Press room

Krka the most eminent company in Slovenia

According to the results of the Eminence 2001 public opinion poll, carried out for the seventh successive year by the Kline&Kline Agency, in the estimation of the general and business public Krka ranks at the top of the scale of the most eminent and reputed companies in Slovenia.

In mid-September, the results of this year's Eminence 2001 opinion poll were announced at a press conference by the Director of the Kline&Kline Agency, Dr. Miro Kline. The guests at the press conference included the Chief Executives and Presidents of the management boards of the companies which had this year again achieved the highest success on the scale of the most eminent companies in Slovenia. In addition to Dr. Miro Kline, other speakers included: Miloš Kovaeie, President of the Management Board of Krka, Borut Mokrovie, Chief Executive of Terme Eatež, Viljem Glas, Director of Lisca, and Primož Finžgar, President of the Management Board of Elan.

This year, for the seventh time in succession, the Kline&Kline Agency carried out an annual public opinion poll on the reputation of 255 of the largest companies in Slovenia. The Eminence 2001 research study was based on a representative sample of the opinions of 810 company managers and 1000 representatives of the general public. In addition to rating of the companies, the survey also revealed their degree of public recognition and investment attractiveness. Beside that the survey gave the factors on which the respondents' opinion of the companies was made, listing the most important sources of information for opinion making.

During the past seven years - ever since company eminence has been studied in Slovenia - several companies have been successfully defending their position among the most eminent, and have been ranked every year among the top ten of the best known, most highly reputed and most investment-attractive Slovene companies, both by business circles and by the general public. This group of the "most eminent companies" regularly includes companies such as Krka, Gorenje, Petrol, Lek, Pivovarna Laško, Pivovarna Union, Telekom, Petrol, Lisca. Terme Eatež and several more. This year, Krka quite literally conquered the peak, since Krka Health Resorts shot up to second place.

In his introduction to the press conference, Dr. Miro Kline, Director of the Kline&Kline Agency, presented the latest results of this year's research. He further stressed the importance of evaluating and measuring the reputation of a company. This represents the basis for managing the relational capital, which is one of the key components of a company's intellectual capital. Today, this appears only in the comparative balance sheets of certain Scandinavian companies; it is sure, however, that in the future it will also come into use elsewhere.

In the opinion both of the business and of the general public, Krka was selected as the most eminent Slovenian company. The research has shown that in both the responding groups, Krka had achieved an above-average public image and an above-average reputation. It was also rated as an investment attractive company, which is a confirmation that a company's reputation also influences the financial aspects of business. In addition, both groups mentioned as the main source of information about our company the information transmitted to the environment

via the media. Likewise, representatives both of the business world and of the general public mentioned Krka's wide range of quality products and services as being the most important factor in shaping the company's reputation.

It is a fact that the company has acquired its reputation mainly through hard work. Hard work, a firm financial structure, a clear vision and strategy, as well as the inventiveness and creativeness of our people, all together create the potential which enables the company to reach the very top of the most valued companies. At Krka, we are well aware that the measure for the long-term reputation of the company is above all that of satisfied people - both within the company and outside.

At the same time, to increase Krka's standing in the eyes of the public (and simultaneously also to increase sales), a very important contribution is made by the company's relation towards all those groups with which it is in contact. These are the buyers, suppliers, shareholders, the media, state institutions, the local population, and others. If the company operates in such a way that, to the greatest possible extent, it is able to satisfy the needs of all these sectors of the public, then it can count on their long-term support.

At the press conference, Miloš Kovaeie, President of Krka's management board, stated that the main reason for the company's reputation lay quite certainly in the strategy and vision which had already been planned several decades ago. He also stressed the financial results, which in the last half year were very good, and which can undoubtedly be attributed to the swift and strategically correct decisions taken both in the past and, of course, in the present.

In his words, it is indeed Krka's intellectual capital which is of exceptional importance for the company's success and reputation. This could not be achieved without capable, highly educated and decisive people, who must have excellent negotiating skills and be ever able to take decisions. "That is why, at Krka, we place great importance on qualified staff", Kovaeie further added.

Novo mesto, 17 September 2001