Abstract. This paper investigates the impact of fi rms' growth rate on various fi nancial and non-fi nancial performance ratios. The study tests the hypothesis that variations in growth rates across fi rms relate to differences in the values of ratios of profi tability, liquidity, current assets, and solvency, as well as the break-even point, revenue per employee, average costs, labour costs, capital costs, capacity utilization, productivity and effi ciency. In order to estimate the impact of growth on fi nancial and non-fi nancial indicators while also accounting for unobservable individual effects of each fi rm, the study assesses several two-way fi xed effect panel models with regression analysis. Authors show that knowing the impact of growth rates on fi nancial and non-fi nancial ratios gives managers of growing fi rms additional relevant information for making business decisions.

The prevailing literature and empirical studies on management of organizational performance stress the increasing importance of non-financial performance measures and propose companies to implement some kind of integrated performance measurement system. The purpose of our study is to investigate the characteristics of performance measurement and management in large Slovenian companies, focusing also on the progress made in the 5-year period. The analysis is based on two surveys conducted in the spring 2003 and summer of 2008. We investigate what do companies understand by “successful performance”, what are the most and the least important performance measures for companies, and what performance measurement systems do companies use. By answering these questions we discuss the impact of our results on the future development and growth of firms. The research results show that large Slovenian companies consider “successful performance” mostly in terms of implementing the strategy, followed by pursuing the goals of the owners and achieving the goals of different stakeholders. Most large Slovenian companies perceive financial performance measures as more important than non-financial, although they claim they measure both perspectives of their business. Our research results also suggest that 68% of large Slovenian companies in our sample use balance scorecard or some other integrated performance measurement system. These findings are generally in line with the existing theory and empirical evidence from other countries. Our main conclusion is that the prevailing role of financial key performance indicators in large Slovenian companies is appropriate for monitoring the effects of the current financial crisis but if companies want to succeed in the long-run they have to base their decisions also on non-financial measures that enable monitoring of many important capabilities for achieving long-term strategic goals.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0.5in 0pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-themecolor: text1;" lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Performance management literature has been advocating the balanced use of non-financial measures alongside traditional financial measures, possibly within integrated performance measurement systems, since the early 1990&rsquo;s. The purpose of this paper is to explore how contextual factors (such as company size, industry, and market position), business objectives and knowledge about contemporary management tools influence the decision to implement Balanced Scorecard or similar integrated performance management systems. We tested our research propositions regarding the influence of these factors by using survey data and a logistic regression model. The study is based on a survey conducted in 2008 on a sample of 323 Slovenian companies. The sample consists of large, medium, and small firms from different industrial sectors, including manufacturing and service. Overall, our results confirm contextual factors, such as company size and industry, and knowledge about management tools as most important determinants of integrated performance measurement systems usage. Although market position and business objectives also receive some support for their influence, the results are generally weaker and more ambiguous.</span></span></p>

Based on the population of Slovenian firms we analyse the impact of the 2008 financial crisis on the firms' financial constraints. In line with the theoretical predictions firm size, ownership, productivity, and export orientation all impact firm's financial situation. With the full onset of the crisis in 2009, financial health of the foreign firms worsened more compared to domestic firms, while the availability of financial resources deteriorated less for more productive firms and for exporters. Even though firm's size has a significant impact on firm's financial constraint, crisis didn't have an additional significant negative effect on firms' financial distress for all but small firms. ARTICLE INFO

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

The authors of this paper develop a new typology of growing and fast-growing firms, based on consistent application of the microeconomic theory of the firm, and thereby addressing some limitations of existing studies that investigate growing and fast-growing firms. A rich database available for the entire population of business entities in Slovenia enables the authors to use the proposed typology and investigate key demographic and other characteristics of firms with different types of growth in the 2007-12 period. The authors conclude that the case of Slovenia and the analysis of firm characteristics confirm the adequacy of the proposed typology.