Stanovnistvo

National Transfer Accounts and Implications for Social Sector Policies in the Republic of Serbia

Gordana Matković — 2025-06-03

This paper presents the first comprehensive analysis of the National Transfer Accounts (NTA) findings for Serbia, based on the data from the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (SORS) for 2018. Using the NTA methodology, which integrates survey and administrative data to examine economic flows across age groups, the study highlights critical implications for social sector policy. The analysis employs a comparative approach, contrasting Serbia’s findings with those of EU25 countries using the data from the AGENTA database for 2010. In Serbia, labor income grows later in the life cycle and begins to decline relatively early. The age profile of public and private consumption does not suggest complementarity, nor does it support life-cycle consumption smoothing. Notably, the Serbian context reveals limited “socialization” of spending on early childhood education and elderly healthcare. Serbia’s life-cycle deficit disappears at age 27 and re-emerges at 58, shortening the surplus period to 31 years— noticeably shorter than EU averages. Furthermore, the aggregate deficit for dependent age groups constitutes 58.5% of labor income, significantly exceeding EU25 levels. These findings underscore the need for targeted policy reforms in early childhood education, long-term eldercare, and the pension system to address Serbia’s demographic and economic challenges effectively.

Population Ageing and Gender Gap: A Dual Challenge to Economic Growth

Jelena Zvezdanović Lobanova — 2025-06-11

Population ageing is one of the most significant social challenges in the modern globalized world. This demographic shift is causing potential labour shortages, a higher old-age dependency ratio, increased healthcare expenses and additional pressure on social services. These trends raise concerns about inter-generational equity and the unsustainability of pension systems. This paper investigates the impact of old-age dependency and gender inequality on economic growth in 35 European countries from 2000 to 2022 by employing the quantile regression method. Our research findings indicate that population ageing significantly and adversely impacts economic growth across all quantiles. Specifically, a 1% increase in the share of older persons in the working-age population is linked with a reduced economic output ranging from 0.03% to 0.07%. The negative effects of population ageing are particularly pronounced in high-income countries with greater economic dependency on an ageing population. Gender inequality measured by the gender inequality index jeopardizes economic growth in most quantiles, with its effects being more evident in the middle and higher quantiles, particularly at the 60th and 70th. However, it is essential to note that while statistically significant, the magnitude of this effect is relatively small: a 1% increase in gender inequality measured by gender inequality index is associated with only a 0.002–0.005% decrease in economic growth. Nonetheless, even such modest impacts may carry important implications for fostering inclusive and sustainable growth over the long term. In addition, enhancing legal and regulatory protection for women positively contributes to economic growth, especially in countries with the lowest and highest GDP per capita. We find that a 1% decrease in gender inequality, measured by the Women, Business and Law Index, is associated with a 0.08-0.16% increase in economic growth.

An empirical study of the glass ceiling’s impact on gender equality and career opportunities in the food and beverage sector

Jelena Lukić Nikolić — 2025-06-03

Women’s professional trajectories are often obstructed by the glass ceiling, an invisible barrier that limits their access to higher managerial positions within organizations. This research aimed to examine and analyse the glass ceiling effect among women employed in the food and beverage sector of the hospitality industry. An empirical study was conducted using a questionnaire distributed in food and beverage facilities across Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The data collection lasted from October 2023 to January 2024 and encompassed 1,082 respondents. The data analysis was performed using Microsoft® Excel® 2019 and Statistical Software for Social Sciences, version 21.0. The Mann-Whitney U-test, Kruskal-Wallis H-test, and Tukey HSD test were employed to examine the research hypotheses. The study’s findings reveal the existence of the glass ceiling effect within the hospitality industry, although to a small extent. Interestingly, the results of the statistical tests suggest that manifestations of the glass ceiling do not significantly vary based on respondent characteristics such as gender, age, education, marital status, parental status, country of employment, or length of work experience.

Social and legal position of migrant drivers in public road traffic

Svetislav Janković — 2025-06-03

Labour migrations have become, over the years, a ’livelihood strategy’ for many men and women to provide a better life and work opportunities and overall social security for them and their families. The shortage of labour force in European countries, particularly in some professions such as professional drivers and in the public transport sector, influences the work engagement of migrant drivers mainly from central and southeastern Asia and African countries. According to recent empirical studies, migrant drivers’ work conditions showed the precariously of work and so-called modern force and slaver labour elements. The aim of the paper is to examine how globalization and digitalization impact the legal status of migrant drivers approaching from company law, transport law, and labour law perspectives. Legal theoretical, normative, and comparative methods were applied in that regard. The findings showed the necessity for a comprehensive holistic approach to the legal status of migrant drivers that integrates economic, public policy, and legal considerations when dealing with global labour migration. A neoliberal economic model that encourages global competition empowered by digitalization could endanger the enjoyment of fundamental human and labour rights to all citizens particularly those who are already considered vulnerable such as migrant workers.

Where do we draw our last breath? A comparative analysis of factors associated with places of death in European countries

Leonarda Srdelic — 2025-06-03

This paper investigates whether a shift towards formal long-term care (LTC), typically associated with increased public spending in LTC, correlates with a lower likelihood of dying in hospitals compared to homes or care homes. Additionally, the study aims to assess how demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related variables are associated with the place of death across European countries. For this purpose, the study employs multinomial logistic regression on the data concerning 16,633 individuals aged 50 and over, who died between 2004 and 2021 in 24 European countries. The countries are grouped in two country groups to control for variations in their LTC systems. The first group consists of countries with more generous public funding for LTC, while the second group includes those where LTC is less funded and structured. Results indicate that the place of death is associated with the country’s healthcare system, demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, and medical conditions. While hospitals remain the most common setting for death, this trend is shifting as recent years have seen a rise in deaths at home or in care homes across both country groups.

The impact of digitalization and automation on working time, flexibility and stability

Dmytro Hryn — 2025-06-03

Digitalization and automation are radically changing the structure of the labor market, affecting the demand for various professions. Understanding these changes allows for the adaptation of educational programs and employment policies, ensuring the preparation of a skilled workforce for the future. Automation affects working conditions, including the length and flexibility of working hours, creating new opportunities for remote work and freelancing. Research helps better understanding of the ways in which these changes affect work-life balance and overall job satisfaction. Studying the impact of digitalization on labor productivity and employment stability is important for designing economic development strategies, ensuring the creation of stable and highly productive jobs. Research helps to identify which groups of people may be vulnerable or insufficiently protected from the negative effects of automation, contributing to the development of social programs and policies aimed at reducing inequality. Thus, in this article, authors have explored the advantages and disadvantages associated with the introduction of new technologies in labor relations. The authors have examined a number of scientific studies that show the attitudes of employees towards digitalization and its impact on their health. In addition, authors have proposed ways to overcome the negative effects of digitalization and automation in order to make the relevant measures more adaptive for employees. The purpose of the article is to analyze the impact of digitalization and automation on work flexibility and stability, as well as on working time, in order to identify the advantages and disadvantages of innovative technologies and suggest ways to improve and reduce the negative effects of these measures.

Being young and resilient in times of AI, disasters, and crises

Veselin Mitrović — 2025-06-03

Disasters, crises, and resilience are interconnected with a general comprehension of “normality” or everyday routine disrupted by sudden and adverse events. However, some inconsistencies in the above interpretation induce an epistemological and existential crisis. First, the everyday life of some disadvantaged groups can be described as catastrophic and miserable whether the general community recognizes it or not. Nevertheless, some of the usually resilient groups could become future icons of the new risk, particularly AI hazards. Second, disasters are, by definition, sudden events with identified timeframes, while crises can be long-lasting with the tendency to become omnipresent. Third, when compared with earlier assertions, particular groups may undergo a long-lasting and gradual crisis that diminishes their capacity to anticipate future events, a critical aspect of resilience, and influences the social structure. An exemplary case is the unregulated widespread use of artificial intelligence (AI) by students to complete tasks, which diminishes critical thinking and reduces significant cognitive engagement. Such actions are possible with the cultural complicity of various stakeholders. Ultimately, the dystopian vision of a mindless and non-resilient young populace within an already susceptible context of an aging society—particularly with the increasing prevalence of dementia—reveals novel vulnerabilities, signalling the onset of an impending disaster. The suggestion made in this paper is for the research and teaching community to play a more active role in mitigating, if not preventing, potential unintended yet not-so-unforeseeable consequences.

Perspectives of AI in empowering persons with disabilities in Serbia

Dejan Masliković — 2025-06-03

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into assistive technologies represents a transformative advancement in enhancing the quality of life for persons with disabilities. This paper explores the multifaceted applications of AI, from aiding daily activities and providing personalized medical care, to improving social and emotional well-being. By examining AI-powered tools such as text readers, robotic assistants, and communication aids, the study highlights how these technologies facilitate independence and better healthcare outcomes. A survey from 2022 focusing on Serbia explores how many basic digital literate persons with disabilities use AI-based communication aids, and how many are aware that AI is following their everyday activities. The study reveals a possibility of future high usage rates and positive impacts on persons with disabilities in Serbia. About 24.32% of them already utilize AI-based communication tools, mostly audio and text processing tools. In this paper we underscore AI’s potential to foster inclusivity and independence, which is an important topic that should be emphasized in the society today.

Political Culture and the Attitude Toward “the Other”

Zoran Lutovac — 2025-06-03

The subject of this paper is the place and role of “the Other” in political culture, with a special focus on Serbia. The paper first briefly examines the meaning and significance of the concepts of political culture, national and political identity, as well as the phenomenon of “the Other,” and then explores their interrelations. The phenomenon of “the Other” is considered within the context of the historical period and the nature of the political order. A special section of the paper is dedicated to both internal and external Others, who change and transform over time in accordance with broader cultural and political shifts at both global and national levels. Finally, the last part of the text outlines some possible theoretical and practical-political responses to the challenges posed to rulers and citizens by encounters with “the Other” — and with themselves.

Sinergy of Statistics and Science - A New Dimension of the Census Data

Marija Lević — 2025-06-03

Sanja Klempić Bogadi: The Community Deserves a Future: Demographics and the Future of Serbs in Croatia Jesenski and Turk, Serbian National Council, Zagreb, 2025, 267 pp.

Vladimir Nikitović — 2025-06-03

Editorial

Ivan Marinković — 2025-06-03

Acknowledgement

2025-06-03