This is a new time with new questions that requires new answers, Iztok Seljak, the boss of industrial conglomerate Hidria, told a panel dedicated to the managers' commitment to take Slovenia to the top 15 in the EU at per capita GDP by 2020.

Slovenia needs innovation, new business models, new forms of cooperation and trust. This requires commitment not just by the managers but also by politicians and trade unions, he said.

A similar point was raised by Peter Kraljič, a former partner of the McKinsey consultancy. But he argued taking Slovenia to the top 15 in the EU was not ambitious enough: the goal should be the top 15 in the world.

Sonja Gole, the chief executive of caravan maker Adria Mobil, called for cooperation. She said success required a mix of experienced management, leveraging people's skills and motivating employees with appropriate remuneration.

Dušan Semolič, the head of the powerful ZSSS trade union association, meanwhile cautioned against the uncritical adoption of decisions taking by Germany and France, noting that there are differences between European countries.

Director of car parts supplier Hella Saturnus Christopher Droste, who was named manager of the year in 2011, stressed that Slovenia needed a strong government with a vision and a strong parliament.

Boštjan Vasle, the head of the government's macroeconomic think-tank IMAD, said that Slovenia needs to tackle structural problems and sort out its public finances. But he noted that a lot would also depend on what happens in its key trading partners.