Scenario technique thus compensates for deficiencies and omissions which are inherent in si...

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Physicochemical properties of three biofuels suitable for combustion in automotive diesel engines were compared. Two samples represented commercial hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) with different low temperature properties, one sample represented traditional biodiesel, fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). One HVO sample and FAME were blended into mineral diesel fuel to form two series of mixed fuels. One series represented mixed fuels containing 7, 20, 30, and 50 vol.% of HVO, the other series represented mixed fuels containing the same amount of FAME. All pure fuels as well as all prepared blends were then analyzed and evaluated. The composition and properties of HVO samples are discussed in detail as well as the influence of biocomponents on properties of mixed fuels.

Introduction: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)<br>in Europe has intensely increased in recent decades. To acquire<br>information about the patterns and trends of CAM use in Slovakia, a<br>nationwide representative survey was conducted on Slovakian adult<br>population.<br>Methods: A nationally representative cross-sectional survey was<br>administered to the general population of Slovakian residents aged 18<br>years and over. The respondents were interviewed face-to-face by<br>professional interviewers. Data were collected during September 2019 as<br>a part of an omnibus survey on a variety of subjects.<br>Results: Altogether, 82.4% of the respondents reported either regular<br>CAM method use or the lifetime prevalence of such use. The most<br>frequently reported group of methods were biologically based treatments<br>(78.9%), followed by manipulative and body-based methods (54.4%),<br>mind-body interventions (31.9%), whole medical systems (18.2%) and<br>energy therapies (4.2%). Vitamins (71.1%), herbal teas (68.1%),<br>massages (53.6%), religious healing (20.3%) and special diets (18.8%)<br>were the five most commonly preferred CAM modalities. It was indicated<br>that female respondents with higher household income are more likely to<br>use CAM.<br>Conclusions: Female gender, higher income and higher education are<br>significant predictors of CAM use. The study highlights the association<br>between satisfaction with healthcare systems, health situations, and the<br>use of CAM.

Since the beginning of 90s of last century both the petroleum industry and petrochemical industry have operated in difficult circumstances. In particularly, margins of petroleum and petrochemical industry were exacerbated during global economic crisis in 2008-2009 years. At that time, as one option that could be the solution, the global analysts had started to more intense investigate the benefits of Refining-Petrochemical Integration. Shortly afterwards, more and more petroleum refineries and petrochemical manufacturers began to see the future in this kind of operational, managerial, marketing and commercial connection. This paper evaluates, in particular, the achieved level of integration of refinery and petrochemical businesses in Central and SouthEastern Europe. Specifically, the paper identifies current capabilities and future chances of linking this kind of integration between Serbian refining and petrochemical players. The viability of integration between possible actors and benefits of every single refining-petrochemical interface in Serbia depend on many factors, and therefore each integrated system is unique and requires prior serious cost benefit analysis.