Zbornik gozdarstva in lesarstva 72, s. 157 - 180 
 
GDK  79 : 832 : 945.14 : (497.12) 
Prispelo / Received: 12.11.2003 Izvirni znanstveni članek 
Sprejeto / Accepted: 27.11.2003 Original scientific paper 
 
THE IMPACT OF BUSINESS INFORMATICS DEVELOPMENT 
ON BUSINESS OPERATIONS IN SLOVENIAN WOOD 
INDUSTRY COMPANIES 
 
Jože KROPIVŠEK*, Leon OBLAK* 
 
Abstract 
The rapid development of business informatics is greatly influencing (global) business environment formation, 
while informatisation of business has, at the same time, a significant impact on assuring adapted business 
operations due to this (changeable) environment. Informatics is closely connected with almost every (business) 
field in companies. Thus, the theoretical analysis in the article shows business (and production) informatics 
course of development and its impact on business operations in (also) Slovenian wood industry companies. A 
practical analysis in those companies was made with the aid of the opinion pool method in the years 2000 in 
2003. The major deficiencies were established first of all in the (contentual) coverage of business processes by 
the information system. However, information technology in these companies seems to be relatively up-to-date. 
According to those (established) deficiencies, possible solutions were indicated to solve the current situation in 
Slovenian wood industry companies, which was one of the main objectives of the performed research. 
Ključne besede: business informatics, business information systems, wood industry firms, 
Slovenia 
 
 
VPLIV RAZVOJA POSLOVNE INFORMATIKE NA POSLOVANJE 
SLOVENSKIH LESNOINDUSTRIJSKIH PODJETJIH 
 
Izvleček 
Nagli razvoj poslovne informatike ima velik vpliv na oblikovanje (globalnega) poslovnega okolja, hkrati pa 
informatizacija poslovanja pomembno vpliva na zagotavljanje temu (spremenljivemu) okolju prilagojenega 
poslovanja. Informatika je tesno povezana praktično z vsemi (poslovnimi) področji v podjetjih. V prispevku smo 
s teoretično analizo ugotovili smernice razvoja poslovne (in proizvodne) informatike in njihov vpliv na 
poslovanje (tudi) slovenskih lesnoindustrijskih podjetij. Iz analize stanja v teh podjetjih, ki smo jo opravljali s 
pomočjo metode klasičnega vprašalnika v letih 2000 in 2003, smo ugotovili večje pomanjkljivosti predvsem pri 
(vsebinski) informacijski podprtosti poslovnega procesa, medtem ko je informacijska tehnologija v teh podjetjih 
razmeroma sodobna. Glede na te pomanjkljivosti smo poiskali in nakazali možne rešitve trenutnega stanja v teh 
podjetjih, kar je bil tudi eden izmed ciljev te raziskave. 
Key words: poslovna informatika, poslovni informacijski sistemi, lesnoindustrijsko 
podjetje, Slovenija 
                                            
*
 Biotehniška fakulteta, Oddelek za lesarstvo, Rožna dolina c. VIII/34, 1000 Ljubljana, SVN 
 
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Zbornik gozdarstva in lesarstva, 72 
 
VSEBINA 
CONTENTS 
 
1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................159 
 UVOD 
2 HYPOTHESIS AND OBJECTIVES ..........................................160 
 HIPOTEZE IN CILJI 
3 METHODS....................................................................................160 
 METODA DELA 
4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ...................................................162 
 REZULTATI IN RAZPRAVA 
5 FINAL DISCUSSION ..................................................................175 
 ZAKLJUČNA DISKUSIJA 
6 CONCLUSIONS ...........................................................................177 
 ZAKLJUČKI 
7 POVZETEK ..................................................................................178 
8 REFERENCES .............................................................................179 
 VIRI 
 
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1 INTRODUCTION  
 UVOD 
 
Although globalisation and the formation of information society as such, and particularly 
globalisation of business environment, has been around for a number of years, its 
importance has experienced a dramatic increase in the last few years, especially due to 
the fast development of informatics. Contemporary technological achievements in the 
field of information and communication technology (IcT) offer entirely new opportunities 
to the globalisation process. What needs to be mentioned here is especially the 
development of data support medium, computer networks, securing of data transfer, fast 
information processing and the transfer of data to users, effective support in decision-
making, computer exchange of data, etc. Due to these achievements and the rapid growth 
of the Internet used for business, globalisation is acquiring a new meaning in the business 
world. Many emphasise the achievement of undoing the distances as one of the most 
important transformations of all times (ZAHRA, 1998). Information technology with the 
Internet is merely the technological basis of global operation.  If we want a company, 
which otherwise uses state-of-the-art information technology, to really work globally, this 
technology needs to be harmonised with its organisation and strategy. 
 
Informatisation of business is not equally important for all companies and its contents 
differ among companies themselves. Consequently, the state and the goals of 
informatisation among companies are different to a certain extent. There are, however, 
certain characteristics of groups of similar companies, e.g. wood industry firms. 
Therefore, the article will discuss the theoretical and practical aspects of manufacturing 
wood industry companies. Some previous analyses have determined that these companies 
do not have suitable business informatics if this was to be the fundamental basis for a 
faster, clearer and more effective global business operation. The existent state of 
informatics in many cases does not enable introduction of e.g. suitable manufacturing 
information systems into the processes of production management; in other words, it 
often does not enable even use of the basic (information) tools of business operation.  
 
 
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Zbornik gozdarstva in lesarstva, 72 
 
2 HYPOTHESIS AND OBJECTIVES  
 HIPOTEZE IN CILJI 
 
As already mentioned, business informatics has a great influence on the development of 
(global) business environment. From this we can infer that the development of business 
informatics bears great weight also on the development of individual companies. 
Therefore, the article will check and prove three theses with a theoretical analysis: (1) 
that informatics has a great influence on assuring environment adjusted and successful 
business operation, and that this influence is specific for (Slovenian) wood industry 
companies; (2) that Slovenian wood industry companies are ill-prepared for the 
globalisation processes, and here we will ascertain the differences between the theoretical 
analysis of the influence of informatisation of business on business success and the actual 
state of informatisation of business in wood industry companies; (3) that there are very 
small differences among Slovenian wood industry companies at the  informatisation of 
business level. Proving the last thesis will base on the performed analyses of the state of 
Slovenian wood industry companies, and at the same time we will derive from the 
institutional organisation theory. 
 
The aim of the research was: 
• to study current trends and changes in the field of business informatics, 
• to determine and analyse the state of informatics in Slovenian wood industry 
companies, and 
• on the basis of the established inconsistencies to form a proposal of changes in the 
field of business informatics in these companies at model level. 
 
 
3 METHODS 
 METODA DELA 
 
3.1 THE COURSE OF THE RESEARCH  
 POTEK RAZISKAVE 
 
The research was performed at several consecutive and separate levels. The first level 
included examination of the references available from the field of business informatics in 
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periodical press, professional and scientific publications (publications of researches, 
books) and Internet sites. The purpose of this level of research was to acquire information 
about the state and trends in the field of information and communication technology, its 
influence on (global) business environment, and together with that on organisation and 
operation of companies, and about current approaches in informatisation of business. 
 
At the second level, we assessed the state of business informatics in Slovenian (wood 
industry) companies by first checking the attainable data. For the concrete analysis of the 
state in Slovenian wood industry companies, we made use of two approaches: the 
approach of using an opinion pool method and the approach of conducting a personal 
survey.  
 
 
3.2 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PRACTICAL PART OF THE RESEARCH  
 IZVEDBA PRAKTIČNEGA DELA RAZISKAVE 
 
With the opinion pool method, we were establishing the state of business informatics, 
information technology and information systems (as organisational characteristics) in 
wood industry companies. Assessment was made twice in the period of three years. In the 
year 2000, the analysis was carried out with a written questionnaire, sent by regular mail 
to Slovenian wood industry companies. For completing estimations, gained by processing 
42 returned and completed questionnaires, a more thorough analysis of the state and 
critical assessment of business informatics in several Slovenian wood industry companies 
were carried out (partly with applicable and partly with research projects). For these 
analyses we mostly used the method of personal survey. In 2003 we performed a similar 
analysis with the aid of a questionnaire in electronic form, sent directly to E-mail 
addresses of the people responsible for informatics in Slovenian wood industry 
companies. In processing the data from the returned questionnaires, we  were able to 
establish absolute values of the acquired answers as well as relative changes among the 
estimations. The sample included small, medium and large companies, but no influence 
of the company size on the estimations was determined; wherever there were important 
changes in estimations, we dealt with them accordingly. All the studied companies were 
manufacturing companies, mostly dealing with furniture production. For this reason, the 
influence of activity was negligible and was not included in the information processing. 
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4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION  
 REZULTATI IN RAZPRAVA 
 
4.1 THEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN BUSINESS 
INFORMATICS  
 TEORETIČNA OBDELAVA SPEMEMB NA PODROČJU POSLOVNE 
INFORMATIKE 
 
4.1.1 Informatics and globalisation of business environment  
 Informatika in globalizacija poslovnega okolja 
 
The rapid change of business environment and its globalisation are causing an increase in 
market opportunities, business chances as well as in risks. With the process of 
globalisation, key characteristics of business operation are changing, too. The old way of 
business, based on a standard market, is no longer possible for modern companies 
operating on the global market. The global market and the global business environment 
are bringing about the existence of new economy. This is based on speed, adjustability 
and creativity. Constant change is no longer an exception but a rule. Companies have to 
realise and understand in the greatest possible extend the (mentioned) changes going on 
in the environment, both local and global. They also need to find the possibilities of 
adjusting to changes. The rapid development and enforcement of information and 
communication technology (IcT) and its services (electronic business, virtual markets, 
etc.) is doubtlessly having a strong influence on the development of global business 
environment. This technology is greatly influencing the organisation of companies 
(technological and information support to both organisational and business functions) as 
well and with that the adaptability and adjustment of business to the changed market 
conditions. Moreover, informatics is having a great influence on the quality and up-to-
date decision-making, and on performing of marketing activities. This is making 
informatics in companies of strategic importance.  
 
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4.1.2 The influence of business informatics on business fields in companies 
 Vpliv poslovne informatike na poslovna področja v podjetjih 
 
As already established, informatics is having a great influence on all business and 
organisational fields. This makes it indispensable for forming contemporary, more 
adjustable organisational structures. A dynamic network and a virtual organisational 
structure are, for instance, enabled exclusively with the use of modern IcT. Needs for 
such company organisation arise when a company faces an overdemanding task. Linking 
of companies can be temporary or more permanent, depending on the aim of the 
association. Such an aim can be producing a more complex product or service or 
performing a certain project. Companies can organise partner relations not based only on 
the market but also on co-operation and trust with outsourcing (ROZMAN, 2000). This 
form of organisation enables putting together the so-called virtual teams and thus to gain 
much more knowledge in a certain project than would be possible in other structure forms 
without additional employment. As opposed to “conventional” teams, virtual teams work 
without space, time and organisational limitations in ways enabled by current 
telecommunication technology (LIPNACK/STAMPS, 1997). 
 
The current information tools offer effective support in dealing with employees and their 
capabilities, in that they enable building effective human resource information systems 
(HRIS) for dealing with employees and their capabilities. Other than that, it creates new 
demands for employee education. Employees need to acquire new knowledge for using 
the current information technology and new information tools. HRIS are getting more 
and more important in practice especially because of their advantages in the sense of 
lowering administration costs, more effective control of the company employees, 
improvement in planning and additional education of employees with the method of 
decision support, better control of individuals (their behaviour), an improved system of 
communication among employees, etc. (BOUDREAU, 1993).  
 
Modern information technology and its business use are greatly interfering with the field 
of organisational culture of companies. The biggest changes can be observed in norms 
and work rules as well as in ways of mutual co-operation among employees and 
outsourcers. What also changes is the social aspect of work, where the most important 
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Zbornik gozdarstva in lesarstva, 72 
 
place goes to humanisation of work and education of employees in the use of modern 
(information) tools. 
 
Informatics and especially Internet services are having a great influence on marketing. 
KOMENAR (1996) states the following advantages of the Internet use in marketing on 
the global market: efficient communication abilities, active user hinterland, cost 
favourable promotion, marketing and distribution, and open access to globally divided 
multimedia information sources. Besides this, the same author ascertains that a company 
using the Internet (especially the web services) can reach great results in lowering the 
costs of printing advertising messages about products and services, in increasing the 
company image, in promotion of products and servicing, and in outside and inside 
communication. 
 
4.1.3 Informatisation of business with emphasis on informatisation of production 
processes  
 Informatizacija poslovanja s poudarkom na informatizaciji proizvodnje 
 
Globalisation of the business environment and with that an increased significance of 
(looking for and) developing competitive advantages, are demanding faster and more 
complex decisions at all levels of business, and new knowledge and employment needs 
are forcing companies to be faced with a demand for more and better quality data, and 
especially accurate, reliable and due information. A modern computer based information 
system has to be able to follow business processes in company and those changes in the 
environment that could affect its functioning and existence (KROENKE, 1992; 
LAUDON/LAUDON, 2000). Besides gathering, saving and processing of data and 
transferring the information to decision-making managers at all levels of operation 
(lowering the uncertainty of business), it also has the task of enabling the company as 
many services of electronic business as possible (technological part). The latter is namely 
also one of the necessary conditions for a successful performance on the global market. 
Due to the great significance of informatics, the actions of informatics need to be 
appropriate for that. In a growing number of (also Slovenian) companies, a noticeable 
increase of informatics can be noted as managers of informatics are usually just below the 
level of the chief company executives and in this way they directly co-operate in creation 
and enforcement of business policy and company strategy (KOVAČIČ/VINTAR, 1993). 
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Planning of informatics needs to derive from strategic planning of global information 
needs of the company, which reflects in the company role, aims and strategy (ROBSON, 
1994). 
 
The basic characteristics of modern information systems (IS) and directions of their 
development are most of all: supporting the state-of-the-art information and 
telecommunication technology; building IS (software) with object technology enabling 
their transparency and good documentation; openness and independence from computer 
platform; high linkage among different IS and the possibility of linking many types of IS 
together; high reliability, accuracy and safety of operation; low maintenance; adjustment 
with recent legal norms (e.g. electronic signature). 
 
The production technology in manufacturing companies is more and more connected 
with business information systems and thus has a direct influence on adjustability of 
business operation. Settings are lately the most important characteristic of technology. 
For this purpose computer controlled centres (machines) are used, called CNC (Computer 
Numerical Control) machines. Two-way data connections and the links between 
production technology and business information system are the basis for constructing a 
system of computer-linked manufacturing (CIM – Computer Integrated Manufacturing), 
which from the point of view of adjustability represents the most developed form of 
manufacturing process operation (GRONAU, 1994). 
 
To satisfy the goals of planning, attendance and production, such as higher quality 
production planning, better tracing of the production process, better use of production 
capabilities, better monitoring of reaching deadlines of production, etc., it is important 
not only to intervene in the production process organisation and its planning but also in 
the informatisation of this process, whose success greatly depends on the success of the 
production process reengineering. The production process informatisation prevents 
creation of information bottlenecks that have a great influence on quality and response of 
business, and along with that it ensures a more economical use of raw materials and their 
traceability though the production process. 
 
To set up a suitable production information system, one needs adequate information 
technology (networking for data transfer among electronic appliances, installing suitable 
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technology for automatic monitoring of the current of products (e.g. technology for bar 
code), setting up industrial terminals for mutual communication of planning – production, 
etc.), where the ability of their being dustproof and resistant to blows needs to be ensured. 
Information support for managing the production process must be based on an integrated 
conceptual, programme and appliance computer platform. In architecture of such 
platforms, an important place is taken up by MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems), 
which connect transactional IS for planning and systems for controlling and supervision 
of physical processes running in actual time (the so-called SCADA systems). The MES 
system enables managing (especially tracing) of all production elements, i.e. products, 
material flows, quality, material, work, and consequently the expenses. With the aid of 
these systems, we can generate detailed schedules and identify the final ability elements. 
The main task of these systems is to provide users with an access to reliable information 
about the production operations and elements in real time, and decision-making on the 
basis of these.  
 
 
4.2 RESULTS OF THE PRACTICAL RESEARCH IN SLOVENIAN WOOD 
INDUSTRY COMPANIES, AND DISCUSSION  
 REZULTATI RAZISKAVE V SLOVENSKIH LESNOINDUSTRIJSKH 
PODJETJIH IN RAZPRAVA 
 
4.2.1 Information infrastructure  
 Informacijska infrastruktura 
 
In studying information infrastructure, we limited ourselves to establishing the state of 
computer networks and the number of personal computers per employee in wood industry 
companies. In the 2003 survey, we ascertained that all questioned companies had 
computers connected to the computer network, which is a real step forward compared to 
the year 2000 when almost 20% of the surveyed companies admitted to not having a 
computer network. The majority of the companies in that use the architecture of a 
network adjusted to the needs of information systems made to work in the client / server 
way. In 2003 we also determined that companies had a very low number of computers 
that were not connected to the network (approximately 3%). And we need to emphasise 
that in more than 80% of the companies there are no unconnected computers! 
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The most widely spread network operation system is still Windows NT (NT technology, 
so also 2000, XP,…) as it is used by almost 65% of the wood industry companies. The 
rest use Novell Network (~25%) and some versions of Unix, as well as Linux. The 
interesting thing is that the data has not changed dramatically in this field and neither has 
the average number of computers per employee. In considering all the employees, this 
number was 0.21 computers/employee, where the smallest value was 0.07. With such a 
number we cannot talk about a state-of-the-art computer equipment, but what needs to be 
stressed here is that this is mostly about manufacturing companies, therefore this state is 
understandable. On the other hand, if we look at the number of computers per only non-
manufacturing employees, we can say that equipment is very good as it reaches the value 
of 0.89 computers/employee. Both findings are in accordance with the results of some 
other surveys (Research of Internet in Slovenia (RIS); Republic of Slovenia: Statistical 
yearbook) that deal with all Slovenian companies. 
 
On the basis of the survey finding, we can conclude that the state of the information 
infrastructure in wood industry companies is good. Therefore, the (technological) 
foundation of the development of business informatics is ensured. However, due to fast 
development of information technology, companies need to continue technological 
updating, and investment in information technology has to be strategically planned and 
adapted to the needs of the business operation process for them to be effectively used. 
 
4.2.2 Business information systems  
 Poslovni informacijski sistemi 
 
The average age of the purchased (with no development of their own) business 
information systems in wood industry companies has fallen from 3.6 years in the year 
2000 to 3.27 years in 2003, which definitely is a very encouraging data. However, the 
oldest information systems are way over 10 years old, the newest less than a year. 
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Zbornik gozdarstva in lesarstva, 72 
 
 
 
Legend / legenda: 
 
Figure 1: Age of information systems in years 2000 and 2003 (in Slovenian wood-
industry companies) 
Slika 1: Starost informacijskih sistemov v letih 2000 in 2003 (v slovenskih 
lesnoindustrijskih podjetjih) 
 
The structure has changed relatively, too (see Figure 1), as the ratio of information 
systems older than 5 years has been reduced. The ratio that has increased the most is that 
of systems between the ages of 3 and 5. These data show the trend of information 
systems modernisation that has lately been present in wood industry as well. 
 
With business information systems, it is extremely important that they support at least the 
strategically important business fields in companies. From Figure 2 it is evident that the 
two by far most covered fields from the point of view of informatics are the fields of 
finance and accountancy, and the field of bookkeeping. This coverage has on the one 
hand been dictated by the state with its regulations; on the other hand, the manufacturers 
of software and information systems find it easiest to support this part of operation 
especially due to the uniformity of applications, which can be used in practically all types 
of companies with minor adjustments. Users are usually satisfied with the modules 
- up to 3 years / do 3 leta 
- more than 3, up to 5 years / več kot 3,  do 5 let 
- more than 5 years / več kot 5 let 
YEAR/LETO  200013%
19%
68%
YEAR/LETO  2003
64%
29%
7%
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Kropivšek J., Oblak L.: Vpliv razvoja poslovne informatike na poslovanje… 
 
covering these fields because of their clearly defined (also by law) elements. A small 
decrease in values had been noted with both evaluations, but it is estimated that this is 
merely a consequence of higher information awareness among the users than the actual 
coverage of these processes.  
 
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Figure 2: The coverage of business processes with information system (in Slovenian 
wood-industry firms) (evaluation: 1-unsatisfactory coverage, 5-excellent 
coverage) 
Slika 2: Pokritost poslovnih procesov z informacijskim sistemom (v slovenskih 
lesnoindustrijskih podjetjih) (ocene: 1-zelo slabo pokrit, 5-zelo dobro 
pokrit) 
 
Sales, purchasing and storage have a satisfactory coverage. These processes are much 
more complicated for installation into the information system due to their characteristics 
and user demands, but the procedures in these processes are relatively easily defined. 
Because of an increased importance of logistics, the recent years have seen better 
information support of these three processes, the process of sales being the most 
prominent one. The latter has the closest link with introducing new approaches in 
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Zbornik gozdarstva in lesarstva, 72 
 
marketing and new communication ways with customers (e.g. online sales and customer 
operation).  
 
With production process information coverage in the year 2000, we were determining the 
estimation to exceed expectations. The reasons for this were sought especially in different 
user demands, mostly of the opinion that production-planning coverage with the 
information system already meant the production process support; they understood 
differently the integration process of production planning in the information system (in 
some companies planning is carried out with general programmes, e.g. Excel, and still 
they consider this to be information support process). A clearer picture of production 
process information support was seen in 2003, when it fell from 3.31 to 2.63 at relatively 
small standard deviation (~1). We are estimating that information coverage of the 
production process has not decreased but has (in some cases) actually improved. In 
general, the production process had good coverage in companies where non-solid wood 
furniture (made from wooden boards) is produced, while in production of solid wood 
furniture the process did not have such good coverage. In solid wood furniture production 
(e.g. chairs), production monitoring is quite difficult due to a high number of component 
parts and work operations (manual as well as machine); in production planning it is 
important to consider the fact that quality of some items during the working process will 
become unsatisfactory owing to the specific nature of material, and therefore careful 
planning is questionable and difficult. Information coverage of the remaining five 
processes was relatively poor in the year 2000, but in recent years a visible progress has 
been noticed in information coverage of the human resources management, as the 
employees are becoming the (most) important strategic source for companies due to their 
abilities and knowledge, and therefore they need special treatment. Similarly, noticeable 
progress can be seen in information support to decision-making, making it of higher 
quality and better argumentation. Information coverage of the process of development 
was indeed better in 2003 than in 2000, but it is too early to discuss its satisfactory 
coverage. 
 
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4.2.3 Basic business informatics course of development  
 Osnovne smernice razvoja poslovne informatike 
 
In researching the basic (strategic) guidelines of business informatics development in 
wood industry companies, no major differences between the two surveys (the year 2000 
and 2003) have been discovered. According to our expectations based on relatively bad 
estimations of information coverage of the production process from the previous point, 
the main guideline is development of informatics to support planning, controlling and 
monitoring the production process. In the evaluation from Figure 1 it needs to be 
emphasised that the majority (almost 70%) of the estimations were 5 (the most 
important). A relatively small standard deviation in this estimation confirms the levelling 
of estimations between the surveyed companies. Support to the sales / purchase process 
in the sense of informatics development in supporting non-paper operation and with the 
goal of achieving faster responses to demands from the market also gained a high 
estimation. 
 
Table 1: Ways of organisational changes in view of their importance (in 
Slovenian wood-industry companies) (1-not important, 5-very 
important) 
Preglednica 1: Osnovne smernice razvoja informatike (v slovenskih lesnoindustrijskih 
podjetjih) (ocene: 1-najmanj pomembna, 5 najbolj pomembna) 
 
 Year 2003 / Leto 2003 Year 2000 / Leto 2000 
Guideline / Smernica Average/ 
Povprečje 
Standard 
deviation / 
Standardni 
odklon 
Average/ 
Povprečje 
Standard 
deviation / 
Standardni 
odklon 
Support to the production process / 
Podpora proizvodnemu procesu 
4,47 0,88 4,63 0,53 
Support to the sales/purchase / 
Podpora prodajno/nabavnemu procesu 
4,13 0,78 4,30 0,75 
Support to the development process / 
Podpora razvojnemu procesu 
3,69 0,98 3,88 0,86 
Support to the decision-making process / 
Podpora procesu odločanja 
4,00 0,50 4,05 1,00 
 
172 
Zbornik gozdarstva in lesarstva, 72 
 
Efficient information support to the decision-making process and the development 
process definitely is having an important impact on long-term success of company 
operation, but companies assign a little less importance to this in their guidelines.  
 
Results of these guidelines are already visible (see previous point), especially in the very 
much-improved information support to the sales and purchase process, a little less to the 
latter two. Some vagueness was present in the production process coverage; therefore, it 
was handled separately.  
 
4.2.4 Production process informatisation analysis 
 Analiza stanja informatizacije proizvodnega procesa 
 
Not considering the high importance of information support to the production process in 
company strategic planning, the level of information coverage of this process was low. 
For this reason we sought the key problems in informatisation of production in wood 
industry companies. Analysing the level of the production process support, we were 
ascertaining the level of coverage for individual production activities on the one hand, 
and the estimation of importance of information support of individual activities on 
production informatisation on the other. Results are comparable to some other surveys 
(e.g. JOVAN, 2001, who performed his analysis in Slovenian manufacturing companies). 
By far the highest level of information support in the production process was established 
in preparation of necessary production documents and in documenting the production 
procedure. This is also evident from Figure 3. 
173 
Kropivšek J., Oblak L.: Vpliv razvoja poslovne informatike na poslovanje… 
 
1,0
1,5
2,0
2,5
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4,0
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da
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Level of information
support / Raven
informacijske podprtosti
proizvodnega procesa
The importance of the
informatisation level of
one separate function in
production for the level of
whole production
information support /
Pomen informacijske
podprtosti posamezne
funkcije za informacijsko
podprtost proizvodnega
procesa
 
 
Figure 3: Level of information support for individual processes and the importance 
of these for the level of production information support in the year 2001 (in 
Slovenian wood-industry companies) (evaluation: 1-unsatisfactory support, 
5-excellent support) 
Slika 3:  Raven informacijske podprtosti proizvodnega procesa in pomembnost za 
informacijsko podprtost proizvodnje v letu 2001 (v slovenskih 
lesnoindustrijskih podjetjih) (ocene: 1-zelo slabo podprt, 5-zelo dobro 
podprt) 
 
As already mentioned, the highest level of information support to the production process 
in Slovenian wood industry companies was established in documenting the production 
procedure and in preparation of necessary production documents, both of which belong to 
the most important factors of the production information support. The level of 
information support to tracing products is just as high, which again is in accordance with 
this activity importance. With day-to-day tracing of the technological process and with 
production planning, we can ascertain that the level of information support is good; the 
companies themselves even estimate that these two activities are most important for 
information support. Other factors of production information support are either less 
174 
Zbornik gozdarstva in lesarstva, 72 
 
important and thus less supported or quite important but their informatisation has not 
been carried out yet (e.g. statistical quality management and the analysis of production 
parameters). 
 
The biggest problem of manufacturing, therefore wood industry companies as well, is 
lowering the series size and the increase in number of (smaller) orders. Other than that, 
there is a trend of an increased number of special orders, which sometimes makes even 
the explicitly mass productions (e.g. production of interior doors) to become more 
orientated toward the individual. We can claim that the mastery of (such a changed) 
production process is above all an information problem. 
 
In production planning, we determined the greatest deficiencies in production tracing, as 
data about production state is virtually non-existent or it is not up-to-date and rather 
inaccurate. Production planning is made difficult also because of inaccurate and not up-
to-date stock examinations of the basic materials, which is especially true for some types 
of materials such as stock of wood (proper quality, appropriate moisture content and 
dimensions, etc.), as delivery time, i.e. time for material preparation (drying), is fairly 
long. The consequence of inadequate production planning and tracing is also big inter-
phase stocks, which (needlessly) take up production space, and along with that represent 
expenses. Finally, we also determined that due to (information) disconnectedness of 
contemporary CNC production machines, i.e. systems between themselves and with the 
production planning process, they are often unused (this goes for their quantity 
capabilities and abilities of quality treatment); on the other hand, on computer controlled 
machines (CNC, NC) in the studied wood industry companies only about 20% (on 
average) of production operations are carried out on work-pieces (this ratio depends on 
the type of production of course, but in the best cases it reaches up to 40%). This is also 
one of the limitations in reengineering of production process and its informatisation, as 
investment in new, state-of-the-art production technology is very high; therefore, an 
improvement in this field is not expected shortly. 
 
 
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5 FINAL DISCUSSION  
 ZAKLJUČNA DISKUSIJA 
 
Recent technological achievements in the field of information and communication 
technology (IcT) are offering completely new opportunities to the process of 
globalisation and the existence of information society. Indirectly this is having an affect 
on development of business environment, and on building new foundations for success of 
company business operations. 
 
With the theoretical analysis of the influence of informatics on ensuring environment 
adapted and successful business, we determined a range of influences, the most important 
among which are Internet services and electronic business, integrated business 
information systems with the emphasis on production informatisation and tools and 
services to support decision-making in companies. This proves that informatics does have 
an important influence on ensuring environment adapted and successful business. Its 
basic role is to support managerial process of planning, organisation and control by 
enabling qualitative decision-making. With analysing the state (of problems) in wood 
industry companies, we were establishing their problems and ascertained that this 
statement is true also for (Slovenian) wood industry companies, where some 
particularities were emphasised. This confirmed our first thesis. 
 
On the basis of the established differences between the theoretical analysis of the 
influence of business informatics on the (organisation of) companies and the actual state 
of informatisation of business in wood industry companies, we inferred that Slovenian 
wood industry companies are not adequately prepared for globalisation processes in the 
field of business informatics. Informatisation of operation is problematic especially in 
supporting the production process, and deficiencies are also found in introducing 
electronic business in the present operation. Some characteristics and differences are also 
the consequence of the specificity of wood industry companies, having an impact also on 
business informatisation. These can be found especially in the specificity of the most 
important work object (i.e. wood), affecting primarily the performance the production, 
sales and purchasing processes. We encounter, for instance, the problem of a great 
number of retraining work-pieces and due to this many problems in tracing and 
production planning. Bad information support of individual parts causes problems in 
176 
Zbornik gozdarstva in lesarstva, 72 
 
material flows (bottlenecks), in overusing of material, in production planning, etc. This 
confirmed our second thesis. 
 
In processing data from the analysis of the state in wood industry companies, we 
determined that the differences between the acquired data are not characteristic (in most 
cases standard deviation from the arithmetical mean was very small), from which we may 
induce small differences among Slovenian wood industry companies to do with 
information support of the business process. This confirmed our third thesis. 
 
We determined and proved the importance of informatisation of business in ensuring 
adapted (and adaptable) organisation of business. Here we need to mention above all 
informatisation of managing (planning, tracing, etc.) the production process considering 
all the particularities of this process in wood industry companies. Before the production 
process informatisation can take place, according to the present state in wood industry 
companies, the following has to be carried out: (1) defining thoroughly the production 
process particularities; (2) informing the employees about the advantages brought on by 
informatisation; (3) qualifying and educating the employees for new working obligations; 
(4) ensuring mechanisms for tracing and controlling in manual gathering of information; 
(5) forming a project group which will co-operate actively (with authorisation and 
responsibility) in the project of informatisation; (6) defining the level of production 
information support still being economically justified; (7) modernising the production 
technology enabling introduction of state-of-the-art information technologies. 
 
One of the key conditions for successful globalisation of business is also ensuring 
organisational and technological conditions for introducing and the introduction of 
electronic business itself. Due to the growing importance of fast and founded decision-
making, the informatisation of the decision-making process ensuring (appropriately 
processed and represented) data and information for decision-making at all decision-
making levels in a company is getting increasingly important as well. On the basis of the 
established current trends in the field of business informatics and the problems in wood 
industry companies, we put together recommendations for change in the field of business 
informatics in these companies at a model level, which led us to reach the aim of the 
research. 
 
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6 CONCLUSIONS  
 ZAKLJUČKI 
 
The globalisation process of the business environment is no doubt very closely associated 
with the development of business informatics. Rapid development of information and 
communication technology is being observed, intensifying the effectiveness of data 
processing, transfer and security. Along with this development, there is a change and 
upgrading of the contents of business processes as well as possibilities of their 
information support. Effective use of novelties in the field of business informatics 
enables companies to develop a range of competitive advantages, some of which are even 
crucial for its existence (i.e. successful business) due to a close connection with the 
global business environment. This is of course also true for Slovenian wood industry 
companies. Within the framework of the theoretical research, we analysed some of the 
most important elements of this development and their impact on business operation. 
Within the framework of the practical research it was established that Slovenian wood 
industry companies do not consider some of these development elements in their business 
operation, as they are introducing them in their operation too slowly. An interesting 
realisation comes to mind that the analysis included companies, which acknowledge the 
informatics to have the status of strategic importance, yet on the other hand informatics in 
the (present) strategies of these companies only has a relatively inferior position. From 
this we can induce that companies are getting to know the opportunities being enabled by 
the introduction of state-of-the-art business informatics, yet they (still) do acknowledge it 
to have primarily an infrastructural part in strategy performance.  
 
In our estimations and findings from the analysis of the current state of affairs, the 
majority of Slovenian wood industry companies are adequately equipped with 
information technology; some greater deficiencies have on the other hand been 
established in content information support of the business process. Problems mostly 
derive from an inadequate organisation of business, especially in some areas. The 
production process in these companies was studied more into detail, and a range of 
deficiencies was established, almost all deriving from the problem of this process 
organisation. 
 
178 
Zbornik gozdarstva in lesarstva, 72 
 
Solutions of the described deficiencies in Slovenian wood industry companies arise from 
theoretical findings. Some of the most important ones have also been indicated in the 
research. Managers of Slovenian wood industry companies find similar solutions and 
required measures for organising the situation in this field. With the method of script 
(part of the questionnaire), we determined that managers of Slovenian wood industry 
companies believe that in order to enter the global market a certain degree of business 
informatisation is by all means needed as well as use of competitive advantages of the 
state-of-the-art information technology. At the same time they realise that development of 
informatics, business process reengineering and its informatisation are the three key 
factors of successful global business operation. This proves the accuracy of our findings 
and claims, and at the same time indicates that the state in this field in Slovenian wood 
industry companies will continue to improve. 
 
 
7 POVZETEK 
 
Proces globalizacije poslovnega okolja je tesno povezan z razvojem poslovne 
informatike, ki ima velik vpliv na njegovo spreminjanje in oblikovanje, hkrati pa 
učinkovita uporaba novosti na področju poslovne informatike omogoča podjetjem, da 
razvijejo vrsto konkurenčnih prednosti. Nekatere med njimi so za podjetja zaradi tesne 
povezanosti z globalnim poslovnim okoljem celo nujne za njihov obstoj oziroma 
uspešnost poslovanja. To seveda velja tudi za slovenska lesnoindustrijska podjetja.  
 
V okviru teoretične raziskave smo analizirali nekatere najpomembnejše prvine tega 
razvoja in njihov vpliv na poslovanje podjetij. V okviru praktične raziskave, ki smo jo 
opravljali s pomočjo metode klasičnega vprašalnika v letih 2000 in 2003, pa je bilo 
ugotovljeno, da slovenska lesnoindustrijska podjetja določenih prvin tega razvoja pri 
svojem poslovanju ne upoštevajo oziroma jih prepočasi uvajajo v svoje poslovanje. 
Zanimivo pa je spoznanje, da v analizo vključena podjetja priznavajo informatiki status 
strateškega pomena, po drugi strani pa ima informatika v (trenutnih) strategijah teh 
podjetij razmeroma podrejen položaj. Večje pomanjkljivosti so bile ugotovljene predvsem 
pri vsebinski informacijski podprtosti poslovnega procesa, medtem ko je informacijska 
tehnologija v teh podjetjih razmeroma sodobna. 
  
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Proizvodni proces je ne glede na svojo osrednjo vlogo, ki jo ima v lesnoindustrijskih 
podjetjih, po naših ocenah zelo slabo informacijsko podprt, kar povzroča vrsto 
problemov. Slednje smo podrobneje preučevali in glede na ugotovljene pomanjkljivosti 
predlagali, da je pred informatizacijo proizvodnega procesa treba glede na obstoječe 
stanje v lesnoindustrijskih podjetjih ta proces najprej temeljito prenoviti in opredeliti 
njegove posebnosti (predvsem pri planiranju in proizvodnji), določiti stopnjo 
informacijske podprtosti proizvodnje, ki je še ekonomsko upravičena, in posodobiti 
proizvodno tehnologijo, da bo omogočala uvajanje sodobnih informacijskih tehnologij.  
 
Rešitve prikazanih pomanjkljivosti v slovenskih lesnoindustrijskih podjetjih izhajajo iz 
teoretičnih ugotovitev. Nekatere najpomembnejše so v raziskavi tudi nakazane. Zanimivo 
je, da tudi ravnatelji slovenskih lesnoindustrijskih podjetij vidijo podobne možne poti in 
potrebne ukrepe za ureditev stanja na tem področju. S tem dokazujejo pravilnost naših 
ugotovitev in trditev, hkrati pa nakazujejo, da se bo stanje na tem področju v slovenskih 
lesnoindustrijskih podjetjih (kmalu) izboljšalo. 
 
 
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