Business environment of SMEs in the Slovak Republic in the context of evaluation of international and domestic institutions

Small and medium-sized enterprises play an important and irreplaceable role in the market economy. A key condition for their functioning and further development is a high-quality business environment. The study purpose is to evaluate the business environment in the Slovak Republic according to selected specialized international and domestic assessments. The most frequently used methods include qualitative and quantitative research, thanks to which a more comprehensive view of various areas and specifics of the business environment can be obtained. This article is based on selected quantitative surveys. Findings of the 2021 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor point to the need for further simplification of the conditions for starting a business, as more than half of Slovaks are convinced that it is not easy to start a business in Slovakia. According to the Business Environment Index, Slovak entrepreneurs perceive the worst situation in the area of price stability when evaluating the second half of 2022. Based on the results, we recommend some measures for improving of the business environment.