The use of combat drones has been existing for more than a century. Only in recent years have we witnessed how the evolutionary process with the advancement of technology has turned into a real revolution. The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020 was one of the turning points in the application of this disruptive technology for combat purposes. As never before, the mass use of combat drones has not decisively influenced the outcome of a conflict. Due to the importance of the mentioned conflict, an SWOT analysis of the possibility of using combat drones in local conflicts was performed. The conclusions drawn can help both in understanding the outcome of the conflict and in defining the direction in which the further application of these combat systems will progress in the future.

Total quality management (TQM) concept has been successfully applied to the industry since the mid 20th century. One of the used methods of quality improvement in higher education during the last two decades has been the TQM, and one of the often implemented methods of engineering excellence is based on Baldrige criteria and Hoshin Kanri principles. The paper explores the existent literature on the topic of implementing Baldridge criteria and Hoshin Kanri principles in higher education institutions, analyzes perception of the higher education staff (teaching and administrative) at the School of Engineering (Republic of Serbia) on the Baldridge criteria and Hoshin Kanri principles and develops a model of excellence for the higher education institutions on the example of the School of Engineering Management.

Contemporary organizations continue to face major challenges in implementing digital transformation initiatives effectively. This study examines how digital leadership contributes to transformation processes through interconnected organizational mechanisms involving innovation climate, capability development, and technology integration. Drawing on the leadership theory, innovation climate research, and the dynamic capabilities perspective, the study develops and tests a process-based structural model linking leadership, organizational climate, organizational capabilities, technology integration, and digital transformation outcomes. Data collected from 2901 respondents across digitally active organizations were analyzed using a split-sample validation procedure combining exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling. The findings indicate that Digital Vision Leadership positively influences both Innovation Climate and Digital Capability Development, while Innovation Climate further strengthens capability development and technology integration processes. Digital Capability Development exerts significant effects on both Technology Integration and Digital Transformation Outcomes, whereas Technology Integration emerges as a central mechanism contributing to transformation performance. Mediation analyses further support the sequential and interdependent nature of organizational transformation processes. The study contributes to the digital transformation literature by proposing and empirically validating a process-oriented organizational model in which leadership, innovation-supportive environments, and organizational capabilities jointly shape transformation outcomes through interconnected implementation mechanisms.

In the last two decades, there have been more forest fires than ever due to climate change. These fires affect different continents and countries around the world, including the Republic of Serbia. As forest fires have an extremely negative impact on people and the environment, different strategies are being developed to fight forest fires that include the use of modern technologies, based on information technology and artificial intelligence. One of the contemporary technologies that stand out as an important tool for fighting forest fires are unmanned aerial vehicles, which are commonly called drones. Their use is diverse and many ways of implementation can be applied in the Republic of Serbia. By applying the SWOT and TOWS matrix, four key strategies are defined, which include the production of drones, improving the technological capabilities of existing units and the situational awareness system, as well as raising public awareness of the danger of forest fires. Key elements in the further development of strategies can also be defined: prevention and monitoring of fires, building awareness among citizens about the dangers of forest fires and the benefits of using drones, as well as recognizing the technological and human capacities for the development of drones for actual firefighting.

The use of combat drones is gaining momentum. In recent years, the phenomenon of the use of commercial drones for the realization of military tasks increased signifificance. The aim of this paper is to provide an answer to the possible directions of further use of this technology, as well as to the effects and dimensions of the existing application, by analyzing the current military conflict in Ukraine as a lesson for the defence system of the Republic of Serbia. Possible dimensions of the application of commercial drones in local conflicts are analyzed through a situational SWOT analysis. The derived conclusion provides a realistic picture of the position reached through the analysis and gives a view of dimension of its use from two opposite angles.

As chatbots progressively replace employees in customer support, studies on their influence on customer satisfaction, customers’ planning of the repurchasing, and customers’ recommendations of goods and services are rapidly expanding, assisting businesses in identifying implementable technical solutions that decrease labor expenses while preserving purchaser retention. However, the topic of influence of chatbots on the labor market mostly consists of sensationalist claims in the media about the disappearance of human job positions in customer service with the observable lack of rigorous empirical studies on the extent of job losses, AI-human collaboration models, and customer preferences. The findings of this study indicate that chatbot implementation has led to a moderate reduction in customer service staffing, with the largest effects in sectors characterized by routine inquiries. However, qualitative evidence shows that companies are mostly restructuring job roles rather than engaging in large scale layoffs, with many employees transitioning into more complex or strategic tasks. Customer satisfaction improved slightly, following digitalization and automation of customer service, suggesting that chatbots can enhance service efficiency when integrated into hybrid models. The Serbian context, particularly language adaptation challenges and uneven financial resources, and organizational readiness, continues to shape the pace and outcomes of implementation. These results highlight the need for targeted training and coordinated emplozee development policies to help employees in customer service adapt to changing job requirements.