Dubravka Vlašić

Framework for improving quality and comparability of non-financial reporting system

This research was aimed at evaluating the methodological framework to be applied in strategic as well as in responsibility accounting, as a prerequisite for ensuring the relevant information, necessary for preparing and evaluating sustainable development strategies, using Directive 2014/95/EU framework. In order to assess the current situation in the Republic of Croatia, a survey on the sample of 64 big Croatian companies in different industries in the year 2013 was conducted. The sample of selected companies was chosen on the basis of membership in the Croatian Business Council for Sustainable Development (HR BCSD) and of the companies that follow the principles of sustainable development in their business and declare themselves as environmentally and socially responsible. Research results will be confirmed through comparison with previous findings conducted in the year 2007, but also compared with the relevant information collected from 71 companies of eight EU countries. The goal is to assess whether the achieved level of strategic and sustainable accounting tools in the Croatian companies are sufficient to provide relevant information for non-financial reporting for external and internal users in the process of long and short term decision making. Recognized gaps will be the starting points for defining the opportunities and areas in the process of harmonization between internal and external sustainability reporting system. The goal is in recognizing starting points, opportunities and areas, which are important for internal and external sustainability reporting, taking into, account the provisions of the globally accepted standards and the new EU Directive.

Developing a benchmarking methodology for marina business

Measuring and monitoring the accomplished carrying capacity and business results of marinas provide managers with the information that give them better understanding of their business decision effects. Todays managers are regularly confronted with new business problems and opportunities in marinas. Running a marina requires the ability to look outside the business for solutions, ideas, and best practices. Benchmarking is the search for the industry’s best practice that will lead to superior performance. It is a systematic process for identifying and implementing best or better practices, which are used by highly successful organizations. It enables marina managers to choose the competitive enterprises to examine their operations, offering them the possibility of reacting in real time in order to improve their revenue and business results. This paper aims to define the benchmarking methodology for marina business. For this purpose, the scientific literature and the possibilities of implementing benchmarking into marina business have been investigated. The research results show that there is no evidence in theoretical papers, that benchmarking and revenue management have been developed and applied in marina business. Marina managers should understand that sharing information is a valuable business tool for them and not the enemy and therefore, the model of implementing benchmarking as an instrument of revenue management for marina business is presented. The paper contributes to the development of theoretical framework of benchmarking methodology in marina business.