THE BEHAVIOUR OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES IN POLAND UNDER THE CRISIS

Abstract

At the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century the global economy was affected by another acute crisis with a negative economic and social impact. The aftermath of the crisis was also the worsening of the conditions for the functioning of companies. The conditions have become even more challenging for small enterprises, by definition weaker entities with relatively smaller competitive potential. Hence a question arises about how Polish SME sector companies react to the global economic crisis. Based on the results of the survey conducted, the article seeks to provide the answer to this question as well as to achieve an empirical objective which is to identify specific actions undertaken by Polish small and medium-sized enterprises under the crisis, which are also a manifestation of their defensive behaviours.