Dimensions Of Entrepreneurial Activity: The Case Of Slovenia

Abstract

Even though the Slovenian economic development policy is forcing the development of fast-growing enterprises, there is still a significant gap between the vision of highly-developed entrepreneurship and Slovenian entrepreneurial reality. Increasing rate of environmental change, technological complexity, globalization and many other challenges of modern economy are continuously forcing the developed countries to seek comparative advantages mainly in their human resources in the trained, educated, flexible and self-confident workforce. Well educated people, possessing entrepreneurial skills and characteristics are initiators of high-tech and dynamic entrepreneurship, which is without doubt the main factor of development. In spite of the fact that the Slovenian economic development policy is forcing the development of high-tech and knowledge-based enterprises, there is still the significant gap between the vision of highly-developed entrepreneurship and Slovenian entrepreneurial reality. Considering the fact, that Slovenia is still far away from ideal entrepreneurial society in which entrepreneurship is the way of life for the majority of its population, this paper discusses dimensions of entrepreneurial activity, the main obstacles of entrepreneurial activity in Slovenia and the following hypotheses: (1) Slovenia needs to expand its entrepreneurial activity, especially high-tech, knowledge-based and dynamic entrepreneurship to compete successfully on the European market, (2) entrepreneurial culture in Slovenia is rather low; the psychological profile of Slovenian entrepreneurs is closer to profile of employees than to dynamic entrepreneurs. As the entrepreneurial activity is a major feature showing the development of certain economy, the main aim of this study is to highlight the entrepreneurial activity in Slovenia and consequently to give suggestions for improving and developing current entrepreneurial situation. A vital task of the Slovenian entrepreneurial policy at the beginning of the 21st century is to set up a learning organization platform in small and medium enterprises, thus enabling their growth and sustainable comparative advantage. Moreover, the greatest challenge is to change the peoples attitudes - building entrepreneurial culture in striving to move Slovenian economy towards the knowledge-based society.