Interview - Drago Munjiza on Tim Kabel
1. What would you say inspired you at the beginning of 2007 to start working as an adviser at Tim Kabel, a company which we could say seems smaller in size and status in comparison to you other clients at the time such as Generalturist, Profil...?
In terms of overall revenue Tim Kabel might be a smaller company that the others, but the other key determinants of business – operational profit, net gain, average employee incomes, and increase in overall turnover – have been remarkable over the past 10 years and I am sure that according to those standards they would rank amongst the top 50
2. How do you evaluate the work and growth at Tim Kabel over the past year, over which you had detailed insight and influence?
If we compare Tim Kabel to other clients: the work atmosphere, the fairness of the owners and managers, they far surpass all the other companies I have worked with until now. My influence was not small, and this came to my attention at the last team building that was held, when the owners appraised my personal input as critical.
3. Recently, at the beginning of 2008, you established a business advisory association ‘Jakov Viktor’ and soon after signed an agreement with Tim Kabel as your main client. Why did you decide for them?
The past 11 years I worked in a distribution company and saw their number of employees grow from 4 to 1000. Followed by that I was at a retail company where the employees grew from 2.000 to 11.000, and extended into neighbouring countries (Hungary, BiH, Serbia). After those experiences, and having worked in 3 of the largest companies in Croatia, it is hard to further develop a quality career. That is why I opted for temporary management and working with other companies. That way I disperse the risk, I cost the clients less, and I learn a lot about different industries. After a year and more the 10 clients, I am positive my company can still be profitable and work with only 2-3 key clients. Tim Kabel is the most proper company that I have worked with in 2007 and I estimate that they will need the knowledge I possess in 2008 and 2009 the most.
4. You have managerial experience of various forms in various companies. The Croatian Association of Mangers, CROMA announced you as their manager of the year in 2006 in the category of large companies.
Based on your experience and evaluation, how much impact and direction can this type of advisory/ temporary management give in comparison to a more permanent arrangement such as a sole manager placed at a specific level within an organization?
Temporary management is considered to be a very normal thing in other western countries and I believe it will see a greater development in Croatia.
I am sure that permanent management leaves a more prominent impact, but temporary management is useful and needed.
5. What is your evaluation of Tim Kabel today and in the future?
Tim Kabel is at a turning point – it is in the midst of regional expansion and introducing different elements of corporate management.
This is a sensitive, but exciting time which requires extra effort from all the employees and managers.
In three years Tim Kabel will be amongst the top 100 companies in Croatia in terms of revenue, it will have offices in 4-5 neighbouring countries, and the level of average wages will still be higher than the national standard!
I believe that students will be learning about Tim Kabel as a prime example of success company that has managed to achieve quite a lot in a very hard region of business, and still manage to take care of its employees.
