Abstract:

Small and medium-sized enterprises are an important part of the spectrum of companies in most countries in the world. Within developed economies, this category of enterprises is considered to be the most flexible, most efficient, most progressive, and thus also the most important part of the economy, and thus pay maximum attention to the state of small and medium-sized enterprises and constantly take measures for its development. It is necessary to support small and medium-sized enterprises in the Slovak Republic as part of the overall economic strategy. Due to their flexibility and adaptability, small and medium-sized enterprises can adapt quickly to market requirements and play a significant role in job creation. The group of these companies can also include startups as start-ups, which bring to the market mainly new ideas and innovations. The article aims to describe theoretically and practically the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises for the country's economy, specifically for the Republic of Slovenia, through selected indicators. The article also characterizes the individual functions of the selected category of companies. The methods used are in particular the analysis method of scientific comparison. The result of the article is an evaluation of the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises for the economy of the selected country based on a theatrical basis through indicators of employment and earnings that enterprises achieve.