The conference was also attended by the Minister of Economic Development and Technology, Zdravko Počivalšek. In his opening address, he said that Slovenian economy was very export-oriented, as exports contribute as much as 75 per cent of growth. Therefore, his ministry has been drawing up many measures aimed at promoting internationalisation and improving the competitiveness of companies operating in markets outside Slovenia and also outside the EU.
Počivalšek also said that the single EU market, one of Europe’s greatest achievements, was at a special turning point. Companies still face undue obstacles, so eliminating administrative hurdles has been one of the goals of the ministry, the country and the EU.
According to the minister, SMEs, which offer high-quality products and services, recognised brands, focused management, loyal customers and adaptability, make different demands on the government. They want equal conditions to compete with foreign companies, lower taxes on labour, payment discipline and access to loans.
According to a survey performed by Microsoft Slovenija on the influence and use of technology among SMEs in Slovenia for 2016, companies with the best tools for managing data see the financial future more positively, while modern technology also positively affects the work of employees.
Most of the employees who took part in the survey thought that digital technology positively affected many aspects of their work and consequently improved company performance. According to the survey findings, digital technology helps employees to create innovations (77 per cent) and improves cooperation among employees (74 per cent), while motivating them and expanding their knowledge.
The survey was performed by Ipsos and commissioned by Microsoft. It included 6,200 employees in SMEs in 20 European countries, including 300 from Slovenia. All employees met the criterion of using one of form of mobile computing at work. The interviews were conducted between 27 January and 4 February 2016.