The importance of small and medium-sized enterprises in the economies of Central and Eastern Europe
Keywords:
Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), innovation, economic growthSynopsis
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) represent a fundamental component of the economic systems of Central and Eastern European countries. Their significance is manifested in generating employment, stimulating regional development, and enhancing competitiveness in increasingly globalized markets. Despite structural and institutional differences across the region, SMEs contribute substantially to GDP growth, innovation potential, and socio-economic transformation. In particular, they have played a pivotal role in the post-transition period, fostering entrepreneurship, flexibility, and adaptability to dynamic market conditions. Furthermore, SMEs act as important drivers of sustainable development by supporting local communities, advancing technological progress, and promoting integration with international markets. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the role and importance of SMEs in the economies of Central and Eastern Europe, with special emphasis on their contribution to long-term economic growth and socio-economic resilience.
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Lichtarski, J. (2001). Nauka o przedsiębiorstwie. Wrocław: Wydawnictwo AE.
Article 551 of the Polish Civil Code. Available at: https://isap.sejm.gov.pl Last accessed: 30.08.2025
Kutschker, M.; Corsten, H., Reiß, M. (Eds.) (1995). Konzepte und Strategien der Internationalisierung. Handbuch Unternehmensführung. Wiesbaden.
ROZPORZĄDZENIE KOMISJI (WE) NR 70/2001 z dnia 12 stycznia 2001 r. w sprawie zastosowania art. 87 i 88 Traktatu WE w odniesieniu do pomocy państwa dla małych i średnich przedsiębiorstw (2001). Dziennik Urzędowy Unii Europejskiej, 2 (8), 142–150. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/PL/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32001R0070 Last accessed: 30.08.2025
Puchalska, K., Majka, A. (2021). Internacjonalizacja przedsiębiorstw sektora MSP. Istota – Formy – Bariery. Rzeszów: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Rzeszowskiego, 162.
Buczkowski, B., Kłysik-Urysek A., Kuna-Marszałek, A., Świerkocki, J. (2015). Polskie inwestycje bezpośrednie. Doświadczenia przedsiębiorstw regionu łódzkiego. Łódź: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego. https://doi.org/10.18778/7969-703-8
Johanson, J., Vahlne, J.-E. (2009). The Uppsala internationalization process model revisited: From liability of foreignness to liability of outsidership. Journal of International Business Studies, 40 (9), 1411–1431. https://doi.org/10.1057/jibs.2009.24
Gorynia, M., Jankowska, B. (2007). The Internationalization Theories of the Firm: A Short Review. Gospodarka Narodowa, 219 (10), 21–44. https://doi.org/10.33119/gn/101377
Du, J., Zhu, S., Li, W. H. (2022). Innovation through internationalization: A systematic review and research agenda. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 40 (3), 1217–1251. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10490-022-09814-z
Üner, M. M., Cigdemoglu, C., Wang, Y., Yalcin, A., Cavusgil, S. T. (2022). A review of the evolving conceptualization of internationalization from a global value chain perspective. Review of International Business and Strategy, 33 (4), 549–580. https://doi.org/10.1108/ribs-05-2022-0053
Dewey, J. (2025). Internationalization (economics). EBSCO Research Starters. Available at: https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/diplomacy-and-international-relations/internationalization-economics
Welch, L. S., Luostarinen, R. (1988). Internationalization: Evolution of a Concept. Journal of General Management, 14 (2), 34–55. https://doi.org/10.1177/030630708801400203
Hilmersson, M., Pourmand Hilmersson, F., Chetty, S., Schweizer, R. (2023). Pace of innovation and speed of small and medium-sized enterprise international expansion. International Small Business Journal: Researching Entrepreneurship, 41 (2), 181–203. https://doi.org/10.1177/02662426221085193
Rogaczewski, R. (2025). The role and level of internationalization of transnational corporations in globalization processes. Management, 1, 927–939. https://doi.org/10.58691/man/208188
Coldwell, D., Venter, R., Joosub, T., Duh, H. (2022). The Tension between SMEs’ Growth and Sustainability in Emerging and Developed Countries’ Internationalization: Towards a Conceptual Model. Sustainability, 14 (8), 4418. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084418
Fernández-Mesa, A., Alegre, J. (2015). Entrepreneurial orientation and export intensity: Examining the interplay of organizational learning and innovation. International Business Review, 24 (1), 148–156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2014.07.004
Rogaczewski, R. (2025). The process of internationalization and methods of measuring it in business activities. Zeszyty Naukowe Wyższej Szkoły Humanitas Zarządzanie, 26 (1), 119–133. https://doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0055.1175
Goujard, A., Guérin, P. (2021). Boosting SMEs’ internationalization in Poland. OECD Economics Department Working Papers, No. 1654. https://doi.org/10.1787/2e3b6edd-en
Katsina’s, A., Lagüera-González, J., Di Bella, L., Odenthal, L., Hell, M., Lozar, B. (2024). Annual Report on European SMEs 2023/2024. Luxemburg: Publications Office of the European Union. https://doi.org/10.2826/355464
Strengthening FDI and SME Linkages in Poland (2025). Paris OECD Publishing.
Raport o stanie sektora małych i średnich przedsiębiorstw w Polsce (2023). Polska Agencja Rozwoju Przedsiębiorczości. Available at: https://www.parp.gov.pl/storage/publications/pdf/ROSS_2023_scalony_ost_popr.pdf
Działalność przedsiębiorstw posiadających jednostki zagraniczne w 2023 r. (2025). Warszawa: Główny Urząd Statystyczny.
European Innovation Scoreboard (2025). Available at: https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/statistics/performance-indicators/european-innovation-scoreboard_en Last accessed: 31.08.2025
Britchenko, I., Cherniavska, T., Cherniavskyi, B. (2018). Blockchain technology into the logistics supply. Development of small and medium enterprises: the EU and east-partnership countries experience. Tarnobrzeg: Wydawnictwo Państwowej Wyższej Szkoły Zawodowej im. prof. Stanisława Tarnowskiego w Tarnobrzegu, 307–317. Available at: https://philpapers.org/archive/BRIBTI-2.pdf
Text Identifier of this Chapter
Chapter 2
Published
September 30, 2025
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Copyright (c) 2026 Robert Rogaczewski
How to Cite
Rogaczewski, R. (2025). The importance of small and medium-sized enterprises in the economies of Central and Eastern Europe. In R. Rogaczewski, L. Kononenko, V. Savchenko, A. Karnaushenko, Y. Hlavatska, O. Abramova, S. Kononenko, N. Sysolina, I. Sysolina, V. Amosov, S. Nisfoyan, O. Chumachenko, & R. Kisilov, In press. Management of technology and innovation. Scientific Route OÜ®. https://monograph.route.ee/rout/catalog/book/management_of_technology_and_innovation/chapter/169
