Vol.42, No 3 (2009)

Mojca Prevodnik

University of Primorska, Koper Faculty of Management Cankarjeva 5, 6000 Koper, Slovenia

Roberto Biloslavo

University of Primorska, Koper Faculty of Management Cankarjeva 5, 6000 Koper, Slovenia

Abstract

Background/Purpose: Managers and leaders are different figures within an organization but are also alike. During different stages of the organizational life cycle we sometimes need more manager-oriented people and at other times more leader-oriented people. However most of the time we need them both in order to achieve a balance within the organization. Slovenia is a post-transition economy, facing new challenges and opportunities therefore the need for leader-oriented people is expected to be huge. Nevertheless our research showed that in Slovenian profit and non-profit organizations, upper management positions have been occupied by manager-oriented people but at the same time a balance exists between the two roles. We also found out that managers and leaders perceive the success of their organisations in quite a similar way. An adapted Hickman’s questionnaire together with a content analysis of subordinates’ comments about how they perceive their organization was used to ascertain the differences between them and their superiors. By knowing how employees perceive their managers and how the latter perceive themselves and their organizations we can develop better approaches to management development in post-transition economies.

Jaka Vadnjal

GEA College of Entrepreneurship, Kidričevo nabrežje 2, 6320 Piran, Slovenia

Jurij Bernik

GEA College of Entrepreneurship, Kidričevo nabrežje 2, 6320 Piran, Slovenia

Andrej Baričič

GEA College of Entrepreneurship, Kidričevo nabrežje 2, 6320 Piran, Slovenia

Abstract

Background/Purpose: Not much has research has so far been done into the peculiarities of health-care organization management. The motivation was to explore the possible perspectives of the health-organization management system in comparison to other business forms. The hypotheses were tested through a questionnaire that was mailed to managers in health-care institutions. It has been confirmed to a certain degree that managers with a medical training background have different managerial scopes, oriented more to their own profession, including economics of their organization, need for enhanced knowledge and, their managerial style. The implications of the study are at two levels. The future design of training programs for top and middle management institutions will be influenced by the results and findings. At the other level, the implications are expected to arouse interest in the field of multidisciplinary education course design as well as some providing possible background for development of business consulting services in the field.

Justina Erčulj

Šola za ravnatelje, Predoslje 39, 4000 Kranj

Abstract

Background/Purpose: The author discusses the notion of organisational culture and relates it to the notion of organisational identity. Culture as a group identity involves elements of stability, homogeneity and integrity but this can be very much altered through post-modern understanding of relationships between localities and their contexts. The research that was conducted in two primary schools in Slovenia is based on the symbolic notion of organisational culture. We explored what meanings are assigned to schools in public documents, during rituals and in teachers’ and headteachers’narratives. The findings indicate the co-existence of two cultures and hence of two identities, ‘the public’ and ‘the private’, the former being closer to the corporate identity and the latter to multiple identities. The managers should be aware of both and should use the in-between space for on-going discussions and negotiations.

Tanja Rajkovič

Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana, Kardeljeva ploščad 17, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Janez Prašnikar

Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana, Kardeljeva ploščad 17, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Abstract

Background/Purpose: The paper discusses innovative performance of firms and underlying competencies, namely technological, marketing and complementary. Competencies are regarded as networks of various capabilities and other firm assets and can be used for cross-industry comparisons. The study is based on a survey carried out among 50 established Slovenian manufacturing companies addressing competencies which they employ in their 65 distinct product lines. Three distinct segments of firms are established based on innovative performance indicators. Used are techniques of multivariate statistics, including cluster analysis and analysis of variance. The results imply that the most innovative firms simultaneously develop technological, marketing and complementary competencies. The implications of our findings are valuable to the firms aligning their competencies with their strategy, as well as to policy makers in technology following countries.

Boštjan Berčič

Institut za ekonomijo, pravo in informatiko, Celovška 136, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenija

Aleksander Aristovnik

Univerza v Ljubljani, Fakulteta za upravo, Gosarjeva ulica 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenija

Abstract

Background/Purpose: Telecommunications sector is charaterized by oligopolistic market structure with one dominant player (erstwhile or extant state monopoly) and one or more smaller players. In the case of Slovenia, the dominant player is Mobitel d.d., while the smaller ones are Si.mobil d.d., TušMobil d.d. and some others. Form the competition protection’s point of view (where there are three major areas of competition abuses, horizontal mergers, vertical and horizontal agreements and abuse of dominant position), the telecommunications sector is relatively unproblematic in the first two of these areas, but problems abound in the third area: abuse of dominant position. National competition authoritiy (NCA) take care of all three kinds of abuses. In addition to this, telecommunications are also characterized by (ex-ante) industry regulation. Purpose of this article is to describe typical anticompetition abuses that arise in telecommunications sector from the legal and economic point of view and point to the relevant formal tests that the NCAs are using in order to determine the presence or absence of certain abuses.

Marko Radovan

Andragoški center Slovenije, Šmartinska 134 a, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenija

Abstract

Background/Purpose: In this paper we examine the association of participation of the employed in education with their demographic characteristics and characteristics of their employment, such as: occupation; work position; organisational size; type of employment; and use of their writing skill at work. The findings indicate that main predictors of participation in education are age, work position and organisational size. Moreover, it is confirmed that the significance of the observed factors varies in relation to the mode of education (formal, non-formal)

Dejan Kelemina

Greenwiška cesta 10a, 2000 Maribor, Slovenija

Abstract

Background/Purpose: Due to turbulent and unpredictable environment the operations of companies and other organizations are becoming more and more complex. They must be flexible, innovative and adaptive to the consumer, which cannot be achieved only with the traditional economic capital, but enlightened managers today recognize the importance of intellectual capital and by recent studies also positive psychological capital. All forms of capital allow the sustainable competitive advantage. Because the area is very large, we will focus on knowledge as intellectual capital of company, which represents the total knowledge of company and plays an important role by achieving company performance. Numerous organizations are nowadays being successfully transformed into learning organizations or companies and are therefore facing new challenges, improving constantly and fighting the competitors in order to take over a leading role in the branch. The aim of the Paper was to accentuate the importance and the role of knowledge in today’s organizations trough the management concept of the learning organization, which establishes new techniques connected with continual learning and enables companies’ constant restructuring and adjusting. Trough research we established the presence and spread of the concept of learning organization or its elements and furthermore differences in characteristics of the concept regarding the companies’ respective size and ownership. The acquired results have been compared to research that acquired in the 2003 and we have determined the level of development in these years. Creation of organizations which are willing and able to learn will bring benefits to the whole economy and as a result to the society we live in.

Jože Jesenko

Univerza v Mariboru, Fakulteta za organizacijske vede, Kidričeva cesta 55a, 4000 Kranj, Slovenija

Iztok Purič

JGZ Protokolarne storitve RS, Predoslje 39, 4000 Kranj, Slovenija

Jure Kovač

Univerza v Mariboru, Fakulteta za organizacijske vede, Kidričeva cesta 55a, 4000 Kranj, Slovenija

Abstract

Background/Purpose: The system of education is an essential contributing factor in the development of any country. Particular importance rests on the shoulders of higher education, as it has a direct impact on the improvement of the competitiveness of national economy. This is why the research and planning of higher education is a key task no country should leave unattended. Unfortunately, Slovenia has been neglecting the field of expertise that deals with university level educational processes. Many questions still remain unanswered, especially in regard to understanding the degree of practical usefulness of knowledge in their subsequent line of work. The central subject of the article deals with the results of empirical research on the level of satisfaction of graduates from the Faculty of Organizational Sciences with regard to the educational process, from the viewpoint of practical application of knowledge and skills acquired during their education at the faculty. In addition, the article presents the results of the assessment of satisfaction of graduates with the position of employment and nature of work in organizations where they are employed.

Simona Šarotar Žižek

Ekonomsko-poslovna fakulteta Univerze v Mariboru, Razlagova 14, 2000 Maribor, Slovenija

Matjaž Mulej

Ekonomsko-poslovna fakulteta Univerze v Mariboru, Razlagova 14, 2000 Maribor, Slovenija

Sonja Treven

Ekonomsko-poslovna fakulteta Univerze v Mariboru, Razlagova 14, 2000 Maribor, Slovenija

Abstract

Background/Purpose: The contemporary world is full of contradictions, including the essential problem of well-being of co-workers. Most troubles of this kind cannot be resolved with measures of the usual management and/or economic theory that have caused these troubles. Therefore, the question is raised about what could be done about the well-being of co-workers, if principles and measures of innovative business, social responsibility and requisite holism were used. In the paper the mentioned problem is discussed and a path toward the society of knowledge, innovation and affluence is indicated.

Tjaša Rupnik

Lokavska c.7, 6210 Sežana

Roberto Biloslavo

Univerza na Primorskem, Fakulteta za management Koper, Cankarjeva 5, 6000 Koper

Abstract

Background/Purpose: We are constantly in search of new solutions that could lead to greater success, both in the everyday life, as well as in the business world. Among these, one can certainly find the marketing culture, the importance of which has been growing fast lately. Its characteristics and dimensions help organisations to become more effective. In the past, it was extremely important to maximize profit, while today’s companies focus their attention on the interaction between employees, on the social processes and open approach towards the consumer – client and on the needs and wishes of the partners involved in the process (i.e. partnership marketing). Our research confirms that marketing culture has a positive impact on financial successfulness of the organisation

Mejra Festić

Univerza v Mariboru, Ekonomsko-poslovna fakulteta, Razlagova 14, Maribor in EIPF Ekonomski inštitut, Prešernova cesta 21, Ljubljana

France Križanič

Ministrstvo za finance, Župančičeva 3, 1000 Ljubljana

Sebastijan Repina

EIPF Ekonomski inštitut, Prešernova cesta 21, Ljubljana

Abstract

Background/Purpose: Article empirically investigates how intensive is the impact of natural gas prices on production by industries in Slovenian economy. Natural gas price movements can help us in forecasting the movements in electricity, natural gas, steam, hot water supplies, the production of metals, textiles, leather, footwear, leather and fur products, clothes, the production of pulp, paper, cardboard and products from paper and cardboard, the production of products from rubber and plastic materials, processing industry and the production of furniture, the production of intermediary consumption products and recycling.