On Thursday, 20 October 2022, a solemn promotion of Doctors of Science of the University of Primorska took place in the hall of the Armeria Palace in Koper. The Rector of the University of Primorska promoted four new Doctors of Science, who completed their doctoral studies between March and October 2022. As of today, the University of Primorska has 307 Doctors of Science.
Among those present were our employee dr. Tanja Planinc, who received her doctorate at UP FM, and Dr. Darija Cvikl, who defended her doctoral dissertation at Turistica with the topic "Factors of tourist attractiveness of the forest" under the supervision of Assoc. prof. dr. Gorazda Sedmaka.
Tanja Planinc completed her studies at UP FM with the doctoral thesis: »Model spremljanja učinkovitosti in uspešnosti malih in srednje velikih podjetij v prehrambnem gostinstvu / a model for monitoring the efficiency and overall performance of small and medium-sized enterprises in the restaurant industry« (mentor: prof. dr. Doris Gomezelj Omerzel, co-mentor: izr. prof. dr. Marko Kukanja).
Doctoral dissertation summary: »A MODEL FOR MONITORING THE EFFICIENCY AND OVERALL PERFORMANCE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES IN THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY«
The work examines the efficiency and overall performance in the restaurant industry to determine the effects of internal and external environmental factors on the management of the requisite assets for assuring efficiency and overall performance of restaurant businesses. The analysis reveals a greater influence of the external environment and the level of achieved internal efficiency is reflected in the financial effectiveness. A model of monitoring and ensuring efficiency and overall performance has also been developed. The research provides an in-depth insight into the Slovenian restaurant industry, as it is the first time that the efficiency and overall performance have been comprehensively discussed and examined.
Alenka Lena Klopčič completed her studies at UP FM with the doctoral thesis: »Ekonomska razvitost maloprodajnih trgov z električno energijo v Evropski uniji / Economic development of retail power markets in the european union« (mentor: izr. prof. dr. Jana Hojnik, co-mentor: prof. dr. Štefan Bojnec).
Doctoral dissertation summary: »ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF RETAIL POWER MARKETS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION«
Conducted by means of quantitative research methods, the analysis of this dissertation is to ascertain whether the EU has a well-functioning internal electricity market at the retail level shows that markets are constantly evolving. Based on data on end-use electricity price movements, cross-border energy flows, and supposedly stronger competition in EU member states’ retail electricity markets, the results constitute an original addition to the available knowledge on the level of economic development of retail electricity markets and provide opportunities for further research.
Danica Murko completed her studies at UP FM with the doctoral thesis: »Model integracije dejavnikov tveganj pri strojevodjih s pomočjo orodja OPSA / Model for the integration of risk factors in train drivers using the OPSA tool« (mentor: prof. dr. Maja Meško).
Doctoral dissertation summary: »MODEL OF RISK FACTORS INTEGRATION FOR TRAIN DRIVERS USING THE »OPSA« TOOL«
Doctoral dissertation identifies risk factors that affect the occurrence of train driver health problems. Conceptual model werifies claims such as the integration of the constructs of the trin driver's personality traits, the driver's professional development, and the driver's general work. The dissertation has a potential to offer guidance to rail professionals, executives and the state as the owner of the public railway infrastructure. It can also serve as guide in creating a successful model that will lead to better security while managing individual risk factors in railway safety management scenarios.
Darija Cvikl completed her studies at UP FTŠ TUristica with the doctoral thesis »Dejavniki turistične privlačnosti gozda / Factors of the tourist attractiveness of the forest« (mentor: izr. prof. dr. Gorazd Sedmak).
Doctoral dissertation summary: »FACTORS OF THE TOURIST ATTRACTIVENESS OF THE FOREST«
The dissertation examines factors of tourist attractiveness of the forest. The model of the general tourist attractiveness of the forest is presented for the first time and it is the most important original contribution of the dissertation. This attributive model is based on the concepts of attraction and destination image, market segmentation and the attributive theory. Ecosystem services and the conception of the forest as natural capital are the starting point of this model. The original contribution of the dissertation also refers to the identification of, among others, completely new factor of the tourist attractiveness, called factor of ecosystem specificity.
Gregor Žvipelj completed his studies at UP FM with the doctoral thesis: »Učinek kompleksnosti v okolju korporativnega upravljanja / The Complexity Effect in Corporate Governance« (mentor: prof. dr. Robert Biloslavo).
Doctoral dissertation summary: »THE COMPLEXITY EFFECT IN CORPORATE GOVERNANCE«
The research examines management behavior disinformation impact on shareholders. Complexity Effect is result of conscious or unconscious management bias, used in the decision-making process under uncertainty. The research presents the causes of investors irrational behavior with Behavioral Economics model. Research results confirm the information asymmetry assumption in the form of Complexity Effect. Our findings show that complex information in context of explanatory obligations wants to represent a signal of management competence and can justify higher agency costs.
Marko Gavriloski completed his studies at UP PEF with the doctoral thesis: »Vzroki izbire spolno stereotipnih igrač / Reasons for choosing gender stereotyped toys« (mentor: prof. dr. Jurka Lepičnik Vodopivec, co-mentor: prof. dr. Tanja Rener).
Doctoral dissertation summary: »REASONS FOR CHOOSING GENDER STEREOTYPED TOYS«
In the dissertation, the author uses an interdisciplinary approach to examine the causes of the choice of gender-stereotyped toys by parents of preschoolers and preschoolers, as well as the perpetuation and promotion of gender stereotypes by professionals in kindergartens. Through its interdisciplinary prism, the dissertation represents an original scientific contribution, as it 1) theoretically explains the complex social reality in which gender plays a central role in most processes, and 2) through empirical research, provides new insights into gendered processes and the formation/maintenance of ideas about gender that are also influenced by the mechanisms of choice of gender-stereotyped toys.
Ljiljana Gomerčić completed her studies at UP PEF with the doctoral thesis: »Vloga vzgojitelja v procesu samoregulacijskega učenja otrok v vrtcu / Role of Kindergarten Teacher in Self-Regulated Learning of Children in Kindergarten« (mentor: prof. dr. Jurka Lepičnik Vodopivec)
Doctoral dissertation summary: »ROLE OF KINDERGARTEN TEACHER IN SELF-REGULATED LEARNING OF CHILDREN IN KINDERGARTEN«
The aim of this doctoral dissertation was to determine how kindergarten teachers perceive their role in encouraging self-regulated learning in the kindergarten, what problems they face and how they can encourage self-regulated learning of children in the kindergarten. The empirical part of the doctoral dissertation was conducted in two parts adopting a combined methodological approach. According to the results, kindergarten teachers are aware of their role in encouraging self-regulated learning of children in the kindergarten, yet they lack skills in this field and thus require additional professional training.
Denisa Manojlović completed her studies at UP FVZ with the doctoral thesis: »Optimization of exercise therapy for patellofemoral pain / Optimizacija gibalne terapije patelofemoralne bolečine« (mentor: prof. dr. Nejc Šarabon)
Doctoral dissertation summary: »OPTIMIZATION OF EXERCISE THERAPY FOR PATELLOFEMORAL PAIN«
The purpose of the doctoral thesis was to present the results of four studies in the field of patellofemoral pain (PFP). It has been found that patients with PFP exhibit significant impairments of trunk muscles strength and that a targeted exercise program aimed at reducing individual trunk and lower limb strength, flexibility and postural control impairments, contributes to a more effective treatment of PFP. A targeted exercise therapy contributes to the short- and long-term improvement of the quality of life of patients with PFP. The doctoral thesis contributes to the development and evaluation of exercise therapy for patients with PFP.
Aleksandar Tošić completed his studies at UP Famnit with the doctoral thesis: »Tradeoffs in using blockchain technology for security, privacy, and decentralization: theoretical and empirical perspectives / Empirična študija uporabe tehnologije veriženja blokov v obstoječih sistemih in arhitekturah« (mentor: izr. prof. dr. Jernej Vičič , co-mentor: doc. dr. Michael David Burnard)
Doctoral dissertation summary: »TRADEOFFS IN USING BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY FOR SECURITY, PRIVACY, AND DECENTRALIZATION:THEORETICAL AND EMPIRICAL PERSPECTIVES«
The dissertation makes four scientific contributions to the field of distributed computing. The study sets theoretical and empirical results in using blockchain technology in various domains. The results include a new consensus mechanism based on verifiable delay functions, a new test for detecting anomalies in large network graphs, a framework for decentralized authoritative multiplayer games, and contributions to security and privacy in wireless sensor networks.
Jovita Pogorevc Merčnik completed her studies at UP PEF with the doctoral thesis: »Vključevanje mladih v socialno okolje po zaključenem bivanju v vzgojnem zavodu / The Inclusion of Adolescents in the Social Environment after their Stay in Residential Care« (mentor: prof. dr. Mitja Krajnčan , co-mentor: izr. prof. dr. Tina Štemberger).
Matej Vukovič completed his studies at UP PEF with the doctoral thesis: »Model evalvacije deinstitucionalizacije / Deinstitutionalization evaluation model« (mentor: prof. dr. Mitja Krajnčan).
Doctoral dissertation summary: »DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION EVALUATION MODEL«
The introduction of deinstitutionalisation processes at the Maribor Professional Centre is an important and remarkable milestone in the further development of the field of work with children and adolescents with emotional and behavioural problems and disorders. It responds to the demands of the population and the current situation, which require reorganisation and reform of the entire network of help, and the establishment of more flexible and differentiated forms of help. The fundamental right of the child and adolescent, as explained in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, is to receive appropriate help according to his or her needs. In this doctoral dissertation we are presenting the evaluation of the deinstitutionalisation process of the Maribor Youth Home. For the first time in Slovenia, the theoretical assumptions of the concept of deinstitutionalisation in the field of work with children and adolescents with emotional and behavioural problems and disorders are described, clarified, adapted and empirically tested.
Sincere congratulations to the newly promoted doctors of science. We wish you great success on your further scientific journey.
