Private Equity and the Competitiveness of Polish Enterprises

Abstract

The objective of the article is private equity and venture capital investments and their influence for companies activity. The article presents author’s own studies of the private equity investment influence for the enterprise activity. Comparing venture-backed firms and others shows, that venture-backed companies patent more than others firms and their ideas are higher technological and economic values. The vast majority of polish managers believe their company would not have existed or would have grown less rapidly without venture capital. Respondents also believe that venture capital funding encouraged employment, investment, R&D spending and export. An important source of empirical data are performed author’s own surveys and interviews with representatives of shareholding companies, as well as with private equity fund managers. Years of research: 1998-2009. The study used several research methods: a descriptive method, the method of comparative analysis, using the method of critical analysis and synthesis applications.