Employment of Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs in Companies and the Role of Marketing in These Companies

She received the content idea for her diploma thesis at the public institution where she is employed as an economist. Because she encounters children with special needs (also defined as persons with disabilities) in her daily work, she gradually began to realise how difficult it will be for these children to find employment once they grow up. In the empirical part, she investigated whether companies even recognise the need to employ a person with disabilities or special needs. For the research, she used the survey method, namely interviews and questionnaires. The research results disappointed her, although she had expected a very low level of awareness amongst companies about the possibilities of employing persons with disabilities.

Problem

She received the content idea for her diploma thesis at the public institution where she is employed as an economist. Because she encounters children with special needs (also defined as persons with disabilities) in her daily work, she gradually began to realise how difficult it will be for these children to find employment once they grow up. Therefore, in her diploma thesis she addressed the issue of employment of persons with disabilities. In the labour market, persons with disabilities are one of the most vulnerable groups. ** Unemployment amongst persons with disabilities in Slovenia is higher than unemployment amongst the rest of the population,** which is why the state attempts to influence greater employment of persons with disabilities through various measures.

The author described several of these measures in the diploma thesis, namely the quota system, wage subsidies for persons with disabilities, and protection against dismissal. She familiarised herself with the possibility of employing persons with disabilities in companies on the open labour market or through supported employment. For those who are unable to find employment in this way, legislation has introduced a new form of employment for persons with disabilities.

This was precisely the intention in 2017 of the public institution where she is employed. They wanted to open an employment centre called Modra vrtnica and enable users to find employment after completing their education. Everything did not go according to plan, but the hope remains that perhaps one day we will succeed.

Thus, in her diploma thesis she presented the start-up elaboration (business plan), ** entry strategy, project plan and objectives, and investigated the role of marketing in the operation of the employment centre.** In the diploma thesis, she describes employed persons with disabilities as talents in a particular field, as they have truly become so with professional assistance. Their work is of high quality and they can be competitive with any worker in ordinary companies.

Solution and Method

In the empirical part, she investigated whether companies even recognise the need to employ a person with disabilities or special needs. For several employment centres in the immediate vicinity, she investigated whether they have a cooperation agreement with at least five companies.

Results

For the research, she used the survey method, namely interviews and questionnaires. The research results disappointed her, although she had expected a very low level of awareness amongst companies about the possibilities of employing persons with disabilities.