The Analysis of Entrepreneurial Intention of Management Students in the Timok Region – Overview of Attitudes and Opinions

The sector of small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurs (SMEs) could play a key role in further national economic growth of Serbia through employ-ment, increasing competitiveness and exports, but also in solving the problem of unequal regional development. One of the most economically and demographically underdeveloped regions in Serbia is the Timok region. This region is also characterized by reduced investment activities in the SME sector. Increasing the attractiveness of the region for new entrepreneurs and investors and increasing the competitiveness of local entrepreneurs will create new, attractive and stable jobs, which will further help to retain qualified people in the region. This paper gives a voice to future bearers of economic activity in this specific region, and represents the first research on entrepreneurial attitudes, opinions and intentions of young people in this part of Serbia. 199 students of the final years of Bachelor and Master Studies of manage-ment in the Timok region participated in the analysis of entrepreneurial intentions. The obtained research results indicate that students have an entrepreneurial intention and that people from their immediate environment have a mostly positive attitude towards entrepreneurship. Respondents believe that they possess necessary theoretical knowledge and skills, but not practical ones. The results of the research point to the necessity of shifting the focus of education from a strictly academic to a practical level, to the connection of educational institutions with the economy, to the better connection among entrepreneurs themselves, and to an urgent need for the activation of entrepreneurs' associations.