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proportion of established businesses which should also be considered a negative
signal in the dynamics of entrepreneurial activities in Slovakia.
The development of entrepreneurial activity of the Slovaks, was examined
according to various phases of entrepreneurial process in the order as they are
characterized in the summary.
x
Entrepreneurial potential
in Slovakia, we investigated in the narrow and
broad sense. In the narrow sense, the entrepreneurial potential is measured
by those entrepreneurs who believe to have knowledge and skills, while they
also see entrepreneurial opportunities and are not afraid of failure in the
entrepreneurial activity. The overall assessment of this indicator showed that
after a significant decline in 2012, in 2013 there were no significant changes
in the entrepreneurial potential of the adult population (6.0 vs 5.8%),
indicating that in the near future a significant change in business activity of
Slovaks cannot be expected. However, a more detailed assessment of the
individual components that affect the entrepreneurial potential in the narrow
sense shows, that two components had a significant impact: an increase in
confidence in their own entrepreneurial abilities and a significant year-on-
year reduction in the fear of failure. In both of these components, Slovakia is
above the average of V5, Europe, as well as countries whose development is
based on innovations. On the other hand, a serious negative finding is the
development of another key component of entrepreneurial potential in the
narrow sense, which is the perception of business opportunities: this
indicator has a downward year-on-year trend, and the level Slovakia
achieved (16.1%) is below the average of V5 (20.0%), Europe (30.4%), as well
as countries whose development is based on innovation (32.8%). This means
that the Slovaks do not see enough opportunities to start a business in the
next six months. Both, the theory and the practice indicate that such
a behavior is significantly affected by the external environment, the
components of which we examine in the broader context of entrepreneurial
potential as well as separately in the analysis of the business environment.
The results of our research show that the entrepreneurial potential in the
broad sense requires special attention both as a major factor determining the
perception of business opportunities as well as a factor affecting the overall
entrepreneurial activities in Slovakia. The reason for this assumption is the
fact, that in three out of the four components of social perception of
entrepreneurship (entrepreneurship as an appropriate career choice,
perception of entrepreneurs and their social status, media attention devoted
to entrepreneurship), there was a negative year-on-year shift and in the first
two indicators, the international position of Slovakia is very unfavorable. The
fourth component - egalitarism (preference of the same standard of living for
all) may have had in 2013 a positive year-on-shift, but 73% of the population
that wishes the same standard of living for all, is a percentage which is the
second highest in the V5, as well as high above the European average and the
average of countries whose development is based on innovations.