This study analyzes the energy management approach as one of the driving factors for sustainable development, not only in enterprises, but also countries. Sustainability of an enterprise is defined as its tendency to meet the need of customers and stakeholders through creative and innovative business strategies as well as activities that have a positive influence on society and environment. In this study, sustainability is measured through the application of an energy management system, but in the wood industry, which has an increasingly significant impact on the economic development in one country. The aim of this research is to determine the current situation regarding the application of energy management practices in production and service systems. The ISO 50001 standard for energy management systems considers the energy performance achieved by an enterprise. The connections between critical factors and the level of application requirements for the energy management system were statistically analyzed in this research. It was found that in enterprises that have a certified system of quality and environmental management, a higher level of energy management system implementation is evident. The research results provide data on the scientific level for the national policy improvement, as well as a developed model based on the Plan Do Check Act (PDCA) cycle for energy management system application.

The study represents a new approach of analyzing energy poverty using an intelligent method based on social factors. Energy poverty represents one of the most vital problems, especially in recent years, with serious implications in the social, economic, environmental, political, and health sphere. Identifying and measuring social energy parameters represents a challenge not only on the national, but also on the regional level. This research represents a new approach to neural network application in energy systems and energy resource planning activities with the aim of analyzing energy poverty with real socio-economic data. The analyzed data are associated with social factors within one country. The newly developed model includes a new data optimization framework for pre-processing and selecting the most important parameters from a raw dataset. In analyzing energy poverty, it is concluded that its weakness is based on the actual energy consumption of households (both electricity and heat consumption). The model presented in this paper uses 15 influential parameters in energy prediction.

This paper presents a methodology for applying the Lean Six Sigma method on the educational process. After defining defects that have negative influence on the final quality evaluation of higher education and how these defects can be remedied, the Pareto analysis is done, and that is used for establishing a vital minority of the exams that are critical for examination of faculty. The next step is the Statistical Process Control (SPC) analysis that is performed on the exams that are classified as vital minority in Pareto analysis. Ishikawa diagram shows a relation between considered consequence (small number of passed exams) and all factors that influence this consequence. Based on the results of implementation of the Lean Six Sigma method in the educational process and implementation of all suggested improvements, the comparative overview of Pareto analysis is given for 2009/2010 and 2012/2013 academic year at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Niš.

The paper aims at examining the possibilities of enhancing the higher education process using quality tools, from the perspective of the number of passing exams, after introducing the Bologna process. One of the goals is modernisation of the teaching process by introducing e-learning. Several quality tools are used, such as: Pareto analysis, Statistical Process Control and Ishikawa diagram. After defining defects (seven basic types of waste) that have a negative influence on the final quality evaluation of higher education and how these defects can be eliminated, the Pareto analysis is done, which is used for establishing a vital minority of the exams that are critical for examination. SPC analysis is performed on the exams that are classified as a vital minority in Pareto analysis. Ishikawa diagram is applied in order to find the causes that effect on a small number of passed exams.

Laboratories that are part of clinical centers are faced with the inevitability that their efficiency must be on a high level. Most of the biochemical laboratories are automated, but they are still underperforming. The best approach to increase the efficiency or to improve the processes today is the Lean Six Sigma methodology. This methodology extracts many benefits from automated processes. A lean process in the laboratory focuses on the time cycle to obtain results and reduce costs, or both components at the same time. Six Sigma methodology provides that the processes take place in the laboratory without delays and defects. The process that takes place at the Center for Medical Bio - chemistry (CMB) can be divided into two parts: the first part takes place in the receiving infirmary (pre-analytics) and the second part takes place at the offices of the CMB from the receipt of samples (analytics) to obtained results. The paper observes both processes, identifies critical areas where they come to a halt, defines access and reviews the results obtained using the Lean Six Sigma methodology. By applying Lean tools, the places that do not add value and those that significantly increase the cycle time were identified. This paper presents the results obtained without going into detail about the application of these Lean tools.

In the last twenty years, many companies have realized that the demands of the global market, including more demanding and receptive customers, have set new standards for production flexibility. Gradual reduction of mass production, characteristic of a large number of companies, has opened space for the introduction of a new system which focuses exclusively on the customer. The customer-oriented system was created with the idea that process optimization would lead to the production of a relatively cheap product, delivered on time and with the best possible quality. Such a system is achieved by applying the Lean Six Sigma concept. The aim of this paper is to identify all of the defects that occur as losses and complicate the process of production in order to achieve the Lean Six Sigma level in the Shinwon Company. The original data from the Shinwon company were identified, collected and analyzed, using the methods and tools of the Lean Six Sigma concept (Process Mapping, 5S audit, Pareto diagram, Ishikawa diagram, Seven basic wastes and SPC analysis), in order to present the effectiveness of the quality management system and to evaluate the possibility of its continuous improvement.