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For our last edition of the decade, we open up with a column by Goran Novaković, CEO of the Slovenian Business Club, who contemplates whether the Slovenian society has enough enterprise and whether we are ambitious enough to become enterprising. This is precisely what this edition of The Slovenia Times is all about.

What is the current economic condition is Slovenia? What measures will the government adopt to support the economy during the prospective market cool-down? Where is the economy headed? These are some of the questions addressed in the interview with Zdravko Počivalšek, the Minister for Economic Development and Technology. The Minister considers that the results achieved by export-oriented companies and state imperatives to encourage export among Slovenian companies, even on global markets outside the EU, are looking up. Even foreign companies in Slovenia are flourishing, expanding their operations and increasing their investments, their business results indicating that they feel increasingly established in Slovenia.

Several articles shed light on the more serious challenges faced by Slovenian society, such as the lack of labour force and the rapidly ageing society, with the statistics and experts already warning us of the potential complications.

I would like to invite you to read the highly interesting interview with Dominique Turcq, the Founder and President of the Boostzone Institute, which forecasts how the evolution of our society and in particular the world of work, are impacted by major forces such as the emergence of new technologies, new social dynamics and new economic conditions, and whether these will lead to a sea-change in the strategy and management of organisations.

Our interview with Meik Wiking from the Happiness Research Institute is a timely holiday read. Whilst it is commonly accepted that happy employees are more productive and more loyal, it appears that governments globally are recognising the link and beginning to adopt measures to support wellbeing and happiness..

The central topic of this winter's edition is a project by the Manager's Association of Slovenia, Outlook 2020, which The Slovenia Times is a proud media partner of. You can find valuable insights focusing on how we should proceed and whether we are will be able to connect in our decision-making, in interviews with Jurij Giacomelli, the Editor in Chief of Outlook 2020, and Violeta Bulc, the Former EU Transport Commissioner. The entire content of Outlook 2020 will be published on our website, www.sloveniatimes.com.

I have to agree with Aleksander Zalaznik, the President of the Managers' Association of Slovenia, who claims that if we are to increase general prosperity, we need a new, comprehensive and development-focused social agreement.

I hope you have a pleasant read. If any of the articles stir your thoughts, feel free to write to editor@sloveniatimes.com and contribute to the debate on future challenges and the new developmental leap - your opinion counts!

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Brane Krajnik, CEO and Publisher