On October 9 – 10, 2008 the Prešov University organized the conference "MANAGEMENT 2008 – IN TIMES OF GLOBAL CHANGE AND UNCERTAINTY" which took place in the Congress Room of Dukla hotel in Prešov.

    Opening speech was given by Prof. Róbert Štefko, Ph.D. – dean of Management Department of the University.

    Objective of the conference was to provide a platform for exchange of the latest knowledge of management and its application in the practice, exchange of the latest findings, ideas and experience gained whilst working on successful projects and scientific knowledge that formed the basis for establishment of formal and also informal partnerships enabling the participants of particular specialized groups to discuss related issues meaningfully.

    The plenary meeting attended by local and international guests that delivered their briefings was followed by activities within the specialized groups focused on management and related issues such as human resources management, marketing and its applications, economics of finance and business, management of tourism, psychological, ethical, legal, cultural a the other issues.

Plenary meeting of the conference was focused on following issues:
• Methods of sharing the knowledge
• Logistical technologies in terms of sustainable development
• Environmental burden and attitudes of the managers towards the elimination of its impacts on environment
• Implementation of flexible organization and enterprising as a strategy for competitiveness increase
• Is the reform of Greek seaports necessary?
• Logistical – outsourcing relationships
• Tourism Development Environmental Management

    The presentations within specialized groups dealt with quality of working life, innovation strategies, know-how as a capital of company, implementation of ERP systems modules – studies of the Slovak Republic and North America, managers’ training and globalization, regional marketing and social - demographics aspects of its implementation, geographical information marketing, monitoring of CRM level in society, mathematical models for prediction of prices in economy, research and development within ERA – analysis of financial coverage, methods of company’s estimation, tourism in context of cross-cultural relationships, tourism in crisis situation conditions, topical issues of tourism development, legal aspects of hospitality management, ethical problems of a businessman in the transformation process of contemporary society. Participants from Poland, Greece, Serbia and Czech Republic acted as the moderators in particular groups. Plenary meeting was hosted by the dean of Management Department of University in Prešov.

    Assoc Prof Mária Petrufová and Lenka Kurhajcová, MA from Management department represented the Armed Forces Academy by delivering the briefing on „Education of managers as a basic precondition for manager’s professionalism“. Members of the group expressed their admiration for high standard of the course „Key competences of managers“ that the Management Department organizes for Slovak Armed Forces military professionals. Presentation of the course was an inspiration for many of them.

    The conference was guaranteed by top management of the department and representatives from Poland, Greece and Serbia. 35 briefings and 40 presentations have been delivered. Organisers prepared a cultural programme and provided a platform for informal discussion during the bash.

    International (Greek - Polish - Serbian – Slovak) Programmatic Board worked on the conference and two collections of 160 reviewed articles in total written in English language have been issued.