Abstract:

In 2017 at the Faculty of Security Engineering of the University of Žilina in the framework of the project VEGA No. 1/0560/16 the authors of this article carried out an empirical research aimed at detecting the key entrepreneurial risks and the situation of implementing the risk management in the Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Slovakia. In Slovakia 487 SMEs took part in this research. The results of the research brought conclusions that say it is necessary to extend the knowledge of the company owners and responsible managers in the area of the risk management. It was proved that when the risk management was missing, this could be one of the basic causes of the entrepreneurial failure and loss of the competitive advantages of the enterprises in Slovakia.

Various institutions in the individual countries of the world ensure the consultancy during implementing the risk management to practice or training activities in this area. The best known organisation in Europe is the Federation of European Risk Management Associations which associates 20 European countries; however, Slovakia has not become its member yet. Other institutions are e.g. Institute of Risk Management (IRM), etc. In Slovakia, for the time being, there is no organisation (association) which would help the companies implement the risk management. The Faculty of Security Engineering of the University of Žilina ensures the training activities in this area in Slovakia. The Faculty provides the training with an emphasis of preventing the company crises in the framework of the accredited study programme Crisis Management also for the needs of the entrepreneurial subjects.

Based on the results of our research the goal of this article is to assess the level of education in the area of managing the entrepreneurial risks and to design a training programme for the SME managers in Slovakia, to assess the level of utilising the methods, tools of the risk management and the importance of the trainings for the managers in the area of the risk management in dependence on the SME size through the methods of the mathematical statistics.

Due to the actual global trends, the research results and the current unfavourable state of implementing the risk management in the Slovak enterprises, the area being solved is very actual and highly necessary. The improvement of the quality of the risk management in the companies in Slovakia therefore requires achieving not only the theoretical knowledge but especially practical skills in managing the process activities, the risk management principles, the methods and tools that can be utilised during the risk management implementation. The solution of this area will bring a large benefit for improving the performance efficiency, the values but also the company competitiveness not only in Slovakia but also worldwide.

Keywords:

Entrepreneurship education, training programme, risk, enterprise, education, management.