2
Desk research
As it was aimed, WP2 Activity 1 is to analyse, in each national real labour market context, the four
occupations from the Trade sector, selected by the partnership as representative, collecting
information from the national different sources on real jobs, positions or functions.
Within the scope to reach the information needed for the completion of Activity 1, the Desk
Research activity accomplished by CPI (SI) was based on three major tools:
- data base of National Euroguidance Centre, which operates in the frame of the
Employment Service of Slovenia. As a national provider and promoter for both lifelong
guidance and mobility, its database includes also description of professions on the labour
field;
- internet, as a provider of free vacancy adds from variety of employers. Internet provided us
with bulk of information, which resulted assumptions of coherent occupational profiles. Free
vacancies adds from Job hunter organisations on the internet were used in combination
with Organizational web sites were they offer free post;
- The National Classification of Occupations database. The Slovenian Institute for Vocational
Education and Training is a public institution, which conducts research, development and
consulting, and is a place where the state interests and social partners meet. Having said
that, CPI studies development trends in the labour market and preparation of occupation
profiles as well as competently conceived occupational standards.
As a result of the three above mentioned tools a combination of information was developed, which
served as a basis for the creation of the interview set up.
3
Interviews with stakeholders
CPI has conducted 16 interviews in total, with 4 major national companies. All of them are involved
combined line of sector; retail as well as wholesale, which gave in addition better perspective to
national HR strategy. Interviews were conducted in the period March – April 2009, by an
researcher from the Department of “Labour and Education integration”. Due to the fact that the
company representatives were positioned on representative HR standings, they were interviewed
on all four occupations.
Semenarna Ljubljana - SEMENARNA Ljubljana d. d. is a seed company, organised according to
the European standards. The development of the company is based on its own products and
services. With the offer of quality seeds and seedlings, we are constantly striving towards
improving the quality of the production of food and are together with a wide offer of various
products in our own retail sale, as well as in the wholesale taking care of a more quality use of
leisure time and a better arrangement of the living environment.
SEMENARNA Ljubljana d. d. in its parent company employs over 370 employees and has 30 retail
units in Slovenia and 15 abroad, where also the subsidiary companies with more than 160
employees are operating. The total number of the employees in the SEMENARNA Ljubljana Group
is 530; in the year 2007, this has reached the total turnover in the amount of 50 million euro.
Mercator d.d. - Mercator is the largest Slovenian company known for its excellent business results
and persistent targeting of markets across the domestic borders. With professional service and a
warm smile, they seek to establish a personalized relationship with customers who confide in them
and are happy to return to their stores.
The Mercator Group is one of the largest and most successful commercial chains in South-eastern
Europe; it is the leading commercial chain in Slovenia and it is rapidly becoming an established
chain in the markets of Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Mercator Group has
over 21,000 employees in Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro,
Albania and Bulgaria. In 2005, we also entered the Macedonian market, in 2007, the Montenegrin
market, and in 2009, the Bulgarian and Albanian market. These are all swiftly growing markets, in
which we predominantly construct shopping malls in capitals and regional centers exhibiting the
largest potential in terms of the number of residents and purchasing power. In doing so, they strive
to attain a considerable market share in a short period of time, becoming the first or second largest
fast-moving consumer goods retailer in each market.
Annual investments in an average amount of EUR 220 – 260 million, financed from their sources
and additional debt capital.
Nama d.d. – Nama is an elegant and noble heiress to one of the most legendary Slovene
department stores. Nama represents the most widely recognized name among the Slovene
department stores and has over one million visitors every year. A new look, excellent service and
good purchases are the values that keep gaining ground in the consumer society of today.
Nama is a shareholding company with a high success rate and a rising employee efficiency level.
Over 10,000 m2 of space is connected through a unified yet diversified corporate image which
gives a familiar seal of contemporariness and accessibility to the company’s numerous activities. A
great number of projects with the most prestigious trade names have weaved the name of Nama
into the network of global connections. Therefore it is not surprising that on a daily basis more and
more foreign companies realize that the Nama department store is the gate which opens into the
center of Slovenia.
The employee structure is well balanced. The employees are well educated and well trained for
their jobs. The basis of good communication among the employees lies in a well developed
information system and team approach. Management directs special attention to optimizing work
conditions for the sales staff.
Mercur d.d. - Merkur has become the synonym for a quality dealer in technical products for
domestic and industrial applications, all available at one place. Merkur has become the Slovenian
market leader in sales of home products and DIY, electro-installation materials, apparatuses and
appliances, machinery and tools, ferrous and non-ferrous metal products, and industrial items for
professional use. Even more, the company has successfully affirmed the Merkur trademark not
only in Slovenia, but also abroad. Merkur has attained a 20 to 50% market share in Slovenia in
sales of individual programmes, and plans to reach a leading position on target markets in the
years to come.
Merkur was established in 1896 and has grown into the very successful Merkur Group. The Group
employs more than 5,000 staff. In addition to the parent company Merkur, d. d., the Group consists
of 16 companies in Slovenia and abroad and three officies abroad.
Thanks to the wide variety of products on offer, Merkur Group is able to meet the demand
successfully. It sells goods and services to end-consumers and industrial clients of all kinds.
Merkur Group's wholesale creates 50% of sales revenue total, and the Group's retail is well known
to end-consumers for its modern, well-stocked and shopper-friendly sales centres.
Occupation
Company
Sector / line of business
Person(s)
Interviewed
SHOP ASSISTANT
Mercator d.d.
Retail: Food, Electronics,
Breda Košir, Head of
Fashion, Personal Health
& Care, Hobby & Work,
Home, Decoration
SHOP MANAGER
LOGISTICS
ASSISTANT
LOGISTICS
MANAGER
Semenarna Ljubljana
d.d.
Merkur, d.d.
Nama d.d.
4
Wholesale: General
Retail: Hobby & Work,
Home decoration
Wholesale: General
Retail: Electronics, Hobby
& Work, Home Decoration,
tools and machinery, white
goods, wide consumption,
building materials and
wood, plumbing and
fixtures, garden program
Wholesale: Technical
Retail: Fashion, Home
Decoration, textile, food,
cosmetics, accessoris…
Training Department
Kristina Modic,
Human Resource
Manager
Andreja Pisovec
Kacin, assistant to
HR Director
Tatjana Kokalj,
Human Resource
Manager
Construction of the occupational profiles in terms of KSC
The construction of the profiles followed Interview note-taking format – Annex 3 of Research &
Interview guidelines – provided by partner organisation BZSH.
First draft description was done by using job profile description provided by interviewee. However,
draft profiles were adapted according to the suggestions and comments made on the second
meeting in Lithuania and those made by partner organizations KCH/BZSH.
Difficulties appeared due to the fact that CPI has to participate on national level due to its status of
leading developmental institution on the field of vocational standards. Thus, final remark from
interviewing process would be a result of a common understanding among social partners involved
in the process of interviewing.
5
Agreement and validation of the occupational profiles
Describing the profiles in terms of KSC, using the terminology of the EQF descriptors lead to the
best fit.
CPI has used format provided in the Working Guide in addition to agreement made by partner
organizations on second partner meeting (April 2009, Vilnius). Each profile has been rotated
among originally interviewed companies (thus: in total 4 companies per profile). In addition, final
scoring agreement was done by the Chamber of Commerce an industry of Slovenia, which also
validated definite profiles. The table below shows scoring companies:
Occupation
Company
Sector / line of business
Person(s)
Interviewed
SHOP ASSISTANT
Mercator d.d.
Retail: Food, Electronics,
Fashion, Personal Health
& Care, Hobby & Work,
Home, Decoration
Breda Košir, Head of
Training Department
SHOP MANAGER
LOGISTICS
ASSISTANT
LOGISTICS
MANAGER
Semenarna Ljubljana
d.d.
Merkur, d.d.
Nama d.d.
Wholesale: General
Retail: Hobby & Work,
Home decoration
Wholesale: General
Retail: Electronics, Hobby
& Work, Home Decoration,
tools and machinery, white
goods, wide consumption,
building materials and
wood, plumbing and
fixtures, garden program
Wholesale: Technical
Retail: Fashion, Home
Decoration, textile, food,
cosmetics, accessoris…
Kristina Modic,
Human Resource
Manager
Andreja Pisovec
Kacin, assistant to
HR Director
Tatjana Kokalj,
Human Resource
Manager