Business performance management (BPM) is an instrument that allows the fulfillment of business objectives and the improvement of competitiveness in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). When BPM is implemented and measured, it can improve the sustainability and competitiveness of the enterprise. Despite its potential benefits, the possibilities of BPM in SMEs are often underestimated due to the lack of resources (mainly personal or financial). The goal of this paper is to introduce a framework for the implementation of BPM in Slovak SMEs based on research on transportation SMEs. To this end, certain steps that support the efficient introduction and use of BPM in these SMEs will be proposed. Our proposal regarding the performance of BPM is based on the findings of previous research studies along with the results of own questionnaire surveys and personal meetings/interviews with owners/managers of transportation SMEs. The results of this research shows that SMEs are generally not familiar with BPM and how the system is used. Essential elements to implement BPM are lacking in SMEs, and although the BPM system might help these firms improve their competitiveness, SMEs remain uniformed about the advantages of BPM. The proposed framework of BPM implementation in this paper can be used to inform SMEs and to assist them in their decisionmaking processes regarding the application of this system.

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This paper is focused on the problem of the economic security as the principal component of a multilevel security concept in the present global economy. The authors characterize various theoretical and practical notions of security as the complex phenomenon. The economic security as an integral component of the mentioned security concept is also characterized. The further text is concentrated on the global aspects of economic security, which are depicted in the examples in economies of China, the U.S.A. and the EU.

The paper deals with the protection of the population and the environment in crisis management and emergency planning. It includes a proposal for an auxiliary tool for crisis managers and commanders to increase the safety of the population and the environment in the evaluated area. The proposal was developed thanks to a detailed analysis of the border area in selected regions of Slovakia, where extraordinary events may occur during the cross-border transport of hazardous substances. The actual outputs are maps of area-border crossings, including the places of transport of hazardous substances specifying a range of possible adverse effects on the endangered area. The modelling process was based on real conditions in the given area. Various scenarios of the possible occurrence of the release of hazardous substances were developed. The scenarios were applied in the ALOHA CAMEO software. Using the software output, it was possible to draw the most probable emergency scenarios with a cross-border effect. Cross-border impacts are crucial challenges in dealing with an emergency, as there is a need to ensure cooperation and coordination of emergency services in two different countries. The outputs proposed by the authors are a tool suitable not only for taking preventive measures but also as an aid in repressive activities. It is, therefore, suitable both for reducing the probability of the occurrence of given emergencies and minimizing its consequences.