FINANCIAL AND OTHER OBSTACLES OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES IN SLOVENIA IN TIMES OF ECONOMIC CRISIS

V magistrskem delu smo preučevali vpliv plačilne nediscipline na poslovanje malih in srednje velikih podjetij v Sloveniji v letu 2014. Ta skupina podjetij opravlja v poslovnem okolju zelo pomembno vlogo na področju gospodarske rasti in zaposlovanja. Zaradi svoje majhnosti so velikokrat v podrejenem položaju in se zato dodatno soočajo s številnimi ovirami. Od leta 2008 pa se tako kot drugi gospodarski subjekti soočajo s poostrenimi gospodarskimi razmerami, ki dodatno vplivajo na poslabšanje finančnega stanja. Z namenom preučevanja trenutnega stanja smo v začetku leta 2015 izvedli raziskavo, ki smo jo opravili na izbranem vzorcu v Sloveniji registriranih MSP ob koncu leta 2014. Z raziskavo smo preverjali eno temeljno hipotezo in pet podhipotez. Z analizo rezultatov raziskave smo postavljeno hipotezo H1 ‒ več kot 50 % anketiranih MSP v Sloveniji kot temeljno oviro pri poslovanju v času gospodarske krize navaja plačilno nedisciplino ‒ potrdili. V okvirju preverjanja podhipotez smo ugotovili, da je obremenjenost podjetji s plačilno nedisciplino ista ne glede na velikost podjetja in starost podjetja, pomemben dejavnik pa predstavlja dejavnost, v katerem podjetje deluje. Podjetja, ki delujejo v gradbeništvu, so bila plačilni nedisciplini bolj izpostavljena. Dodatno smo v okvirju potrjevanja podhipotez ugotovili, da vrsta ovire pri poslovanju in uspešnost poslovanja podjetja v zadnjih 12 mesecih nista povezana in da tudi izbrani viri financiranja podjetja niso povezani z uspešnostjo poslovanja v zadnjih 12 mesecih. Z izvedeno raziskavo smo analizirali stanje v MSP v Sloveniji v letu 2014, ugotavljali, na katerih področjih so imela ta podjetja največje težave in analizirali, kako velik je bil njihov vpliv. V magistrskem delu smo predstavili tudi rezultate podobnih raziskav iz preteklih let, kar nam je omogočilo primerjavo tudi s predkriznim obdobjem.In this thesis, we studied the impact of payment defaults on the operations of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Slovenia in 2014. This group of companies engaged in the business environment performs a very important role in economic growth and employment. Because of their small size they are often at a disadvantage and therefore face many additional obstacles. Since 2008, however, like other economic operators SMEs are faced with tighter economic conditions that are further affecting the deteriorating financial situation. For the purpose of studying the current situation we carried out own study in the beginning of 2015, which was conducted on a selected sample of SMEs registered in Slovenia at the end of 2014. The research examined one fundamental hypothesis and five sub-hypotheses. By analyzing the survey results, we confirmed the hypothesis H1 - more than 50% of the surveyed SMEs in Slovenia indicate late payments as a fundamental obstacle for business in times of economic crisis. By analyzing the five sub hypotheses we found that the impact of payment indiscipline is the same regardless of company size and age of the company. An important factor represents the activity in which the company operates. Companies operating in the construction sector have been more vulnerable to lack of payment discipline. With other sub hypotheses we determined that the kind of obstacles in operations and performance of a company are not related. Selected financial sources of companies are not related to the performance of the business in last 12 months as well. Through our own research we analyzed the state of SMEs in Slovenia in 2014, we found areas in which they have the greatest obstacles and analyzed the importance and size of their impact. In the beginning we presented the results of the surveys from previous years that we included in our own research while compared with pre-crisis and crisis periods