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Republic of Croatia is in situation that the last chapter in negotiations for approaching to the European Union soon will be closed, and the referendum of approaching to the European Union will be announced. In this period different stakeholders on the field have many challenges in conducting of their daily business, but at the same time they are in opportunity to use available European Union funds. Through this paper is presented the research of the position of small and medium enterprises in Croatia, with special overview on those in Pozega Slavonia County. Position of the enterprises is researched from an aspect of readiness and ability of using the European Union funds, from the aspect of their own potential and (non)used opportunities. Briefly, it is aim to identify situation, to define both: challenges that enterprises are facing and concrete guidelines to cope with that challenges.
The research is primarily based on the interview with representatives of all the companies that have visited the Regional Development Agency in Pozega Slavonia County in the period of 18 months. Beside that, with help of the Chamber of Commerce was made survey about perception of the European Union funds from the local SMEs. Also, with intention to better define position of the SMEs, different relevant statistics sources and official reports were used.
The conclusion of the research is that the SMEs want and need money from the European Union funds, but or they have not clear strategy in sense how to reach to this money, or they don't have recourses, or in the worst case, they don't have nor strategy nor resources. The paper concludes with guidelines which are telling to the owners and managers of these enterprises what changes do they need and should do, in order to take the highest possible funding from the EU funds, and thereby improve its position and the position of the whole socio-economic environment in which they work and live. |
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