University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences
Abstract
Background and Purpose: In the life cycle of a firm, business transfer represents the critical stage of development. Underestimating the complexity and longevity of this process can have negative implications for firms, their owners and wide network of stakeholders. The aim of this paper is to compare the attitude towards business transfer of entrepreneurs aged 55 and more in Croatia and Finland and provide policy recommendations for improvement of the national business transfer ecosystems.
Methodology/Approach: Both surveys targeted entrepreneurs aged 55 and more using the same questionnaire, with some adjustments to Croatian business transfer ecosystem. Finish barometer was conducted through web-based survey among members of Federation of Finnish Enterprises. Survey in Croatia was conducted with combination of CATI and CAWI collection method by a professional data collection agency. Data collected was compared based on a demographic criterion, industry background, experience in business transfer, expected future of the company, support needed and biggest challenges.
Results: The research results indicated a growing number of entrepreneurs in Croatia who will be interested in selling their firm once they withdraw from the business and less than expected family business successions. In Finland the most important challenges are related to business valuation and finding a successor or a buyer.
Conclusion: For further development of business transfer ecosystem in Croatia it is recommended to focus on awareness raising activities, channels for matching sellers and buyers, promotion of takeover entrepreneurship and consultancy support for micro enterprises. In Finland results indicate the importance of investing continuous efforts in raising the effectiveness of the measures implemented.
Keywords: SMEs; business transfer; business transfer ecosystemOzadje in namen: V življenjskem ciklu podjetja prenos poslovanja podjetja predstavlja kritično stopnjo razvoja. Podcenjevanje kompleksnosti in dolgotrajnosti tega procesa lahko negativno vpliva na podjetja, njihove lastnike in široko mrežo zainteresiranih partnerjev. Cilj tega prispevka je primerjava odnosa do prenosa lastništva podjetnikov, starih 55 let ali več, na Hrvaškem in na Finskem, in oblikovanje priporočil za izboljšanje nacionalnih ekosistemov za prenos lastništva podjetij med generacijama.
Metodologija / pristop: Populacija, ki smo jo raziskovali, so podjetniki, stari 55 let in več. Uporabili smo vprašalnik, ki je bil naprej uporabljen na Finskem in ga delno prilagodili za hrvaški podjetniški ekosistem.. Raziskava na Hrvaškem je potekala s kombinacijo metode CATI in CAWI s strani profesionalne agencije za zbiranje podatkov. Zbrane podatke so primerjali na podlagi demografskega merila, industrijskega ozadja, izkušenj pri prenosu podjetij, pričakovane prihodnosti podjetja, potrebnih podpore in največjih izzivov.
Rezultati: Rezultati kažejo na vedno večje število podjetnikov na Hrvaškem, ki bodo zainteresirani za prodajo podjetja, ko se bodo umaknili iz poslovanja, in razmeroma malo tistih, ki pričakujejo, da bodo družinski dediči prevzeli podjetje. Na Finskem so najpomembnejši izzivi povezani z vrednotenjem podjetij in iskanjem primernega naslednika ali kupca.
Zaključek: Za nadaljnji razvoj poslovnega transfernega ekosistema na Hrvaškem priporočamo, da se osredotočimo na dejavnosti ozaveščanja načinov, ki bi olajšali prodajalcem najti primerne kupce, spodbujanje podjetništva pri prevzemih in svetovanje mikro podjetjem. Rezultati na Finskem kažejo, da je pomembno vlagati stalna prizadevanja za povečanje učinkovitosti že izvajanih ukrepov.
Ključne besede: mala in srednja podjetja; poslovni prenos; ekosistem za poslovni prenos podjeti
