The hotel industry faces numerous challenges during periods of market disruption, including changes in guest behaviour, increased uncertainty, and the need to adapt services while maintaining the quality of guest relationships. Under such conditions, customer orientation represents an important strategic approach that enables hotels to better understand guest needs, adapt services, and maintain competitiveness. Based on the Resource- Based View (RBV) and Market Orientation Theory, customer orientation is viewed as a valuable organisational capability that creates superior value for guests. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of customer orientation on customer-related hotel performance during periods of market disruption. The research was conducted on a sample of 73 hotels operating in Dalmatia. Customer-related performance was examined through guest satisfaction, guest loyalty, and guest health and safety. In addition, the relationships between guest health and safety and guest satisfaction, as well as between guest satisfaction and guest loyalty, were examined. Regression results show that customer orientation positively and significantly affects all dimensions of customer-related performance. The strongest effect was observed for guest loyalty, followed by guest health and safety, while the effect on guest satisfaction was weaker but still significant. Supplementary analyses confirmed a positive effect of guest health and safety on guest satisfaction, as well as a strong effect of guest satisfaction on guest loyalty. The findings confirm the importance of customer-oriented strategies and highlight the significance of safety, satisfaction, and long-term guest relationships under conditions of market uncertainty.
This study investigates the social-psychological underpinnings of two related yet distinct constructs: ethnocentrism and Croatian national-minority identity. The research was motivated by the need to clarify how personality traits, ideological orientations, and social worldviews intersect to shape these constructs among Croats living in Vojvodina, Serbia. The analysis is framed within the dual-process cognitive-motivational theory of prejudice and ideology, a theoretical model that has been particularly influential in explaining attitudes toward out-groups, the emergence of prejudice, and the maintenance of political-ideological orientations. The central premise of this investigation is that the Croatian community in Vojvodina represents a minority whose identity has been historically molded by political pressures, assimilation processes, and cultural preservation efforts. Ethnocentrism, understood as loyalty to and preference for one’s own group, and Croatian national-minority identity, which emphasizes political and cultural rights as well as symbolic ties to the homeland, are both salient to this community. Although positively correlated, these constructs are not synonymous. Understanding their convergence and divergence requires an in-depth examination of dispositional traits and ideological frameworks. The dual-process model posits that individual differences in prejudice and ideology are best explained by the interplay of personality traits, social worldviews, and ideological attitudes. While this model has traditionally relied on the Big Five personality dimensions, the present study innovatively integrates the Dark Triad - Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy given their relevance to socially aversive behavior. Religiosity was additionally introduced as a predictor variable, reflecting its long-standing significance as a cultural marker and socializing force within the Croatian minority community, where Roman Catholicism has historically served as a central identity anchor. The declared Croats in Vojvodina are predominantly Roman Catholic (90% – Census, 2022), and this affiliation has historically represented a central component of their collective identity, which continues to be significant in the present. This aligns with our research sample, in which 97% of the respondents reported belonging to the Roman Catholic Church. In the context of a challenging political climate (they obtained official recognition of their status as a national-minority community in 2002), the absence of systematic organizational opportunities, and the lack of national-minority associations, the Roman Catholic Church has functioned as the primary institution for religious, cultural, and national-minority activities. The empirical analysis was based on a convenience sample of 189 adult respondents of Croatian nationality from different settlements across Vojvodina. Participants completed validated instruments measuring the Dark Triad traits, social worldviews (dangerous worldview and competitive-jungle worldview), ideological attitudes (right-wing authoritarianism and social dominance orientation), religiosity, ethnocentrism, and Croatian national-minority identity. Hierarchical regression analysis was employed to evaluate the predictive contributions of these variables. The models accounted for 40% of the variance in ethnocentrism and 21% of the variance in minority identity, indicating robust but distinct explanatory mechanisms. Ethnocentrism was predicted by Machiavellianism and narcissism, alongside right-wing authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, and religiosity. This constellation of predictors suggests that individuals characterized by manipulativeness, self-centeredness, authoritarianism, and hierarchical social beliefs are more inclined toward ethnocentric attitudes. Religiosity, while often associated with moral guidance, here appears to reinforce in-group boundaries and intensify loyalty to one’s ethnic group. Collectively, these factors reflect a psychological profile marked by defensive aggression, a preference for conformity, and the use of group identity as a vehicle for securing both belonging and perceived superiority. Croatian national-minority identity displayed a partially different profile. Machiavellianism again emerged as a positive predictor, whereas psychopathy exerted a negative effect, indicating that strategic but not antisocial traits are conducive to minority identity formation. In addition, dangerous worldview, right-wing authoritarianism, and religiosity were all significant predictors. These results suggest that Croatian minority identity is less associated with aggression or dominance and more aligned with defensive orientations rooted in perceived threats, a drive for cohesion, and reliance on cultural and religious traditions as integrative elements. The absence of psychopathy emphasizes that this identity is not driven by impulsivity or antisocial behavior, but rather by organized, goal-directed strategies of cultural preservation. The presence of Machiavellianism as a predictor of both constructs points to a nuanced dynamic. Although manipulative interpersonal styles are generally regarded as socially aversive, in minority contexts, they may serve adaptive purposes by enabling individuals to navigate interethnic complexities, advocate for collective interests, and safeguard cultural continuity. Conversely, the negative association between psychopathy and minority identity indicates that destructive, antisocial tendencies erode rather than strengthen collective identity. Despite their differences, ethnocentrism and minority identity were found to be substantially correlated, a relationship largely explained by their shared predictors, Machiavellianism, right-wing authoritarianism, and religiosity. This overlap highlights common dispositional and ideological foundations, even though the broader psychological architecture of each construct diverges. Ethnocentrism is more closely tied to prejudice and exclusionary attitudes, while Croatian minority identity is more firmly rooted in ideological defense, social cohesion, and cultural perseverance. From a theoretical standpoint, the findings partly affirm the assumptions of the dual-process model. Ethnocentrism conforms to the model’s predictions, being strongly linked to aversive traits and authoritarian orientations. Minority identity, however, does not align as neatly, as it is less associated with competitive worldviews or overtly aggressive tendencies and more with defensive worldviews and religiosity. This suggests that the dual-process model remains valuable but requires adaptation to capture the nuances of minority identity in contexts where religion and cultural survival are central. Methodologically, the study demonstrates the flexibility of the dual-process model by successfully incorporating the Dark Triad. This integration broadens the explanatory scope of the model, illustrating that socially disruptive traits play a crucial role in shaping both prejudice and identity. The inclusion of religiosity further underscores its importance as both a cultural anchor and a psychological orientation influencing intergroup attitudes. The implications of the study extend beyond theory. Distinguishing between ethnocentrism and minority identity is vital for both academic and policy discussions. While positively correlated, these constructs embody different psychological logics: ethnocentrism is rooted in exclusionary hostility, whereas minority identity reflects adaptive strategies for cohesion and defense. Policies that strengthen minority identity through cultural autonomy, education, and constructive religiosity - need not reinforce ethnocentric tendencies. Instead, carefully designed interventions can promote identity while mitigating such prejudice. The findings also shed light on the role of personality traits in intergroup relations. The positive contribution of Machiavellianism to both constructs suggests that certain manipulative traits may have functional value in minority contexts. At the same time, the negative impact of psychopathy highlights the need to distinguish between strategic behaviors that facilitate group advocacy and antisocial tendencies that undermine cohesion. This differentiation has important implications for understanding leadership and activism within minority communities. Religiosity emerges as a particularly complex factor. It serves simultaneously as a unifying force within the minority community and as a marker of group boundaries vis-à-vis the majority. For the Croatian community in Vojvodina, Catholicism has long provided cultural continuity amid the political instability and demographic decline. The dual role of religiosity, as both integrative and divisive, must therefore be carefully considered in analyses of minority identity and intergroup relations. The study is not without limitations. The reliance on a convenience sample restricts the generalizability of the results, and the cross-sectional design limits causal inference. Additionally, the exclusive focus on one minority group necessitates caution when extrapolating to other contexts. Future research should adopt longitudinal designs, conduct cross-group comparisons, and consider the influence of alternative religious and cultural traditions to test the generalizability of these findings. In sum, this research enhances our understanding of ethnocentrism and Croatian national-minority identity by embedding them within the dual-process cognitive-motivational framework and extending the model to include the Dark Triad and religiosity. The results reveal both overlap and divergence: while the two constructs share certain dispositional and ideological predictors, their psychological foundations differ in important ways. Ethnocentrism reflects hostility, authoritarianism, and hierarchical dominance, whereas minority identity embodies defensiveness, cohesion, and cultural perseverance. These findings contribute to theoretical refinement and offer practical insights into fostering intergroup tolerance and supporting minority communities in multicultural societies.
Dosadašnja istraživanja, u Republici Hrvatskoj i svijetu, pokazala su da su psihosomatski simptomi kod djece u značajnom porastu. Prevalencija simptoma kod djece je između 20 i 69 %, a mogu biti reakcije na stresne događaje, pokazatelji raznih psihičkih poremećaja i jedan od simptoma akutnih bolesti i kroničnihstanja. Psihosomatski simptomi utječu na kvalitetu života, karakteristike ličnosti i specifično životno iskustvo. Cilj: Ispitati povezanost samoprocjene kvalitete života i učestalosti i intenziteta psihosomatskih simptoma učenika viših razreda osnovne škole. Metoda: Učenici viših razreda osnovne škole (N = 207) anonimno su samoprocijenili pojavnost psihosomatskih simptoma i kvalitetu svog života. Upitnikom psihosomatskih simptoma za djecu i adolescente učenici su na listi od 35 simptoma (krvožilnih, respiratornih, gastrointestinalnih, dermatoloških, psihoneuroloških i drugih), i tri dopunska pitanja vezana za zdravstveni status,samoprocijenili učestalost doživljavanja navedenih simptoma u posljednja tri mjeseca s obzirom na stupanj ometanja procijenjenih simptoma u svakodnevnim aktivnostima. Na upitniku Personal Wellbeing Index učenici su na sedam područja (materijalno blagostanje, zdravlje, postignuće, međuljudski odnosi, sigurnost,povezanost i pripadnost zajednici te sigurnost u budućnosti) samoprocijenili zadovoljstvo kvalitetom svog života. Rezultati: Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da je kvaliteta života umjereno povezana s frekvencijom i ometanjima psihosomatskih simptoma te općim zdravljem učenika. Samoprocjena općeg zdravlja učenikapokazala se kao snažniji prediktor kvalitete života u odnosu na frekvenciju psihosomatskih simptoma bez obzira na spol učenika. Utvrđena je razlika u učestalosti psihosomatskih simptoma između učenika 5. i 7. razreda, odnosno mlađi učenici navode manje psihosomatskih simptoma.
Spray drying is still the most significant method for polyphenols encapsulation, which offers numerous advantages such as facilitating the handling of unstable polyphenols from liquid extracts, improving their solubility, and enhancing stability, degradation protection, controlling or delaying the release, and masking unappealing tastes or odours. The selection of the most suitable wall material is one of the most challenging tasks. Over the past decade, there has been a growing trend toward using new types of wall materials for polyphenols encapsulation by spray drying, either as additional compounds or as complete substitutes for traditional wall materials. This review aims to present the properties and applications of such alternative green wall materials. The term “alternative green” refers to the origin of materials derived from by-products and waste.
Klice i mikrozelenje su namirnice visoke nutritivne gustoće koje posljednjih godina postaju sve popularnije, i u prehrambenoj industriji i u ugostiteljstvu. Karakterizira ih praktičan i brz uzgoj, održivost proizvodnje, visoka nutritivna vrijednost i mogućnost raznovrsne primjene. Klice predstavljaju najraniju fazu rasta biljaka, razvijaju se brzo i postaju jestive unutar nekoliko dana. Izrazito su bogate hranjivim tvarima, uključujući vitamine, minerale i antioksidanse, te često se koriste kao dodatak salatama, sendvičima ili drugim jelima. Njihov nježan i hrskav okus je blag i ugodan. S druge strane, mikrozelenje su biljke u fazi rasta između klica i potpuno razvijenih biljaka, što obično traje od nekoliko dana do nekoliko tjedana, ovisno o vrsti. Mikrozelenje također predstavljaju visoko nutritivnu namirnicu, ali imaju intenzivniji okus od klica te dolaze u atraktivnim bojama. Često se koriste kao ukras ili dodatak različitim jelima. Osim što se mogu uzgajati kod kuće ili u malim prostorima, zahtijevaju minimalne resurse i brigu, te predstavljaju ekološki prihvatljiv način uzgoja bilja. Budući da su često hranjivije od neproklijalog sjemena i zrelih biljaka, te donose svježinu i raznolikost prehrani, postale su omiljeni dodatak jelima širom svijeta.
