Suchergebnisse

There are a number of factors that can hinder the path of entrepreneurship development and the literature highlighted the fact that taxes are one of the most important barriers for entrepreneurs. This paper aims at identifying the relationship between tax rates and entrepreneurship and to establish the impact of tax rates on entrepreneurs considering their motivations (necessity, opportunity or improvement-driven opportunity). The research focuses on a sample of 46 countries grouped according to their income level, for a period of eight years (2012-2019). In order to test our hypotheses, we use multiple linear regression based on balanced panel data and we consider, as dependent variables, indicators that measure entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial motivations (early-stage entrepreneurial activity, necessity-driven entrepreneurs, opportunity-driven entrepreneurs, improvement-driven opportunity entrepreneurs, and motivational index). As independent variables, we consider indicators that measure the tax rates supported by entrepreneurs (total tax and contribution rate, profit tax, labor tax and contributions, and other taxes payable by businesses). The results show that tax rates play a key role in fostering the creation of new companies. Moreover, the impact is different, depending on the entrepreneurs' motivations. Entrepreneurs motivated by necessity are positively related to total tax and contribution rate, while those motivated by opportunity are negatively related with this indicator. Therefore, tax rates discourage the entrepreneurs that seek innovation, but they do not affect those that do not have other options to obtain the necessary income for living.

The aim of our paper is to identify how entrepreneurs from European Union (EU) countries use information and communications technologies (ICTs) in their business activities. We also propose to identify if there are differences in the use of ICTs by entrepreneurs, according to level of economic development of EU countries. In order to achieve these goals, we analyse a sample of EU countries, by including them into two groups, according to the stage of their economic development. For analysing the data, we use several methods (the logical-constructive method, comparative methods and benchmarking). The benchmarking method helps us to estimate indicators at country level and to compare them between countries. Our results indicate that e-entrepreneurship in developed countries is more advanced compared to developing countries. There are also significant differences regarding the use of informational technologies between types of firms by their size. Small enterprises use in a lower proportion ICTs in their activity compared with large firms. Through the content of our research, we emphasize that in order to adapt to the rapid changing environment and also to the changes in the consumer's behaviour the enterprises should focus on introducing the ICTs in their activity to face the competition. Also, government policies should pay more attention to supporting development of information technology infrastructure.

To increase competitiveness, a country has to outperform its competitors in terms of research and innovation, entrepreneurship, competition, and education. In this paper, we aim to test the relationship between the quality of entrepreneurial activity and the economic competitiveness for the European Union countries by using panel data estimation techniques. Our research considers a sample of 28 EU countries over the period 2011-2017. For the empirical investigation we apply panel data regression models. The results obtained show that business, macroeconomic environment and the quality of entrepreneurship are significant determinants of economic competitiveness of EU countries. Thus, we identify significant positive relations between innovation rate, inflation rate, FDI and economic competitiveness, and significant negative relations between expectations regarding job creation, tax rate, costs and competitiveness. Our study completes the literature by analyzing the relationship between the quality of entrepreneurship and the competitiveness of countries, for an extensive sample formed by all the 28 countries members of the European Union for a period of seven recent years.

Entrepreneurship is considered a significant determinant for the economic development of a country but is also important for new job creation and innovation. Understanding and examining the factors which affect the decision of individuals to become entrepreneurs play a significant role for the decision makers in order to identify the adequate measures that can support and develop the entrepreneurial activity. The main purpose of this paper is to identify the key factors that determine entrepreneurial motivations of individuals, but also to analyze empirically the impact of these factors for a sample of 18 countries members of the European Union, for a period between 2002 and 2015. We performed our empirical analysis using data offered by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor and the World Bank. We used panel data regression models. As dependent variables for our econometric models, we used, alternatively, total entrepreneurial activity rate, necessity driven entrepreneurial activity, and opportunity-driven entrepreneurial activity. As regards the independent variables considered, we took into account six macroeconomic indicators and four indicators which measure the perceptions and attitudes regarding entrepreneurship. The results of the panel data regression models show that the entrepreneurial motivations are influenced by the level of economic development of a country and total tax rate (only necessity entrepreneurs), unemployment rates, inflation rates and access to financial resources. Also, all the considered perceptual indicators (fear of failure, entrepreneurial intentions, perceived capabilities, and opportunities) have a significant effect on entrepreneurship according to its motivation, but these effects differ according to the motivation of individuals. Overall, this paper emphasizes that the economic conditions from an EU country but also the perception of entrepreneurs are important determinants of entrepreneurial motivation.

The Central and Eastern European countries have experienced significant imbalances starting with 2008 that have affected their business environment profoundly. Thus, the firms operating in the region have faced, and continue to face, difficulties and major challenges. Through this paper we aim at analyzing the key indicators that characterize the business environment of a country, and by analyzing their values through time, we want to compare the situation from ten countries from CEE. We analyzed the indicators for a period of eight years, between 2007 and 2014. This period presents interest because it comprises the period of the recent financial crisis. By using indicators characterizing the business environment we analyze the ease of doing business, but also the ease of getting credit, domestic credit to private sector and reforms adopted in order to improve the access to credit by the CEE countries. We also analyze the time needed to start a business and the regulations regarding start-ups, which may encourage or discourage the new firms to enter the market. The results obtained show that the CEE countries are starting to recover from the current financial crisis, but are still lagging behind the developed countries of the European Union. However, the business environment has registered a series of improvements in the majority of the analyzed countries in the last two years, improving especially the areas of starting a business, getting a credit and paying taxes.

Our paper is analyzing the theoretical and empirical research in the field of competitiveness and it presents the methodology of determining the global competitiveness index. Also, our paper is analyzing the evolution of the global competitiveness index in the Member States of the European Union, in the last years. The results obtained show that more than half of European Union Member States recorded an increase in the global competitiveness index on the account of the basic influence factors. With the exception of six countries (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, France, Italy, Malta), the European Union countries show a favorable influence of the efficiency on the index of global competitiveness. The highest contribution of the efficiency on the increase of global competitiveness is recorded in Portugal, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania and Bulgaria; on the opposite side is Malta, Cyprus and Germany. Regarding the influence of innovation, only three countries have recorded a negative impact of the innovation on the global competitiveness index: Finland, Spain and Austria. On the other hand Romania, Cyprus and Portugal show the highest favorable effect of innovation on the competitiveness.