The scientific periodical journal (indexed on Web of Science) published by the Tomas Bata University in Zlin offers results of basic and applied economic research in the English language.

The Assessment of Key Business Risks for SMEs in Slovakia and Their Comparison with other EU Countries

The sustainability of services in undertakings which operate in railway passenger transport is closely connected with efforts to provide high-quality and time-acceptable services to the customer, to achieve lean processes, to standardise work processes, to eliminate wastage and to avoid those activities which do not add any value. Considering its ecological nature and big volume of passenger transport, railway passenger transport represents an irreplaceable sustainable system for the future. These facts and the entry of new railway carriers into this system highlight the importance of managing risks in a progressive way. This article focuses on the options of risk management when versatile and flexible tools, such as Lean tools, are set correctly. The aim of this article is to introduce a proposal for the application and a specific application of Lean philosophy in risk management which impacts train delays in railway passenger transport. From the point of view of quantitative data analysis, multiple mathematical-statistical tests have been used to assess data (e.g., Anderson–Darling test, Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, Jarque–Bera test, two-tailed test, Grubbs’s test and Thompson Tau test). Also, descriptive statistics and ANOVA test (Analysis of Variance) have been applied in the process of evaluating the monitored attributes. In order to assess the data dependency, Chi-Square Test and a correlation analysis have been applied. The research outcomes focus on highlighting the need for a systematic approach for train delays and to avoid delays through risk management. The case study applies selected Lean methods to monitor train delays in selected stations within the main railway corridor of the Slovak Republic for the period from 2015 to 2018. In 2019, the results were processed and created a basis for proposing a unique software tool like an aid for risk management in the case of train delays using Lean philosophy. The flexible software includes the participation of employees, and at the same time, it respects the needs of customers. The research results provide grounds for further study of risks in a challenging environment of railway undertakings, with different types of trains, railway stations as well as entire railway networks. The processed results of the article represent valuable material for railway undertakings not only in Slovakia but also for railway organisations in V4 countries.

SME owners and managers are intuitively aware of risks but do not make sufficient efforts to assess them realistically and implement strategies to reduce them. The relationship between SME risk perception and the consistency of this perception during the length of their business has not been investigated yet. The main aim of this article is to identify the most significant risks in the SMEs, to analyze the dependence among the degree of intensity of the observed financial, market and economic risks and the SME timeframe by selected statistical methods and tools. Building upon the empirical research implemented in 2017- 2018 and 2019-2020, it is possible to consider the market, financial and economic risks as the crucial risks negatively affecting the current business environment of the SMEs. The secondary aim of the article is to evaluate and compare the results of our research with the results of identical investigations in the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland. Drawing from these findings, market risks affect the SME business environment highly negatively and are considered the most significant risks in all the examined countries. SME entrepreneurs in the V4 countries should thus increasingly support the process of applying risk management to ensure higher stability, performance and resilience of their businesses. The results are valuable for SMEs and institutions providing business support to strengthen the competitiveness of entrepreneurs in the V4 countries. Concerning their impact, they are significant at the national and international level of the V4 countries and can assist SMEs in gradually moving towards the global trends in this field.