Freelancing in Croatia: Differences among Regions, Company Sizes, Industries and Markets

Abstract

Background: Freelancers have a significant impact on economic growth due to their specific skills that are nowadays often used as complements to the regular full-time workforce of a company, not as their competition. Objectives: The study aims to investigate employers’ attitudes towards the employment of freelancers in Croatia, taking into account the place of establishment, the operational market, the size, and the industry of the organization hiring freelancers. Methods/Approach: Differences among organizations according to their attitudes towards freelancers are analyzed by multiple 2xc Fisher’s exact tests with the Monte Carlo Simulation, and binomial logistic regression analysis. Results: Significant differences are found in terms of the operational market and the industry in which the company operates. Besides, the binomial logistic regression analysis identified the following independent constructs as significant predictors of hiring freelancers: the region of the company’s seat, company size, and area of operation. Conclusions: The national legislation should complement the developmental policies to encourage employment and especially self-employment of freelancers.