Entrepreneurship development vs. reluctance in applying for the European Union funds: A case study on the example of the Mazovian Region in Poland

Abstract

Abstract:The main objective of the article is to investigate why entrepreneurs from the Mazovian region are not eager to apply for the EU funds. The authors asked the following research questions: Why are the entrepreneurs reluctant to apply for the EU funds? How (if) has the situation changed comparing the 2007-2013 and the 2014-2020 perspectives? What should be changed from the side of the EU perspective? In the research a qualitative method -direct interview with entrepreneurs -was used. 171 entrepreneurs were interviewed. Purposive sampling was used. The authors chose the companies, which fulfilled the following conditions: they were interested in applying for the EU funds; they had experience in getting support from the European Union; they perceive themselves as "innovative". All enterprises were from the Mazovian region in Poland. It was stated that a large number of companies wants to apply for the EU funds, but they cannot do it due to many factors such as the necessity to include own funds; no interest to participate in any project; the willingness to purchase the apparatus or appliance or too high bureaucracy. The best way to make the EU funds available for the companies is to meet their problems and expectations first. It should be done in the form of consultations between the government and business world. Such consultations would bring ideas, which topics should be included into the proposed programmes. The originality of this work lies in studying factors, which make the entrepreneurs from the Mazovian region impossible to apply for the EU funds. It is very important to recognise them as the 2014-2020 perspective offers a huge amount of money, which could be well spent by the entrepreneurs, if they managed with hampering factors.