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We examine the impact of e-procurement on economic growth. To this end, we exploit an ambitious implementation of large-scale mandatory e-procurement platform in New South Wales and Western Australia. By matching pre-reform growth dynamics and its covariates with the rest of Australia and the world, we provide a plausible source of variation in growth that allows us to build a counterfactual growth scenario in the hypothetical absence of the reform. Using a donor pool of other Australian states and a pool of more than 100 countries in country-state matched balanced sample, our evidence highlights a mixed impact of mandatory e-procurement on growth. We find that the institutional quality of governance and policy implementation underlines the magnitude of the growth effect. In particular, our findings contrast a significant positive impact of the mandatory e-procurement on the economic growth of Western Australia with a zero impact of the similar reform in New South Wales. We argue that this contrast arises from the differences in transaction costs, quality of governance, and strength of regulatory oversight that either foster or hamper the opportunities for corruption. The estimated impact of reform is robust across a multitude of spatial and temporal placebo checks, choice of samples and does not seem to be driven by pre-existing shocks or prevalent economic conditions.

Magistrsko delo obravnava učenje ob izkušnjah migracije. Izhodišče je bila predpostavka, da se posameznik ob tranziciji sooči s spremembami, ki privedejo do (pre)oblikovanja znanja, vedenja, stališč, praks, vrednot. Posameznik se zavedno in nezavedno biografsko uči. Namen raziskave je bil ugotoviti, kako se slovenski izseljenci v Avstraliji skozi proces migracije učijo in gradijo svoje znanje. Izhajajoč iz pregleda literature in raziskav s področja migracij, teorije biografskega učenja in teorije tranzicijskega učenja je bila načrtovana kvalitativna empirična raziskava. Po daljšem bivanju v Avstraliji je bilo po vrnitvi v Slovenijo opravljenih 10 polstrukturiranih intervjujev. S pomočjo interpretacije polstrukturiranih intervjujev in z narativno metodo smo poskušali ugotoviti, kakšne so bile okoliščine, ki so vplivale na migracijo in posredno na biografsko učenje. Zanimalo nas je, kako po izkušnji vprašanih migracije vplivajo na dojemanje kulture in jezika pri izseljencih, katere strategije učenja vprašani izseljenci uporabljajo v procesu menjave okolja in prilagajanja na novo/tuje okolje, česa se učijo, kako sprejemajo sebe in okolje ter kako se spreminja njihova identiteta. Ugotavljamo, da se pri migrantih pojavljajo vse štiri strategije tranzicijskega učenja, opredeljene po Wildermeerschu in Stroobantsovi (2018): tako strategija prilagoditve, identitetne rasti, razlikovanja kot tudi upora. Intervjuvanci so se v izkušnji migracije soočali s spremembami, ki so pripeljale do preoblikovanja znanja, vrednot, veščin, načinov čustvovanja, delovanja in mišljenja na različnih področjih, tj. družinskem, profesionalnem in družbenem. Poudarili so osebnostne spremembe (osebnostna rast, spreminjanje identitete) ter izpostavljali in opredelili učenje o sebi kot enega izmed pomembnejših elementov biografskega učenja ob doživljanju migracije. Ugotovitve kažejo, da je v biografskem učenju pomembna dinamika odnosov med subjektom in okoljem ter subjektivno doživljanje in interpretacija tega. The master thesis focuses on the experience of migration as a source of learning. Based on the assumption that an individual is faced with changes during such transition, which lead to the modification of knowledge, behaviour, point of view, practices, values and, therefore, to conscious and unconscious biographical learning. The research aimed to identify the learning and knowledge-building of Slovenian emigrants in Australia through the process of migration. In the empirical part, we conducted research based on theor in the field of migration, the theory of biographical learning and the theory of transition learning. After coming back from Australia data were collected using ten semi-structured interviews. Following the interpretation of the semi-structured interviews and the narrative research method, we aimed to explore the circumstances that affected migration and biographical learning with the analysis of selected narratives. We researched how migration influenced their perception of culture and language, which learning strategies they used in the process of changing the environment and adapting to a new/foreign environment, what they learned and how they perceived themselves and their environment in this process, as well as how their identities have changed. The research concludes that migrants employed all four strategies of transitional learning according to Wildemeersch and Stroobants (2018): adaptation, growth, distinction and resistance. In the process of migration, the interviewees experienced various changes that led to the modification of knowledge, values and skills, as well as ways of feeling, acting and thinking in various fields: family, work and social relations. They emphasised personal changes (personal growth, identity change) and defined learning about themselves as one of the most important forms of learning in the migration process. The findings show that the dynamics of the relationship between the subject and their environment, as well as the subjective experience and its interpretation are all important aspects in biographical learning.

V zaključni seminarski nalogi so predstavljeni glavni vzroki ter posledice selitev mladih v Avstralijo. Celina tam daleč spodaj že od nekdaj vzbuja radovednost ter ponuja možnosti za izboljšanje kakovosti življenja ter povečanja blaginje. Že v času velikih geografskih odkritij so ljudje na tej celini našli potencial za kakovostno življenje. Čezoceanske migracije so trenutno v porastu. Migracije sicer obstajajo že od nekdaj, vendar imajo v današnjem času največji obseg. Ravno slovenski narod velja za precej razseljenega po vsem svetu. Med ciljnimi državami, ki so danes med mladimi zelo priljubljene je tudi Avstralija. Avstralija je država, ki je odvisna od migracij in s spremembo imigracijske politike danes odpira vrata kvalificiranim priseljencem z vseh koncev sveta. Ker se iz Slovenije selijo predvsem mladi izobraženci, se posledično srečujemo s problemom bega možganov. V zaključni seminarski nalogi z migracijami povežemo multikulturalizem, ki označuje etnično in kulturno heterogeno družbo, ki spodbuja kulturno, jezikovno ter versko različnost. The final seminar paper presents the main causes and consequences of the migration of young people to Australia. The continent down there has always aroused curiosity and offered opportunities to improve the quality of life and increase prosperity. Already at the time of the great geographical discoveries, people on this continent found the potential for a quality life. Overseas migrations are currently on the rise. Migrations have existed since time immemorial, but nowadays they are the largest. The Slovenian nation is considered to be quite displaced all over the world. Australia is also one of the target countries that are very popular among young people today. Australia is a country that is dependent on migration and, by changing its immigration policy, is now opening its doors to skilled immigrants from all over the world. As mainly young educated people move from Slovenia, we consequently face the problem of brain drain. In the final seminar paper, we connect multiculturalism with migration, which characterizes an ethnically and culturally heterogeneous society that promotes cultural, linguistic and religious diversity.

Diplomsko delo se posveča izumrtju megafavne, ki se je zgodilo v mlajšem pleistocenu. Prizadelo je predvsem velike kopenske sesalce in je zaradi tega edinstveno v zadnjih 65 milijonih let. Naloga se osredotoča na izumrtje megafavne v Avstraliji, Severni in Južni Ameriki ter na njegove vzroke, kar na kratko primerjamo tudi z izumrtjem v Evraziji in Afriki. Predstavljene so glavne hipoteze o vzrokih izumrtja. Opisane so pomembnejše živali iz Avstralije in Amerike, ki so v tem procesu izginile. V Evraziji in Afriki je izumrtje potekalo počasi in postopno, najpomembnejši razlog zanj pa so bile naravne spremembe. Izumrtje v Avstraliji in Ameriki se je zgodilo zelo hitro in prizadelo veliko živalskih vrst. Najverjetnejši vzrok izumrtja je bil prihod modernega človeka. The present undergraduate thesis presents a megafaunal extinction event that occurred in Late Pleistocene. This extinction event mainly affected large terrestrial mammals and was unique in the selection among them during the last 65 million years. The thesis deals with the extinction in Australia, North America and South America. For comparison the extinction in Eurasia and Africa is described. The main hypotheses about the causes of extinction are described. For Australia and America important animals threatened with extinction are described. The extinction in Eurasia and Africa was slow and gradual. The main cause of extinction there was environmental change. In Australia and America, extinction occurred suddenly and a large number of animal species became extinct. The arrival of modern man is the most plausible reason for the extinction there.

Avstralija se je zaradi specifičnega geološkega razvoja in geografske izolacije razvila v bogato celino z avtohtonimi rastlinskimi in živalskimi vrstami. Za avstralsko biotsko raznovrstnost je značilno, da je 85 % živalskih in rastlinskih vrst endemitov. Celino zaznamuje zmanjševanje biotske raznovrstnosti na globalni ravni saj je med letoma 1996 in 2008 odgovorna za izgubo 60 % svetovne biotske raznovrstnosti. V zaključni seminarski nalogi želimo predstaviti tri izbrane grožnje biotske raznovrstnosti in ukrepe avstralske vlade za preprečevanje izgub avtohtonih živalskih in rastlinskih vrst. V prvem delu smo predstavili glavne zakonodaje in strategije, katere avstralska vlada uporablja za zaščito njihovih najbolj ogroženih rastlinskih in živalskih vrst. V drugem delu pa smo predstavili značilnosti in vplive invazivnih vrst, podnebnih sprememb in deforestacije na izgubo biotske pestrosti Avstralije. Ugotovili smo, da prizadevanja avstralske vlade še vedno ne zadoščajo za zmanjšanje izgub ogroženih rastlinskih in živalskih vrst. Zato bi bili potrebni usklajeni in celoviti odzivi z jasno opredeljenimi cilji za zmanjšanje izgub biotske raznovrstnosti Avstralije. Due to its specific geological development and geographic isolation, Australia has developed into a rich continent with native plant and animal species. Australian biodiversity is characterized by 85 % of endemic animal and plant species. The continent is responsible for the loss of 60 % of global biodiversity between 1996 and 2008. The final seminar paper presents three selected threats to biodiversity and measures of the Australian Government to prevent the loss of native fauna and flora. In the first part, we outline the main legislation and strategies that the Australian Government uses to protect their most endangered plant and animal species. The second part presents the features and impacts of invasive species, climate change and deforestation on Australia's biodiversity loss. We have found that efforts the Australian Government efforts are still insufficient to reduce the loss of endangered plant and animal species. Therefore, coordinated and comprehensive responses with clearly defined targets for reducing Australia's biodiversity loss are required.

Slovenia is dependent on trade with the rest of the world, especially with the rest of Europe, its most important foreign buying and selling market. European countries account for 90% of the value of Slovenia’s trade with the rest of the world. There are several reasons for this, such as the relatively short distance between Slovenia and other European countries. If Slovenia wants to increase the value of its trade with non-European countries, it should adopt a number of measures such as increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of its trade promotion. In this paper, the author discusses opportunities for increasing the value of Slovenia’s trade with Pacific Rim countries, notably Australia. Slovenija je odvisna od trgovine z ostalim svetom, zlasti z ostalo Evropo, ki je njen najpomembnejši tuji nabavni in prodajni trg. Trgovina z evropskimi državami predstavlja 90 % vrednosti slovenske trgovine z ostalim svetom. Za to obstaja nekaj razlogov, kot je relativno kratka razdalja med Slovenijo in drugimi evropskimi državami. Če želi Slovenija povečati vrednost njene trgovine z neevropskimi državami, mora sprejeti številne ukrepe, kot je povečanje učinkovitosti njene trgovinske promocije. V tem članku avtor razpravljata o možnostih za povečanje vrednosti slovenske trgovine z državami tihooceanskega loka, zlasti z Avstralijo.

V diplomskem projektu smo se osredotočili na poslovne kulture Avstralije, Švedske in Argentine. V uvodnem poglavju smo opisali temo in opredelili problem, namen, cilje in hipotezi, nato pa določili predpostavke in omejitve ter metode raziskovanja. V drugem poglavju smo se osredotočili na kulturno okolje mednarodnega poslovanja. Opisali smo pojem kulture in zakaj je pomembno poznavanje kulturnega okolja tujega trga. Nadaljevali smo z opisom medkulturne komunikacije in njene motnje v mednarodnem komuniciranju, opredelili pa smo še plasti in dimenzije poslovne kulture. V tretjem, četrtem in petem poglavju smo opisali poslovne kulture Avstralije, Švedske in Argentine. Pri vsaki državi smo najprej predstavili splošne podatke, nato pa opisali poslovno kulturo izbrane države. V nadaljevanju smo analizirali značilnosti poslovnih kultur izbranih držav glede na Hofstedov model in opisali poslovno prakso za vsako državo. V zadnjem poglavju smo izvedli primerjalno analizo poslovnih kultur izbranih držav. In the degree project we focused on business cultures of Australia, Sweden and Argentina. In the introductory chapter we described the topic and identified the problem, purpose, objectives and hypotheses, and then set the assumptions, limitations and research methods. In the second chapter we focused on the cultural environment of international business. We have described the concept of culture and why it is important to know the cultural environment of the foreign market. We continued the description of intercultural communication and its disruption in international communication, and we identified the layers and dimensions of business culture. In the third, fourth and fifth chapter we described the business culture of Australia, Sweden and Argentina. For each country, we first presented its general information and then described the business culture for the selected country. Next, we analyzed the characteristics of business cultures of selected countries according to the Hofstede’s model and described the business practice for each country. In the last chapter we performed a comparative analysis of business cultures of selected countries.

The Western Australian economy has always been underpinned by farming and mining. Over the last five years the economy has experienced phenomenal growth due to unprecedented global demand for resources and increasingly, agricultural land is being given up for mining. Changing land uses challenge industry and community leaders some communities are overwhelmed by a new population connected with mining, bringing with it a range of social and economic tensions that small communities struggle to cope with. This paper will discuss the conflicting issues regarding land use planning, local and environmental governance and sense of place while also canvassing positive developments that have enhanced community and regional economic development, thus building a resilient future.

Many rural areas in the developed world are experiencing planning and development challenges related to processes of population change. The nature, direction and regional manifestations of these changes are strongly related to the varying levels of local amenity. These result from the qualities of the local social, economic and physical environments and contribute to the ability of rural regions to attract and retain residents. In turn the presence or absence of this attractive ability is likely to engender development and sustainability challenges related to growth, decline or (where the attractive forces are demographically specific) social mix. This paper considers these challenges in the context of high amenity rural regions in temperate Australia.

Australia’s highly profitable cotton industry is geographically constrained to districts in northern New South Wales and Southern Queensland. However, the rural towns servicing the industry are facing unprecedented stress on account of fierce commercial competition between them, many years of drought during the 2000s, technological innovation in cotton production, the chance occurrence of non-agricultural economic opportunities, and even ethnic composition. Our research focuses on the role of innovative small business in overcoming community stress and we have selected a small sample of six local government areas to examine this link in depth. The selection of a representative sample entailed the classification of cotton communities on the basis of their economic and social profiles and how they had evolved over the inter-census period 2001-06. This analysis surprisingly showed that cotton growing regions are highly differentiated not just at a single point in time (2006), but also in their development trajectories. This considerably complicated the process of sample selection, but also demonstrated the diversity of rural settlement.

This paper deals with Australia´s trade in goods with Slovenia and the Western Balkan countrie s (i.e., Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia) 1 Australia´s less important trade partners that together account for less than 0.1 per cent of the value of Australia´s total trade in goods. In 2013, the value of Australias trade in goods with Slovenia and the Western Balkan countries amounted to 188.6 million dollars, of which the value of Australia´s exports of goods to these countries amounted to 45.9 million dollars, less than 25 per cent of the total value.

This paper analyses Slovenia´s trade in goods and services with Australia and New Zealand, two of Slovenia´ s less important trading partners. In 2012, the value of Slovenia´s trade in goods and services with Australia and New Zealand amounted to EUR 85.1 million, 0.2 % of the value of Slovenia´s trade in goods and services with the world and an increase of 46.3 % over the previous year. In the same year, the value of Slovenia´s exports of goods and services to Australia and New Zealand amounted to EUR 74.9 million, 0.3 % of the value of Slovenia´s exports of goods and services to the world and an increase of 69.2 % ov er the previous year, while the value of Slovenia´s imports of goods and services from Australia and New Zealand amounted to EUR 10.2 million, 0.4 % of the value of Slovenia´s imports of goods and services from the world and a decrease of 26.8 % over the prev ious year. Therefore, a number of (additional) measures should be taken by Slovenia in order to further enhance its trade in goods and services with these two countries.

Slovenia is, like many other countries, especially small ones, dependent on exports and imports of goods and services. European countries are Slovenia´s main trade partners, together accounting for almost 90 per cent of the value of Slovenia´s trade in goods. There are various reasons for this, such as the relatively short distance between Slovenia and other European countries. If Slovenia wants to increase the value of its trade with non-European countries, it should adopt a number of measures, such as increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of its trade promotion. In this paper the authors discuss opportunities to increase the value of Slovenia´s trade in goods with the Pacific Rim countries by focusing on the specific case of Australia.

Razvoj prepovedi trgovanja na podlagi notranjih informacij v Združenih državah Amerike je vplival na njeno regulacijo po vsem svetu. Različni sistemi regulacij prepovedi trgovanja na podlagi notranjih informacij so se razvili iz teorij, ki so jih postavila ameriška sodišča. Sistemi danes niso kompatibilni in varujejo različne vrednote, kar izhaja iz razlag, ki so podlaga pravilom. Večina svetovnih sistemov je povzela pristop, ki sledi teoriji enakega dostopa do informacij, Združene države Amerike pa sledijo pristopu fiduciarne odgovornosti. Znotraj teorij so se izoblikovala tudi različna pravila in testi kot pomoč pri klasificiranju dejanj, ki pomenijo trgovanje na podlagi notranjih informacij. Vendar pa, kljub temu da se po svetu uporabljajo isti testi, se le-ti uporabljajo in interpretirajo različno, kar se kaže v še večjih razlikah v pravilih. V tej nalogi se osredotočam na razlike v štirih velikih sistemih prek primerjave teorij, iz katerih izhajajo, in vrednot, ki jih poskušajo zaščititi. The evolution of prohibition of insider trading in the United States has marked its regulation worldwide. Different systems of insider trading regulation have emerged from the theories set by American courts. The systems nowadays are not compatible and seem to protect different sets of values based on the logic behind the regulations. Most of the world systems have adopted the Equal access theory approach, while the United States bases its system on fiduciary duty. Inside the theories, different sets of rules and tests were developed in order to help establish whether an act qualifies as insider trading. However, even though the same tests are used worldwide, they are used and interpreted in different ways, which leads to even bigger differences in regulation. This Thesis focuses on the differences between four big systems, comparing the theories they have developed from, and the values they intend to protect.

V diplomskem delu sta predstavljena davek od premoženja in nadomestilo za uporabo stavbnega zemljišča v Sloveniji ter primerjava zgoraj navedenih davkov z drugimi državami. Pri pripravi diplomskega dela sem uporabila opisne oziroma deskriptivne metode domače in tuje literature, različnih člankov ter spletnih strani posameznih držav, ki sem jih predstavila in primerjala. V zadnjem delu sem uporabila komparativno metodo, s katero sem primerjala pridobljene podatke za slovenske občine. Izbrane države poznajo davek na nepremičnine, se pa v vsaki državi pogoji nekoliko spreminjajo. Pri primerjavi podatkov med slovenskimi občinami je bilo opaziti nesorazmerje med številom prebivalstva in pobranim nadomestilom za uporabo stavbnega zemljišča v posameznih občinah. S pomočjo rezultatov te primerjave bi lahko katera od slovenskih občin ugotovila, da ima še nekaj rezerve pri pobiranju prihodkov s primernimi spremembami odloka o nadomestilu za uporabo stavbnega zemljišča. Kljub vsemu pa lahko povišanje nadomestila za uporabo stavbnega zemljišča povzroči precejšnje nezadovoljstvo med prebivalci v posameznih občinah. The thesis presents property tax and compensation for the use of building land in Slovenia. There is also comparison of the above taxes to those from other countries. In the preparation of the thesis I used descriptive or descriptive methods of domestic and foreign literature. From various articles, websites of individual countries which I then presented and compared. In the last part I used a comparative method, in which the data obtained about assorted Slovenian municipalities was compared. All the selected countries have their own version of property tax, the conditions do vary a bit between them. When comparing data between Slovenian municipalities the disproportion between the population and collected compensation, for the use of building land in the individual municipalities, was evident. With the results of the comparison some of the Slovenian municipalities could find that they still have some reserves to increase revenues through appropriate amendments to the decree on compensation for the use of building land. Regardless, the increase of compensation for the use of land could be trigger for dissatisfaction among people in the individual municipalities.