MEASURES SUPPORTING ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN SLOVAK SMES IN THE MOST VULNERABLE INDUSTRIES IN TIMES OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The anti-pandemic measures taken to prevent the spread of the coronavirus has slowed down the economic activities of many businesses. Particularly vulnerable are SMEs in industries hardest hit by the crisis. These are SMEs which, due to the nature of their activities, have seen their operations severely restricted or even had to shut down during the pandemic. Key to ensure their survival are government support measures. The aim of the paper is to find out whether there is a dependence between the industry in which SMEs operate and measures to support entrepreneurship in most vulnerable industries during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovakia and to assess whether the measures adopted by the government correspond to those proposed by SMEs in these industries. For the analysis, data from a survey conducted by the Slovak Business Agency in November 2020 on a sample of 1,109 Slovak SMEs were used. We identified the dependence of the above two characteristics, i.e., the industry and the support measures (distinguishing between measures implemented and measures proposed by SMEs) using the statistical analysis. To verify the correlation between the implemented measure and industry, the chi-squared test of independence was used. To determine whether the support measures adopted by the Slovak Government correspond to those proposed by SMEs, we used the correlation analysis, comparison and synthesis. The results confirmed no major differences between the type of industry and measures proposed by SMEs. Some minimal differences were identified in the most vulnerable industries (accommodation and catering). SMEs negatively assess that their views were not sufficiently taken into account when the measures were adopted by the Slovak Government and that they contain a number of exceptions and conditions under which the aid is provided. Irrespective of the type of industry, SMEs particularly call for the reduction or partial remission of levies, increase in the fixed cost allowance and in flat-rate aid calculated on the basis of the decrease in sales.