Policy of Business Support on a Regional Level: a Unique Chance or Missed Opportunity Forentrepreneurs?

Business policy on a national level reflects problematic entrepreneurial areas in a general way. Regional authorities implement these general aspects according to the current local requirements in their regional development strategy. Unfortunately, their effort to support entrepreneurial spirit and innovations is not as effective as it could be –their tools and institutions are not as well used as they intended. The question arises –where does the problem lie, is it in the means of communication or in the entrepreneurial requirements at the regional level? The main goal of this paper is to demonstrate some of the missing points or the weaknesses of institutional communication. These conclusions are based on a regional study in the Moravian-Silesian Region, Czechia. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is based on a quantitative study using a questionnaire-based survey, comprising 164 respondents –owners of small and medium-sized companies in the Moravian-Silesian Region. The survey consists of 24 questions in three main areas –motivation to start up, identification of entrepreneurial barriers and an evaluation of the current state of business support in the region. Secondary information such as the results of earlier studies and regional government websites were used for data results comparison. Findings:The paper provides empirical insights about the current state of the business environment in the Moravian-Silesian region and evaluates important areas of business support. It was ascertained that the most important tools for local entrepreneurs are subsidies for job creation and consultancy. A matrix of problems to be solved on the regional level was presented to open the discussion. Research/practical implications:The paper includes implications for regional policy development, which could be transferable as a basic model to other regions in Czechia. Originality/value:This paper supports an identified need to diversify the regional support policy according to regional differences. The main added value of the paper could be seen in practical recommendations.