According to Eximbanka, the phenomenon of country of origin also influences the success of Slovak companies exporting abroad.
Bratislava, 4 June (TASR) – Little or nothing is known about Slovakia abroad, or the country is associated with the “Made in Czechoslovakia” brand. It is therefore high time to strengthen Slovakia’s reputation abroad. This was stated by the CEO of Eximbanka Rastislav Podhorec in connection with the International Masterclass Competitive Identity event, which Eximbanka was also a part of. On Tuesday, Eximbanka’s spokeswoman Martina Vráblik Solčányiová informed about it.
“Slovakia is considered an export power, especially in terms of the size of exports in relation to the country’s GDP. Our decisions on financing or insurance support have a major impact on the export profiling. And even though we try to help Slovak companies to establish themselves abroad, I still encounter the fact that Slovakia is little (or not at all) known or associated with the brand ‘Made in Czechoslovakia’. Moreover, the country’s added value in exports is relatively low, as most of our exports are linked to manufacturing sectors with a low share of research and development,” Podhorec said.
During the discussions, experts from different countries and representatives of public and commercial institutions agreed that it is necessary and indispensable to strengthen the strategic management of the country’s image in order to anchor Slovakia as an attractive brand in the international arena, with a clear and long-term strategy for its position.
According to Eximbanka, the country of origin phenomenon also influences the success of Slovak companies exporting abroad. The focus should be on areas that have a broad impact on the economy with a promising future. According to Eximbank, although goods play a major role in exports, the share of services in exports is growing globally as more and more goods are linked to services, especially in the automotive, telecommunications, financial and consulting sectors.
Podhoretz sees a way out in nuclear energy. “Alternative energy sources are unstable, have fluctuations in supply and are highly dependent on external influences. In contrast, nuclear is like a perpetual motion machine with clean energy, stable and high output. Moreover, Slovakia has long-standing know-how in this area and uses nuclear to produce the majority of its electricity (59%),” he said.
He added that the development or construction of nuclear plants is linked to the creation of new, professional jobs and supply chains with high added value and the prospect of a sustainable and secure future with significant export potential. “It is therefore high time to strengthen our country’s reputation with a positive image of ‘Made in Slovakia’,” Podhorec added.