engleski

Enhancing statistical culture – The unused potential of Croatian Enterprises

Introduction: Statistical methods can be used in enterprises to get better insight and to get additional information about their business processes. On that way, managers are able to make appropriate decisions which will improve position on the market by increased competition level and by better business results. Methods / Problem statement: However, the question is if enterprises have recognized statistical methods usefulness in everyday business demands. Furthermore, the question is if enterprises use statistical methods for the right purpose and how they meant to be used or they use them only because they are used by their competition and because their use is obligatory according to certain business standards. In order to inspect and get answers on the research questions a web survey on a representative sample of 667 Croatian enterprises was conducted. Results / Proposed solution: The results have shown that 64.47% enterprises in the sample do not use statistical methods. On the other side, in 24.44% enterprises statistical methods are used only by employees. In 9.45% enterprises statistical methods use are partially outsourced whereas in 1.65% enterprises statistical methods use are completely outsourced. The conducted statistical test has shown that in more than 50% of enterprises in which statistical methods are used they are not used at satisfactory level. Furthermore, all statistical methods, except descriptive statistics methods are very rare, if they even are, used. Motivation for increased and more intensive use of statistical methods enterprises see in increased market demands and in better education level of employees whereas legislation is not a key motivation for better use of statistical methods. As regards the reasons for initial statistical methods use, the most enterprises have recognized real reasons for statistical methods. So, the most enterprises use statistical methods because statistical methods facilitate the business decision-making process, statistical methods usage improves business results, and statistical methods application leads to cost efficiency. On the other side, the most enterprises do not consider following reason as key ones for statistical methods use: the management demands statistical methods usage, statistical methods have been used by competitors, and statistical methods use has been a prerequisite for business. Conclusions: Enterprises which do not use statistical methods emphasized the current overload of employees with other jobs and assignments as a main reason why they do not use statistical methods. The most enterprises use statistical methods as a support for making decision in key business situations but only occasionally. As main reason for a lack of statistical methods use enterprises have emphasized two following reasons: the existing overloaded of employees with other jobs and assignments, and statistical methods are not well known in the enterprise. Consequently, the most enterprises rated employees’ knowledge about statistical methods use with low grades. One of reason for that can be found in very low investment level in employees’ additional education in statistical methods use. That is not surprising because vast majority of enterprises is not even familiar with statistical methods use education offer in the market. Conclusions: The research results have pointed out that Croatian enterprises in vast majority do not use statistical methods. What’s more even enterprises which use statistical methods do not use their full potential. Because of that the emphasize must be given to rise enterprises’ awareness of statistical methods use usefulness and possibilities of statistical methods use education courses which are available on the market.

statistical methods use; web survey; Croatia; enterprise

Acknowledgment: This work has been in part supported by Croatian Science Foundation under the project STatistical Modelling for REspoNse to Crisis and Economic GrowTH in WeStern Balkan Countries -STRENGTHS (project no. IP-2013-9402)