Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677X.2019.1658532
Contributions of small and medium enterprises to employment in the European Union countries
Laura Južnik Rotar
; Faculty of Economics and Informatics, University of Novo mesto, Novo mesto, Slovenia
Roberta Kontošić Pamić
; Faculty of Economics and Tourism‘Dr. Mijo Mirkovi c’, Juraj Dobrila University of Pula, Pula, Croatia
Štefan Bojnec
; Faculty of Management, University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia
Abstract
The main aim of the research is to investigate whether small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) employment affects total European Union (EU-28) employment using panel data models during the 2005–2016 period. The panel econometric results con- firm the significant association between SMEs employment in ser- vice sectors and overall economy employment, whereas the effect of SMEs industry sectors employment was found insignificant. The results are robust in a spite of the fact that during the studied period the EU-28 countries experienced economic crisis suggest- ing the important role that SMEs can play in job creation and in reduction of unemployment even when macro-economic enabling environment might be less favourable.
Keywords
small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); employment; economic growth; European Union
Hrčak ID:
229658
URI
Publication date:
22.1.2019.
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