Projects / Programmes
Management of education and emloyment in knowledge society
January 1, 2015
- December 31, 2018
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 5.04.00 |
Social sciences |
Administrative and organisational sciences |
|
| 5.02.00 |
Social sciences |
Economics |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| S189 |
Social sciences |
Organizational science |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 5.06 |
Social Sciences |
Political science |
Higher education, Higher education institutions, higher education politics, funds, management, efficiency, economics, effectiveness, employability innovativeness, knowledge society, labour law, entrepreneurship
Researchers (39)
Organisations (2)
Abstract
HE is considered a key factor in economic development. HE institutions, government and others must be aware of the role they play in “Europe of knowledge” and take responsibility in assuring their expected services.
The failure of the HE system comes in terms of social needs and employment opportunities to worse study choice decisions of potential students. This leads to higher social costs and increases the unemployment rate of graduates.
A characteristic of our universities is dominant influence of academics in management, which raises the question of their proper business management and adequate impact on the founders of the (financial) business. Improper formation of the managing board means the influence of the representatives of the founders is too weak, and that of university employees too strong.
Education and employment in modern “social knowledge” has seen a decline in birth rate, an ageing population, weak participation of the older generation on the labour market and high unemployment among young people. Most countries in recent years have responded primarily to the ageing population by increasing the active working-age of citizens with i.e. age segregation of the labour market. In Slovenia, this is characterized by the reduction of permanent employment for young people, in which it is first in the EU.
The key research problem is how to ensure higher efficiency and success of the HE system and the resolution of, not only in Slovenia, one of the key HE problems, influence the creation of conditions for increased employment (and self-employment) among graduates, adequate development and a dynamic labour market for both younger and older generations.
We have identified three groups of goals – HE policies and systematic financing of HE and HE institutions, management of HE institutions and (self) employment of younger and older generations. We will not only reach these goals in terms of HE but with the intertwinement of areas such as IT, management, entrepreneurship, economics and law.
The research will contribute to the development of knowledge in the field of management in education and recruitment. The theoretical knowledge and models will take into account the social reality, thus ensuring a greater social relevance of the results and recommendations, needed by both science and the knowledge society. The results will serve as the basis for developing theories, and will be useful for all stakeholders in education and recruitment, both at the system and institutional levels.
After the global economic and financial crisis, followed by Slovenia’s socio-political crisis, knowledge of education management and employment will be crucial for boosting the economy and useful in implementing European policies. Therefore, the results will be of direct importance to various stakeholders in Slovenia, as well as of indirect importance to the dialogue between Slovenia and the EU.
Significance for science
The research will contribute to the development of knowledge in the field of management in education and recruitment. The theoretical knowledge and models will take into account the social reality, thus ensuring a greater social relevance of the results and recommendations, needed by both science and the knowledge society. The results will serve as the basis for developing theories, and will be useful for all stakeholders in education and recruitment, both at the system and institutional levels.
Our research will contribute new knowledge on the efficiency and effectiveness of HE, and create intertwined and interdependent concepts and models of HE policies, HE funding instruments, as well as concepts and models of managing HEIs. In relation to HE funding, we will develop models of coordinated and complementary funding of HEIs (teaching) and students (participants in education). Our results and findings will shift the focus of research form students and teachers to graduates and employers, from HEIs to the labour market.
The area of inclusive management of knowledge and recruitment of younger as well as older workers is a relative novelty both in Slovenia and abroad. Although our study will be based on the existing and already empirically analysed concepts and theories, it will introduce them in a combination never seen before. The conceptual model which we will design and empirically test will allow for the understanding of important components of managing both groups of employees, as well as of causality and correlation between them. We will examine the concepts of the requirements of the labour market and work itself, autonomy at work, the ability to work and suitability for the job, job creation, organisational climate of inclusion, perceived organisational support, stereotypes, servant leadership, enthusiasm at work, intentions to leave, etc. The above aspects have not yet been empirically and theoretically examined in the Slovenian context.
In studying the nature of economic growth and the impact of educational structure on it, we will contribute to the development of endogenous models of economic growth. These models have replaced the classical approach, focused only on the impact of population size (i.e. the number of employees) on economic growth and bypassing the importance of the population’s average level of education attained. This shortcoming will also be resolved in our approach to the analysis of the economic growth factors, which will replace the measurement of the production factor of managing human capital.
Our results will also be original in terms of the usefulness of these and related theoretical models in relation to the current education and employment policies in Slovenia and the EU. The analysis of the weaknesses in coordinating education and employment policies at the EU level will provide not only the basis for further research, but also for guiding the transformation of Slovenian society into the knowledge society.
Significance for the country
After the global economic and financial crisis, followed by Slovenia’s socio-political crisis, knowledge of education management and employment will be crucial for boosting the economy and useful in implementing European policies. Therefore, the results will be of direct importance to various stakeholders in Slovenia, as well as of indirect importance to the dialogue between Slovenia and the EU.
Proper education management, both at the system and institutional levels, will provide solutions to some of the problems that have emerged over the past decade after the introduction of the Bologna process and an increased autonomy of HEIs. The latter are not properly managed, are becoming increasingly inefficient and ineffective, and don’t take into account the needs of the labour market. The research will contribute to their efficiency and more rational use of public funds, taking into account employers’ objectives and expectations of graduates as well as of the education system.
Increasing youth unemployment, and thus unemployment of HE graduates, is a serious problem, especially in certain Southern European countries and in Slovenia. Tackling this problem requires a greater synergy between HE and employment policies, as well as solutions contributing to a better employability of youth. The aging population and the increasing working age (to ensure the sustainability of public finances) require action to be taken to enhance and preserve the employability of elderly.
Our study will contribute to self-employment and to the promotion of a more flexible and efficient labour market. It focuses on two groups, i.e. young people who decide to study and after graduation enter the labour market rather unprepared for the uncertainty that awaits them, and people over 55, who often face difficulties in finding or maintaining employment. Thus, we will contribute to their career development, based on the (de)regulation of the labour market, the aging population and migration flows.
The development strategy for the labour market and employment requires an adjustment of labour law and employment legislation. The results will contribute new elements to the legislation related to the employment and social security, and to the design of the principles of these two legal subsystems. Furthermore, they will be important in increasing employee motivation to produce quality work and labour productivity, which will contribute to their personal and general welfare.
In the area of micro- and macroeconomic research, we expect new findings related to economic laws, which will appropriately complement and complete the management discipline. The contribution of human/intellectual capital growth to Slovenian GDP growth, including the role and impact of HEIs and the education system, is the most important area of macro- and microeconomic analyses, covering the impact of education on the increased business competitiveness, economic growth and Slovenia’s sustainable development.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2015,
2016,
2017,
final report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2015,
2016,
2017,
final report
