Intellectual capital in the Slovenian hotel industry before and after entry into the EU

The intellectual capital in the Slovenian hotel industry has been improved in the past few years what is extremely desirable and necessary since today the Slovenian hotel industry is facing increased competition in the enlarged European single market. The paper presents an empirical analysis of the development of intellectual capital in the hotel industry in Slovenia between 2003 and 2006. In this period of time Slovenia entered the European Union (EU). The results show progress of intellectual capital and reveal some problems that the Slovenian hotel industry is still facing in the field of intellectual capital. The development of human and structural capital has seen progress; meanwhile development of customer capital has not been evidenced. More exactly, employee competence, employee innovativeness, business processes, information technology and distribution channels were further developed in the given period of time. Development of other parts or sub-components of intellectual capital has been neglected or they simply have not reached a higher level of development. Attitude to work, company culture and distribution channels are the least developed parts of intellectual capital in the Slovenian hotel industry in 2006. At the end of the paper some recommendations for managers in the Slovenian hotel industry regarding intellectual capital are given.