SELECTED FACTORS OF STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT IN THE SME SECTOR.

The aim of the paper is to present significant factors of strategic management in the sector of small and medium-sized companies. Within the set goal, we quantify the weight of selected strategic management factors and compare trends in the Czech and Slovak Republics. An empirical research was carried out in 2020. In the Czech Republic, we obtained data from 454 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and in Slovakia from 368 enterprises belonging to the segment of small and medium-sized enterprises. We used chi-square and Z-score to process the data. The basic conclusion of the research is that even though SMEs perceive the importance of strategic management in the enterprise very strongly, strategic management is not adequately implemented in the everyday life of the enterprise. Entrepreneurs in both countries are not too convinced that quality strategic management enhances the competitive ability of the enterprise. About half of the companies are involved in regular strategic management. There are statistically significant differences according to the size and age of the enterprise, or according to the education of entrepreneurs. Larger companies and more educated entrepreneurs better understand the importance of strategic aspects and the need for their application in corporate governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]