History of PODIM
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Legislation, on the basis of the constitutional reform dating from 1974, introduced a legal concept of market economy and thus making space for the creation of novelties (inventions) and their recognition as being useful from the part of customers (innovation).
Božidar Hribernik, a renowned engineer from the business practice, and later a professor and dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics of the University of Maribor, brought new knowledge from the USA about promoting inventions and innovation known as "The system of proposals for novelties". This system was entitled in Slovenia as "mass inventiveness activity", with a lot of participants, not necessarily coming from professional and influential circles. Then, it was enough to have an idea, especially a minor novelty, and with no need for its implementation in practice. Božidar Hribernik organised two conferences on the topic (1978, 1981).
The second conference was held soon after I returned from the USA, where I had been a visiting professor at various universities. I spent a lot of time studying the methods for the simplification of work and American varieties of self-management that was oriented towards the creation of novelties. Therefore I joined Mr. Hribernik and never ceased to cooperate with him, whereas other people devoted their life to other endeavours. In Slovenia, I was the first for whom the topic of creation and promoting novelties from the point of economic and organisational view became a lifelong occupation, be it in the form of research or teaching. The third historical turning point happened in 1983.
This was the time when the topic of creation and promotion of novelties ceased to be the domain of tiny achievements proposed poorly skilled people, and when innovation became the only alternative for the recovery of Slovenian and Yugoslav economy and thus an obligatory activity for all. Since then conferences dealt with various aspects of inventions and innovations (building it into politics, transfer of knowledge, knowledge activation, innovative business operations, innovation, technology and similar centres, entrepreneurship, ways leading towards success in invention-innovation processes, informational aspects, managerial aspects, promotion of creativity, ecological innovation, innovations and ISO 9000, innovations and economy, innovation as a way out of social distress, Slovenian support, promotion of development in Slovenia, promotion of regional development in Slovenia).
If these were basic positive characteristics, we are bound to mention the negative ones too. After Slovenia became independent, almost all people whose jobs were connected with inventions and innovations and their support lost their jobs in the name of rationalisation of business activities. A number of important legal questions came to the forefront, measures for short-term decrease of expenses in order to remain competitive and survive on the demanding new markets, etc. The fact that the magazine Naše gospodarstvo did not publish conference proceedings is among the negative consequences. All this resulted in a decreased interest for PODIM. It is due to financial and moral support from the side of Municipality of Maribor and a couple of enthusiastic organisers that PODIM continued to be organised. Alas, pioneers are recognised by arrows in their backs.
I sincerely hope that the change in the organisation team will become an innovation itself. The long series of conferences brought many economic and other benefits as well as a number of invention-innovation topics for undergraduate and postgraduate students, first at the Faculty of Economics and Business in Maribor and later elsewhere in Slovenia. Now, the European Union expects Slovenia to be innovative before it becomes its part. The strategy of economic development of Slovenia, which was adopted in autumn 2001, takes this into consideration. Slovenian enterprises and social departments face the same task. PODIM will certainly contribute towards a successful completion of this task.
Prof. dr. Matjaž Mulej