24.9.2015
In what amount are Croatian companies competitive in the digital economy, with which projects do they try to strengthen their business and how do they see the future of their industry, we asked the interlocutors of the "ICT in a country of football and tourism" roundtable.
On the first day of the 9th Combis Conference, the central annual event in Combis’ organization, leading people from successful Croatian companies participated in the "ICT in a country of football and tourism" roundtable discussion, where they stressed that the digital isn't the future, as some may think, but our actuality, and that Croatian companies have an opportunity in the digital (r)evolution.
The discussion was revolving around several themes - competitiveness, business breakthrough abroad, investment strategy, employment challenges and the perception of IT in Croatia and abroad - which are the focus of Croatian companies.
On the topic of stepping into the international market Ivan Gabrić, Combis CEO, stated that Combis' ambition is still to develop business abroad, but without neglecting domestic users and domestic market. „Business overseas is a strategic determinant, but Croatia is a platform for the development of new solutions and services“, says Gabrić.
Saša Kramar, the CEO of Iskon, stressed the importance of developing awareness on digitalization which is substantiated by the fact that 80 percent of Croatian leaders, according to this year's survey, has cited digitalization as the most important determinant in the development of their companies.
Jozo Džakula, director of IT in Konzum, pointed out that Konzum is currently focused on the development of online business and working intensively on it. "Konzum has had its own web shop for ten years and this is nothing new, it is easy to use and it is being used, but now we are trying to set it as the best world's practice. The future is online, it is only a matter of time before the stronger growth in web sales comes in", said Džakula.
Željko Pavić, Board member of FINA, among the important projects mentioned the project of international credentials exchange with Slovenia, which is initiated and expected to soon spread to the region as well.
Referring to the employment challenges and retaining IT experts, Slaven Dobrić, Board member of Allianz Zagreb, said that IT colleagues are the most grateful, most intelligent and of best quality, but also the most demanding employees. "We talk to them every day to ensure quality, and more factors are related to their satisfaction. It is sharing the same values with the company they work in, salary which is mostly determined by the market, the possibility of additional education and the challenging of the projects because no one wants to work on outdated technology".
ICT has become the core of business and there is almost no branch that is not supported by ICT, thus all the participants agreed that ICT is facing a bright future.