RISK MANAGEMENT IN SMALL AND MEDIUM – SIZED ENTERPRISES: A GENDER-SENSITIVE APPROACH

Risk is inherent in all business functions and in every kind of activity. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are particularly vulnerable to continuously daily internal and external undesirable events that adversely affect business performance. To deal with many risk determinants effectively, SMEs need a systemic method of approach to risk management. One of the factors of company risk management approach is gender of the owners or top executives. Especially from a managerial perspective, the link between risk-taking and gender has been examined through a wide range of approaches, such as entrepreneurial orientation and leadership related literatures. Some researchers point that male SME owners appear to show a greater risk appetite than female SME owners. The leading question in the undertaken research was to determine whether the gender of the firm's owners or top executives are reflected in the approach to risk management. The focal point of the research is identification of differences in risk taking and risk management in Polish SMEs companies from a gender perspective.