PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to extend current discussion on the drivers of innovative work behavior (IWB) by exploring how individual perceived diversities (visible dissimilarity and cognitive group diversity) and climates (team/clan and innovative/entrepreneurial) impact IWB.Design/methodology/approachData had been collected from a cross-national study of working professionals (n = 584) from five different cultural contexts.FindingsFindings of this study indicated that cognitive group diversity mediated the negative relationship between visible dissimilarity and IWB. Further, both innovative/entrepreneurial and team/clan climates moderated the relationship between visible dissimilarity and cognitive group diversity. Such a moderation effect reduced the negative effect that visible dissimilarity had on IWB.Research limitations/implicationsA cross-sectional single-source data set.Practical implicationsFrom a managerial perspective, climates (team/clan and innovative/entrepreneurial) are central for IWB in the diverse (visible and cognitive) working environment. Thus, organizations should pay attention to create a climate (team/clan or/and innovative/entrepreneurial) that reduces the negative impact of perceived diversity in the working environment while supporting IWB.Originality/valueThis study is the first of its kind that is based on social categorization theory, empirically examining how different types of diversity (visible dissimilarity and cognitive group diversity) simultaneously reduce individuals’ IWB. Furthermore, this paper provides insights that climates (team/clan and innovative/entrepreneurial) are crucial for IWB in the diverse working environment.

Nowadays lecturers in higher education need an awareness of the experiential learning style preferences of students in order to develop and utilize effective and efficient teaching and pedagogical strategies and methods. The experiential learning styles literature has had a revival during last years, especially in the first decade of 21st century (Alban & Metcalfe 2002; Duff & Duffy, 2002; Kayes, 2003; Loo, 2004; Reynolds & Vince, 2007; Cowen & Kazamias, 2009). Upon reviewing the literature on experiential learning, the intense rate and growing interest is involved also in Slovenia, especially when analyzing the case of University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Economics (FELU; http://www.ef.uni-lj.si/en/) in Slovenia. In April 2010 FELU joined an elite group of institutions that have achieved business accreditation from AACSB International. Moreover, combined with EQUIS accreditation, FELU is ranked among 45 best business schools worldwide. The purpose of this paper is to offer a better insight into the experiential learning practices at FELU in order to develop appropriate teaching and pedagogical strategies for improving higher management education in Slovenia. The research objective of this study was to develop rather comprehensive inventory of experiential learning styles and methods, included both a descriptive and an exploratory perspective. In the theoretical part of the study the qualitative meta-analysis method was used to overview the literature background of the study. In the empirical part of the study the Principal Axis Factoring, using varimax rotation, was performed on the explanatory variables with primary goal of data reduction. The modified version of experiential learning style theory was used as research instrument in the questionnaire to determine Slovenian students’ experiential learning styles. According to the research process we can summarize research thesis that matching students’ experiential learning-style preferences with complementary course syllabus improve management education, academic achievements and student’s attitudes toward learning.

This paper addresses the first financial initiative of the Slovenian government for the professionalisation and development of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to promote sustainability in the third sector. The measure was the result of the Non-Governmental Organisations Act, adopted in 2018, and was followed by the Development strategy of non-governmental organisations and volunteering until 2023 (DSNGOV). The state’s contribution to an increased level of professionalisation was welcomed by NGOs because, compared to other EU28 states, which have an average employment rate of 4.18%, Slovenia is far behind, with only 0.82% of its active working population being employed in the NGO sector. In May 2018, the Ministry of Public Administration released invitations to fund projects for the development and professionalisation of NGOs and voluntary service, providing grants for 100 NGO jobs. The final project results were compiled in March 2020, and the findings were evaluated in 29 survey reports in April 2020. The research focused on the occupations for which employees were sought, legal forms of the applicant NGOs and recruitment methods. The results demonstrate that the state measure was successful, as 69% of the funded jobs were sustained. However, most of the retained jobs were filled by those who were previously employed in the NGO sector (84.6%), so the employment rate has barely risen.

The population ageing that goes hand in hand with ageing of the workforce is no longer an issue for a distant future, its impact is already felt on European labor markets – including Slovenian – and will manifest itself more prominently in the next years. These profound demographic changes come at a time that developed countries are increasingly involved in globalization processes, accompanied with the trend of becoming knowledge economies, and all these at a time of economic crisis, which puts those challenges into new dimension. Trying to find solutions that would mitigate possible negative consequences of population and workforce ageing – one of the most discussed policy options is to promote that older employees work longer, even after the age of 65. Keeping workers longer in the workforce is an increasingly popular labor market policy in European (developed) countries to combat demographic trends such as the ageing of its workforce. We live longer, we have fewer children, so we have to work longer seems to be the current policy motto. But this scenario is not an easy one. Skepticism can be found on both sides, either between older employees or between employers. The aim of this paper is to highlight the development of age management within Slovenian companies where the practice of age management is still in its early stage. Thus, we also shed light on some relevant reasons for reluctance towards older employees from the viewpoint of employers. However, the main contribution of the paper lies in offering some reasonable suggestion – how the skepticism concerning older employees can be reduced. This can only be done by enabling older workers to remain productive, innovative, flexible, and willing to invest in advancing their knowledge, skills and competences. By implementing active aging policies at workplace, the employers can play an exceptional role in maintaining or even enriching human capital of older employees.