Knowledge and intellectual capital: Sources of the Serbian agriculture competitive advantage

Abstract

In contemporary economic conditions, which are characterized by the processes of business globalization and liberalization in the world economy, knowledge and intellectual capital represent the key resources for successful business operation in the long run. Intensive involvement of Serbia in the international integration processes further imposes a need for enterprises and other agrarian economy subjects to create and execute knowledge transfer in order to build, maintain and strengthen competitive advantage. Knowledge as a source of innovation and successful adaptation to changes in the demand of more and more demanding consumers is a key determinant for successful facing with competition, as well as protection of existing and new markets. In this process the particular role has an adoption and application of the 'learning organization' concept. In the conditions of trade liberalization, domestic producers will be able to successfully meet the challenges of competition only if they have adequate knowledge. They need knowledge to successfully protect themselves from foreign competitors on one hand, as they will freely compete in the domestic market due to the abolition of tariffs and other protective measures in foreign policy, but at the same time to find their way to reach the foreign consumers.

U savremenim uslovima privređivanja, koji se odlikuju procesima globalizacije poslovanja i liberalizacije u svetskoj ekonomiji, znanje i intelektualni kapital predstavljaju ključni resurs za uspešno poslovanje u dugom roku. Intenzivno uključivanje Srbije u međunarodne integracione procese dodatno nameće potrebu da preduzeća i drugi subjekti agrarne privrede kreiraju i izvrše transfer znanja sa ciljem da se izgradi, očuva i ojača konkurentska prednost. Znanje kao izvor inovacija i uspešnog prilagođavanja promenama u tražnji sve zahtevnijih potrošača predstavlja ključnu determinantu za uspešno suočavanje sa konkurencijom, očuvanje postojećih i osvajanje novih tržišta. U tome posebnu ulogu ima usvajanje i primena koncepta 'organizacija koja uči'. U uslovima liberalizacije trgovine, domaći proizvođači će uspeti da uspešno odgovore na izazove konkurencije samo ukoliko poseduju adekvatna znanja. Znanja su im s jedne strane neophodna kako bi se uspešno zaštitili od inostranih konkurenata, koji će usled ukidanja carina i drugih zaštitnih mera spoljnotrgovinske politike nesmetano nastupati na domaćem tržištu, ali istovremeno i da pronađu put do inostranih potrošača.