Browsing: SMEs

Introduction. In an international landscape characterized by continuous structural changes and a growing competitive pressure, the role of SMEs is becoming increasingly important, in their capacity as providers of employment opportunities and key-players in the prosperity of local and regional communities.

Aim of the study. The paper highlights evolutionary benchmarks of the EU SMEs, with special reference to three indicators, namely the number of firms, number of employees and gross value added. The main EU documents relating to SMEs are briefly presented, specifically the “European Charter for Small Enterprises” and “Small Business Act” for Europe. In the final part of the paper we have analyzed the “skills and innovation” principle, which is of major importance in the context of the “A Union of Innovation” Initiative, included in the Europe 2020 Strategy.
Keywords: European Union, SMEs, Small Business Act, skills and innovation.
JEL Classification: L25, L26, M10, M21, O10.

Introduction. On a long term Romania’s economic and social development potential looks quite promising thanks to the potential that SMEs pose and that must be encouraged and stimulated to capitalize current and potential business opportunities.

Aim of the study. The present paper gives an overview of Romanian SMEs within the European context, while analysing the number and proportion of firms and their employees, as well as the added value that the SMEs sector brings to economy. Similarly, the present paper analyses demographic evolution of SMEs and their density, regarded as a strategic indicator that reflects, from a quantitative perspective, the development stage of SMEs in Romania and in relation to the EU. The last section of the paper illustrates various aspects regarding the position that Romania occupies in the EC as to the implementation of the Small Business Act for Europe.
Keywords: SMEs, number of employees, added value, demographic evolution, density of SMEs, SBA for Europe.
JEL Classification: L25, L26, M10, M21, O10.

Introduction. Currently, the small and medium enterprises sector is a factor of sustainable development, with a significant contribution to GDP creation and providing jobs in most economies. Economic strategies and policies in the European Union, USA and Japan lay major emphasis on encouraging entrepreneurship and the development of the small and medium enterprises sector as a balancing factor at micro- and macroeconomic level.

Aim of the study. The paper approaches important issues on the small and medium enterprises sector as a vector of economic development in the contemporary period. It presents the SMEs delimitation criteria in the microeconomic landscape used in the European Union, USA and Japan. It also highlights the preoccupations manifested at European and world level in terms of promoting entrepreneurship activities, materialized in organizing summits and major events dedicated to small and medium enterprises, as well as in the operationalization of funding programs for them. The last part of this paper reflects issues related to the support SMEs receive at institutional level, emphasizing areas of assistance, support programs and services that various institutions and bodies offer to develop the small and medium sector.
Keywords: SMEs, defining criteria, financial support, institutional support, programs, areas of assistance.
JEL Classification: L25, L26, M10, M21, O10.

Introduction. The entrepreneur is one of the main pawns of a competitive market economy, as he creates and develops organizations, thereby contributing decisively to the strengthening of the small and medium enterprises sector in contemporary economies.

Aim of the study. This paper aims to addresses important issues regarding the economic dimension of the entrepreneurial phenomenon, showing that entrepreneurship also manifests itself in other spheres of human activity such as education, social interaction, culture, politics, etc. The paper summarizes the main coordinates that define the conceptual framework of the entrepreneur and, at the same time, it exposes and analyzes some of the most important qualities that an entrepreneur should have in order to cope with the current business environment successfully.
Keywords: entrepreneur, SMEs, entrepreneurial phenomenon, entrepreneurial environment.
JEL Classification: L26, M10, M21, O10.