Regional Context of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises’ Development : Case Study of Southern Poland

The paper verifies the existence of relations between development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the particular factors of regional environment as well as demographic parameters of entrepreneurs and their enterprises. SMEs localized in Southern Poland in accordance with NUTS -1 nomenclature, which is made of two voivodeships: Lesser Poland (Małopolska) and Silesia (Śląsk), are research subjects. The main aim of the research is indication factors of regional environment which have stimulating and/or restrictive influence on SMEs development. These factors, having varied character, range and meaning, create conditions for SMEs development in a given region. The dissertation tries also to assess regional environment behaviour as well as indicate desirable directions of its changes. The study of literature including over 300 bibliographic positions as well as synthesis of conducted theoretical considerations allowed to formulate three main and twelve working hypotheses, which were statistically verified. The results of own empirical research can be used on theoretical (as inspiration to further research in this range), as well as practical field (as basis of changes for local decision-makers while creating regional business environment). The undertaken research problem has pragmatic character.Desirable directions of changes in regional business environment of small and medium-sized enterprises in Southern Poland especially including regional institutional environment as well as local policy in favour of small and medium-sized enterprises were determined on the basis of own empirical research results. The results contained in the dissertation can be used by regional business environment institutions, as empirical material made up the basis for forming recommendations directed to local decision-makers