Vladimir Todorovic - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Vladimir Todorovic

Journal on Processing and Energy in Agriculture, 2017

This paper describes developing a web-based knowledge platform, which would become a "meeting pla... more This paper describes developing a web-based knowledge platform, which would become a "meeting place" on the Internet for all interested market participants (stakeholders) in business with agricultural production in a controlled environment-greenhouses. The developed platform will allow better visibility of the agricultural products and their positioning in the market, better advertising of the products and increase the possibility of creating products according to market demands. Proposed approach will concentrate the knowledge and information so that every single participant in the market will get timely and appropriate responses to his questions and issues. That way of solving the problems will significantly shorten the time of searching for an answer and avoid "wandering" that unnecessarily consume all the resources (time, money, energy).

Sustainability, 2018

The largest part of food sales is managed by large food supply chains. However, an alternative sy... more The largest part of food sales is managed by large food supply chains. However, an alternative system of food distribution focuses on locally produced and sold food that has gotten great attention in the last two decades. The challenges of those new systems, called short food supply chains (SFSC), represent tough market competitions, high distribution and logistics costs, small shipment sizes and so forth. Hence, the SFSC requires corresponding solutions in food distribution that are aligned with the contemporary logistics trends, sustainability and aspects of the new digital era. Using specially developed methodology, based on two different conceptual models, we showed how the SFSC could be designed from the aspects of innovative logistics modes and contemporary information and communication technologies, with the final aim to outline and evaluate different food distribution scenarios towards greater sustainability. The first conceptual model was aimed at the creation of innovative...

Project Management Office (PMO) roles and responsibilities are highly dependent on the type of or... more Project Management Office (PMO) roles and responsibilities are highly dependent on the type of organization.Higher Education institutions in Serbia have a rising number of projects implemented and they pose a great opportunity for funding through available funds, especially coming from EU. In recent years, most of the Faculties established international offices and PMO as an integrated part. Usually it is not clearly defined what are the PMO responsibilities, which services are offered to employees and there is no clear methodology for managing projects at the Institutions. Additionally, University of Novi Sad (UNS) should become fully integrated University which presents great organizational change in the future. Currently central PMO at the University is being empowered and greater responsibilities are taken each year by this office in comparison with local Faculty offices. Also, software for project management is implemented and there is a rising number of procedures. This articl...

Procedia Engineering, 2015

This paper outlines the principles of modelling and designing a laboratory for ideas, an innovati... more This paper outlines the principles of modelling and designing a laboratory for ideas, an innovative solution dedicated to the development of creativity and creative problem solving skills in an engineering context. Reflecting the objectives, this paper defines the connection between creativity and engineering, adopting them as a single mindset, and describes how creativity should be taught, having in mind new education models at leading engineering schools. It highlights five factors which have a significant impact on creativity of individuals-motivation, environment, knowledge and domain skills, openness to other domains, and open ended problems in assignments. As a co-creative and supportive environment, laboratory for ideas covers these factors and encompasses different groups of actors and activities. By encouraging students' entrepreneurial intentions and practical innovativeness, it is described how it should systematically strengthen both their creativity and engineering mindset.

Universities are primary sources of new knowledge production and innovation in Serbia and crucial... more Universities are primary sources of new knowledge production and innovation in Serbia and crucial element for technological change in vital segments of economy. Therefore knowledge and technology transfer from universities is an extremely important factor. In this paper an introduction to the iDEA lab, student centred co-creative ecosystem is given, including its background, specific goals, and expected impact. iDEA lab represents and innovative way to link universities and industry as well as to include students in technology transfer.

Procedia Engineering, 2014

Having in mind the concept of open innovation and its huge potentials, the purpose of this paper ... more Having in mind the concept of open innovation and its huge potentials, the purpose of this paper is to discuss possibilities of industry-university collaboration through direct engagement of students as creative innovation partners within company innovation projects. The concept of collaboration between companies and students is explained in this paper in accordance to its basic principles and described through three successful examples of such collaboration. This paper provides the answers to general questions on open innovation, current companies' experiences and practices in collaboration with universities, as well as potentials of students' inclusion into companies' innovative projects in three West Balkan countries -Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. The overall results show that the current state of industry-university collaboration offers the space for improvements. Even though companies cooperate with universities to some extent, they rarely engage students. Innovation labs are identified as an interesting context that would bring students and companies together: they provide the co-creative environment and allow solution seekers and problem solvers to fulfil their own assignments. All parties involved (companies as solution seekers, students as problem solvers and higher education institutions -HEIs as intermediaries) have benefits from the collaboration within innovation labs -students gain relevant experience, improve their own employability and career perspectives; HEIs create distinctive learning experience for their students and reinforce their relationships with companies, and companies get opportunity to access new ideas, creative resources and potential collaborators. Previous practices show good results in this kind of students' activation, and may be described as a winwin-win situation, as it offers benefits to all involved partiescompanies, students and HEIs. Therefore, it is indicated a pattern that is good to follow.

Considering that companies, especially SMEs, have limited resources to support their product deve... more Considering that companies, especially SMEs, have limited resources to support their product development processes, their
management has started to look for fresh ideas and competent individuals outside their borders. Co-creation is seen as a
powerful engine for innovation. This paper focuses on the establishment of university-industry cooperation, by engaging
Serbian students and researchers in product development processes of a company from Germany. This company has
introduced four problems, two of them solved by chosen expert teams and another two by interested students. The paper
shows potential and high level of performance identified in this case, by engaging a large number of students and experts
outside the company through an innovation contest in comparison with the internal product development.

Procedia Engineering, 2014

Procedia Engineering, 2015

This paper outlines the principles of modelling and designing a laboratory for ideas, an innovati... more This paper outlines the principles of modelling and designing a laboratory for ideas, an innovative solution dedicated to the development of creativity and creative problem solving skills in an engineering context. Reflecting the objectives, this paper defines the connection between creativity and engineering, adopting them as a single mindset, and describes how creativity should be taught, having in mind new education models at leading engineering schools. It highlights five factors which have a significant impact on creativity of individuals -motivation, environment, knowledge and domain skills, openness to other domains, and open ended problems in assignments. As a co-creative and supportive environment, laboratory for ideas covers these factors and encompasses different groups of actors and activities. By encouraging students' entrepreneurial intentions and practical innovativeness, it is described how it should systematically strengthen both their creativity and engineering mindset.

Conference Presentations by Vladimir Todorovic

In every society, entrepreneurship, particularly youth entrepreneurship is a sign of progress and... more In every society, entrepreneurship, particularly youth entrepreneurship is a sign of progress and development as it has an impact on social, cultural and economic development.
Young entrepreneurs may be particularly sensitive to new economic opportunities and trends, as entrepreneurship provides young people with a sense of usefulness and belonging, and it also helps young people to develop new skills and gain experience that may be applied in various different real life situations. One of the biggest challenges that most of the countries face today is youth unemployment, with total unemployment rate rising at an alarming pace: young people represent 20% of the World population and 50% of the total global unemployed labor force.
Although there is globally a big emphasis on entrepreneurial learning in last decade, activating students to think and act in entrepreneurial terms during their studies remains a big challenge, especially in developing countries. Since the curriculum is still evolving slowly, students are often faced with teaching methods that keep them as passive recipients of formal knowledge. Besides classes, students rarely experience other activities that may stimulate them to think in entrepreneurial terms. This makes them unprepared for commercial career and entrepreneurial endeavors.
In Western Balkan Countries (WBC), entrepreneurial education was found to be more in focus of NGOs than universities. At the same time, projects targeting entrepreneurship at universities in this region mostly focus on academic entrepreneurship and commercialization of research or high-tech results, completely missing students.
Aiming to explore students’ potentials for the entrepreneurial and innovative activities, a survey was conducted in three Western Balkan Countries. A questionnaire about students’ intentions and preferences was designed, and a sample of over 1,700 students was reached. The results show significant entrepreneurial potential that still lays untapped, which advocates for some sort of stimulation from a relevant context such as university. A big number of students from the sample have at least a few creative ideas that they believe could become business ideas. Unfortunately, almost every other student that has some creative ideas is feeling pessimistic about those ideas, fearing that they would not survive in the business world.
It appears to be very important to identify concerns and students’ attitudes regarding entrepreneurship, so as to intensify their awareness of feasibility and desirability of en entrepreneurial career. In order to tackle this challenge, creating a network of co-creative centers (iDEA labs) in WBC countries is proposed in this paper. This network aims to generate greater orientation of young people towards self-employment and entrepreneurship by creating a system of continuous support, training and mentoring for (potential) young entrepreneurs. It will give a safe learning context to students, where they are free to test their entrepreneurial ideas and learn relevant skills in a real-but-protected environment which will stimulate them to think and act without fear of failure.

Journal on Processing and Energy in Agriculture, 2017

Sustainability, 2018

Procedia Engineering, 2015

Procedia Engineering, 2014

Procedia Engineering, 2015

This paper outlines the principles of modelling and designing a laboratory for ideas, an innovati... more This paper outlines the principles of modelling and designing a laboratory for ideas, an innovative solution dedicated to the development of creativity and creative problem solving skills in an engineering context. Reflecting the objectives, this paper defines the connection between creativity and engineering, adopting them as a single mindset, and describes how creativity should be taught, having in mind new education models at leading engineering schools. It highlights five factors which have a significant impact on creativity of individuals -motivation, environment, knowledge and domain skills, openness to other domains, and open ended problems in assignments. As a co-creative and supportive environment, laboratory for ideas covers these factors and encompasses different groups of actors and activities. By encouraging students' entrepreneurial intentions and practical innovativeness, it is described how it should systematically strengthen both their creativity and engineering mindset.