The impact of\ndemographic changes on society is profound. Demographic processes in developed\ncountries (ageing population) are evident. This happens for a number of\nreasons. In the case of the Slovak Republic, population ageing is faster than\nin other European countries. The ageing trend is also reflected in the change\nin the structure of the economically active population. While in 2005 there\nwere approximately 194 thousand people in the territory of the Slovak Republic aged\n55 and over, in 2008 there were more than 449 thousand in the same age cohort.\nCurrent population projections are not favourable either. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The issue of an\nageing population can also be seen as an opportunity. There are several ways to\nsupport or retain seniors in the labour market. The common goal of these\nmeasures is to promote the potential of seniors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The current\nconsensus in society is that seniors possess considerable knowledge, skills or\nabilities. In recent years, attention has been paid to promoting the active\nparticipation of seniors in the labour market. Therefore, supporting the\nentrepreneurial activity of seniors, especially in the area of transferring\nexperience, is not unknown. However, its intensity and the extent to which\nsupport measures have been built vary from country to country. The challenge in\nthis area remains the adoption of supportive policies to enable individuals to\nremain active for longer, including through entrepreneurship. At the same time,\nthere is a need for more dynamic education to inform about the opportunities\nand benefits that entrepreneurship can have for seniors. Adoption of best\npractices that reflect the involvement of seniors in entrepreneurial activity\nat EU level should aim at improving the exploitation of the potential of senior\nentrepreneurs at national level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Senior\nentrepreneurship is becoming part of the so-called inclusive entrepreneurship\nin society. On the positive side within the EU, individuals aged 50 and over\nare increasingly choosing to start their own business. There are a number of\nreasons to support the target group from an entrepreneurial perspective both\nbefore and during retirement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Promoting the\npotential of seniors has an impact not only on the individuals (entrepreneurs)\nthemselves, but also on society as a whole. Even though they may not\nnecessarily create innovative and high-growth businesses, they can still\ninfluence a country’s economic growth. Ensuring the so-called active ageing\npopulation is considered one of the EU’s strategic priorities. In this respect,\nit is crucial to highlight the opportunities that entrepreneurship brings for\nthose approaching retirement age or those who are already of retirement age. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Slovakia, in\nterms of development tendencies of the share of active natural persons aged 55\nand over, entrepreneurial activity decreases with increasing age. This trend is\nalso true for start-ups. In general, the age structure of active natural\npersons – entrepreneurs in Slovakia corresponds to the current global\ntrends related to the widening gap in entrepreneurship, as fewer persons aged\n55 and over are currently starting their own business (compared to other age\ncategories). In terms of the representation of active natural persons –\nentrepreneurs aged 55 and over in the different legal forms, they are the most represented\namong self-employed peasants (more than 30 % in all age categories of\nactive natural persons – entrepreneurs). A more detailed structure of the\nmonitored age cohort pointed to the fact that within the group of active\nnatural persons – entrepreneurs aged 55 and over, the legal form of sole\ntraders was the most represented among natural persons – entrepreneurs aged 55\nand over. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In terms of\nregional representation, the target group of natural persons – entrepreneurs is\nmost represented in the Bratislava Region. The regional age structure\ncorresponds to the results of the Establishment Index, which showed that the\nelderly group outperforms the young group in the regions. From the results it\ncan be concluded that seniors have real economic potential. The social attitude\nof seniors towards entrepreneurship as a suitable career choice can be said to\nbe above average. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the other\nhand, there is a low level of implemented measures to support senior\nentrepreneurship, with a relatively low level of infrastructure in place to\nsupport senior entrepreneurship start-ups. The question therefore remains to\nwhat extent the simultaneously widening business gap will be taken into\naccount.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to\nopportunities for increasing know-how transfer, the selected initiatives\ndiscussed in the analytical document also tell us about ways to raise awareness\nof the entrepreneurial activity of start-up entrepreneurs – seniors. One of the\nmain areas of interest in this respect is the more dynamic involvement of\npeople after retirement age or even earlier, i.e. in the period before\nretirement. Therefore, senior entrepreneurship generally already applies to\npeople aged 50 and over who are deciding to start a business, or are in the\nprocess of setting up a business, or have already set up a business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are the\nso-called “push” and “pull” factors in senior\nentrepreneurship that can influence on the decision of individuals in their\nsenior years to start a business. These “push” factors include labour\nmarket disadvantages or age discrimination. “Pull” factors include,\nfor example, individuals’ positive perceptions of entrepreneurial\nopportunities, but also a desire for independence. It can also be a desire to\nfulfil “lifelong dreams”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The in-depth\ninterviews conducted provided a more detailed picture of the motives,\nopportunities, perceived risks and barriers, as well as attitudes towards\nknow-how transfer on the part of the target group interviewed. It should be\nnoted that the implementation of the in-depth interviews captured the ongoing\nsituation with COVID-19. On the one hand, it brings opportunities, but at the\nsame time it jeopardises the strengthening of the necessary infrastructure. The\nimplementation of the in-depth interviews resulted in a qualitative analysis\nwith practical recommendations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the positive\nside, there is a growing positive awareness in society as a whole of the\nopportunities for entrepreneurship even at an older age, and it will be\nessential that the level of intensity of this awareness increases over time.\nStrengthening the entrepreneurial activity of seniors or their support has not\nonly a positive impact on regional development, but also an impact on the\ndevelopment of the economy as a whole. The so-called spillover effects in the\narea of know-how transfer and networking are an important strength. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In order to\nfacilitate entrepreneurship or self-employment of the target group, it is\nnecessary that the policy supporting the entrepreneurial activity of persons\naged 55 and over develops a favourable entrepreneurial environment. Qualitative\nanalysis has shown that building an entrepreneurial environment does not\nnecessarily mean creating specific supporting infrastructures. It appears that\nit will be important to increase entrepreneurial skills, develop and support\nsystems of guidance services and mentoring for the target group in their\nentrepreneurial beginnings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Local and regional support will also be\nkey. It will also be necessary to continue to reduce the generally excessive\nadministrative burden and to simplify some legislation. For example, tax or\nlevy concessions and, on the part of commercial banks, the provision of soft\nloans (partly with state support) can help stimulate business start-ups at an\nolder age.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The impact of demographic changes on society is profound. Demographic processes in developed countries (ageing population) are evident. This happens for a number of reasons. In the case of the Slovak Republic, population ageing is faster than in other European countries. The ageing trend is also reflected in the change in the structure of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2872,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-5853","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news"},"yoast_head":"\n