Nada Karaman Aksentijević

Measuring the development of human resources with the usage of Human Development Index in selected CEE countries

In the theoretical part of the research, the authors will define the category of human resources and identify its similarities and differences in relation to similar categories. Furthermore, they will provide a brief overview of theoretical and methodological achievements in the measuring of the value of human capital at the macro level, i.e. development of human resources. In the empirical part of the research, development of human resources will be evaluated through the HDI in selected countries, with particular emphasis on CEE countries. Human resource development rank of CEE countries in 2014 will be established, and the change in the index in the period 1990-2014 presented and analysed. In conclusion, it will be identified which countries achieved the greatest change in human development in the period 1990-2014.

Level of Education of the Population and Quality of the Work Force as a Prerequisite ofCompetitiveness of Croatian Economy in The European Union

Authors assume that in Croatia, as well as in most of the newly accepted Member States of the European Union, there is insufficient attention dedicated to development of human resources and that human resources have not been recognized as the key factor of competitiveness of the economy able to participate and compete in the world economy and the European Union. At the same time, it is believed that the greatest underdevelopment appears precisely in the area of human resources. Consequently, growth of competitiveness of the economy is insufficient. Namely, conducted research point out that Croatian population does not have necessary skills, knowledge, nor competence which would enable achievement of competitiveness in the production of goods and rendering services and allow for competition at the market of the European Union. In general, Croatian population, the greater part of which will have become work force at the common market upon entering the European Union, are old, inflexible, undereducated and unqualified, and lack necessary knowledge of foreign languages, as well as information- and informatical skills. A separate problem is neglecting of lifelong education upon entering the labour market, which is especially noticeable in data on middle aged unemployed persons who find it hard to get a new employment after they had reached a certain age. Subject of research of this paper will be level of education of the population of the Republic of Croatia, as well as the population of countries which entered the European Union after May 1st, 2004: Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Malta. Furthermore, public expenditure for education, representation and the share of the population in primary, secondary and tertiary education will also be analysed, as well as average years of education of the population. The obtained indicators will be correlated with the achieved level of development of a country and with average indicators for countries of the European Union. Goals of the paper are the following: 1. to establish whether the Republic of Croatia falls behind the above mentioned countries; 2. to point out the importance of education and educational policy as one of the most significant fields of activity of developmental policy for the purpose of increasing competitiveness and achieving the average level of development of countries of the European Union.