Several research studies concur with the claim that the government, through its measures and active instruments, should influence the business environment, the innovation activity of enterprises and thus their competitiveness. It is the creation of motivating conditions and the elimination of some barriers that are the main area of government involvement in the innovative performance and competitiveness of the economy. The article analyzes the achievement of the goals set in the particular innovation policies of the Slovak Republic from 2008 to the present. The paper also identifies barriers which have been affecting innovation activities of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Slovakia for the last six years. Secondary data from the research of the Slovak Innovation and Energy Agency are supported by data from empirical research performed in 2014 and repeated in 2017 in Slovakia. The authors use methods of analysis, comparison, deduction, as well as mathematical methods for processing the data collected. The representativeness of the samples was examined using Fisher's exact test. The research questions were answered by the non-parametric Friedman's test of variance analysis by ranks along with McNemar's test of marginal homogeneity among the barriers. The results confirmed that there was a significant difference among the innovation barriers to SMEs as well as in the importance of barriers to the particular size classes of respondents. Similarly, there was a shift in the rank of the most important barriers over the period of 2012-2017.
A B S T R A C T Clusters became an integral part of regional policies intended to build and strengthen competitive advantages within specifically identified geographical areas. They are still considered crucial for economic development and employment, although their orientation has slightly changed as the distance and geographical boundaries lost their importance. This article analyses crucial regional data that indicates potentially beneficial economic concentrations as an assumption for the preparation of prospective clusters in Slovakia. Potential clusters were identified based on significant employment concentrations of particular regional industries that appear extraordinary when compared with national employment and the dynamic development within the selected time frame. Prospective clusters were identified, and opportunities of their development were described, including the harmonisation with the current regional and urban strategy. Analysing absolute and relative quantities in employment, sections and divisions of SK NACE were used for the proper identification of industries. The location quotient served as a tool for the spatial concentration of employment in the Banská Bystrica region, the threshold value for the selection of cluster candidates was set to 2. The shift-share analysis was used for the identification of long-term changes in employment, and 10% of the most dynamic industries were presented at the level of divisions once and then, at the level of sections of SK NACE. Forestry and logging, the manufacture of wood products and the manufacture of basic metals were confirmed by both methods as significant concentrations. The result partially corresponded with the previously active and currently inactive cluster in Banská Bystrica, which was focused on mechanical engineering, still significant when considering numbers of companies and employees as well as sales. Forestry was the most concentrated industry, while the wholesale and retail trades were the most dynamic. Forestry, logging and manufacture of wood products might be strongly interlinked with the current entrepreneurial and social strategy of self-governing regions that is still at the stage of potential cluster identification and fitting to its priorities. The article assumed basic quantitative methods utilised for the identification of prospective clusters. It confirmed the practicality of their application, the gravity of data processing and also certain possible limitations due to the extraordinary focus on the employment concentration. According to the analysis and gained results, the former cluster in the Banská Bystrica region was confirmed as the potentially significant actor in the regional policy (although, currently, having no industrial or public interest) and the new cluster candidates were identified. Outcomes indicated the need to continue the research with a more detailed examination of qualitative aspects that could complete the effort by focusing on clusters not only having higher employment statistics but also the supp...
Cluster concept is considered to be a very important development factor in the structure of national economies in all EU countries. It is believed that dynamic clusters enhance the competition and regional innovation. The aim of the article is to present the results of own empirical research devoted to the analysis and evaluation of present state in technological clustering in Slovakia. The stress will be given to finding out what are the main factors affecting the activities of technological clusters in Slovakia and to identify main problems and barriers in their operation. On the basis of research results will be formulated the basic presumptions for development of technological clusters in Slovakia. For the research purposes we will utilize results of own empirical research as well as evaluation of relevant secondary data. Keywords: Technological clusters, activities of technological clusters, barriers of clusters development, the Slovak Republic, presumptions for development of technological clusters;
Positive influence of industrial clusters on regional development, employment, productivity and innovations is obvious, thus the development of new clusters is still actual topic. The article focuses on the identification of new clusters in Slovak regions and statistically determines the most perspective ones, as the potential of clusters in Slovakia has not been fulfilled yet and lags behind all neighbouring countries. Article uses national and regional employment data and quantifies the regional and industrial share of businesses on the total employment, both in Slovakia and in each industry sector. The methodology relies on static shift-share analysis in order to quantify the dynamic shift in employment over the middle-term period. From identified sectors only those, which recorded the most dynamic regional contribution towards the change in employment, are presented. Potential clusters in each region are compared with existing cluster network in order to find coincidence between the cluster possibilities and regional strategies. Keywords: Shift-share analysis, cluster, employment, region;
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