The promotion of Hungarian small and medium‐size enterprises in accordance with guidelines for European Union enlargement

The basis of international comparative analysis is the harmonisation of the different conceptual systems of the discipline under investigation in various countries. The enterprises, which are the spring of the economy, can be grouped in different ways in the different countries. The goal of this paper is to compare the Hungarian practice with that of the European Union (EU), the European OECD countries and the USA. Following a short overview of the terminology, this paper seeks an answer to the question of how Hungary became – in less than a decade – a country of small enterprises. Phenomena such as the breaking up of huge companies or dismantling into small and medium‐size enterprises and the increasing number of newly founded small‐size businesses sooner or later lead to changes in the policies of these enterprises and thus contribute to the development of a functioning market economy. The map of the Hungarian economy had changed significantly by the end of the 1990s. A radical shift in the size and types of companies was brought about by market economy forces, which led to a transformation. As a result, the process of accession to the EU was begun. In the preliminary and preparatory stages, the opportunities for small and medium‐size enterprises (SMEs) must be enhanced, as presently the economic significance of SMEs in Hungary is smaller than their strategic importance. All these objectives are supported by concrete and long‐term governmental strategies and measures.