Industry 4.0 has been a major force framing the societal, economic and technological environment after 2010. Exposed to ongoing digital transformation, companies are able to exploit opportunities offered by Industry 4.0, and are forced to manage immanent risks and barriers. However, studies on opportunities and challenges relevant for the implementation of Industry 4.0 for companies are scarce. In response to this literature gap, the aim of this exploratory research is to provide a deeper analysis of the level of digital transformation of companies in Serbia based on a digital maturity model, and examine their managers’ opinions on the most important driving forces and implementation barriers. The paper uses exploratory research design based on a survey responded to by 122 high-level managers within the Serbian manufacturing sector. Findings show that, contrary to expectations, digitally transforming enterprises do not see human resources as a driving force, but rather as an obstacle to Industry 4.0 implementation, when they lack necessary competences and skills. Resistance to change caused by Industry 4.0 implementation is not seen as an important barrier. On the other hand, efficiency factors represent the main driving force, while the lack of competences and financial resources represent the greatest barriers to Industry 4.0 implementation.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explain what determines the influence of reverse logistics onto green supply chain competitiveness and to find out if that influence is always uniform.Design/methodology/approachThe paper contains an empirical research conducted using a survey-based study, which encompassed a sample size of 228 participants and final consumers that have experience in buying/using products derived from the reverse logistics process.FindingsThe results indicate that the influence of reverse logistics onto green supply chain competitiveness is dependent on the product return option and is mainly negative with Serbian consumers, since the perceived quality of each of the three return options is considered to be inferior compared to new products.Practical implicationThe study's empirical results show the there is a generally negative perception among consumers regarding the perceived quality of each of the three product return options, thus directly questioning the general justification of using reverse logistics in Serbian business practice. That is a sign for Serbian managers to enhance their efforts to raise future awareness of the green initiatives importance among business partners, but also final consumers.Originality/valueThe study`s contribution is twofold: first, it helps to additionally test the established and known methodology created by Hazen et al. (2011), thus contributing to the practical dimension of international comparability concerning consumer perceptions. Second, the study adds to research by addressing the gap in practical surveys regarding the reverse logistics practices.

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Logistics is becoming one of the most important sectors of the economy and an indispensable element in the process of international trade and industrial development. The aim of this paper is to examine the role and importance of logistics system in improving the performance of companies in different industries and to identify its key dimensions that need to be improved in order to create a favorable business environment within a given economy. The logistics system is observed through two dimensions"hard", which refers to the elements of physical infrastructure, and "soft" which includes segments related to logistics services and customs procedures. The research was conducted on a sample of 298 companies in the Republic of Serbia. The research methodology includes factor analysis based on which, the positive impact of the logistics system on the selected performance of companies has been proven. In addition, the difference in the importance of certain elements of logistics system between manufacturing and non-manufacturing companies has been proven. The results of the research can be of particular use for policy makers, as an instrument for improving the overall business environment through the development of individual logistics subsystems. Also, this evidence allows better insight for individual companies into the effects of different segments of logistics on business development, according to the industry.

Background: Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, in many countries, higher, secondary and even primary education experienced the unannounced shift from traditional classroom lessons to distance teaching using different technologies. Objectives: The main objective of the research was to identify the most important digital tools applied by educators and students during the pandemic and evaluate their satisfaction with applying these tools in four countries; Croatia, Germany, Poland and Serbia. Methods/Approach: The questionnaires were sent via emails to educators and distributed through the classes to students using digital teaching platforms or emails. The answers were analysed by descriptive statistics. Results: Research showed that Google tools most commonly used by students and educators are; YouTube, Gmail, Google Translate, Google Maps and Google Drive. Microsoft digital tools most commonly used by educators and students in observed countries are; Word, PowerPoint and Excel. Other digital tools most commonly used by educators are Zoom and Moodle, while students mostly use Zoom and Kahoot. Moreover, this paper identifies the main reasons for educators’ insufficient use of digital tools. Conclusions: Google, Microsoft and Zoom dominate their specific domains: Google for networks, Microsoft for documents, and Zoom for online meetings.