This work describes the great influence of the European Union (EU) funding on a variety of economic sectors and functions of funds. It displays some of the macroeconomic statistics in relation to their contribution to the economic development agenda, evaluates the level of awareness of EU funding opportunities, and provides informed assumptions of the future without knowing the EU budget allocation strategy and its distribution between the target sectors.
The author elaborates on a short history of the early stages of the funds absorption of the EU. Furthermore, the work gives an insight regarding the existing financing mechanisms, a closer description of the most common source of financial aid to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), and an evaluation of future prospects of EU funding. The two questions of interest for the study are: "Is society really aware of the broad opportunities provided?" and "What will happen to Latvian economy after the end of the last planning period - is the implementation of these funds well-considered and utilized to its best ability?"
Nowadays, a noteworthy portion of Latvian citizens, both natural persons and owners of SMEs, have promising business ideas, but lacke funding and knowledge of ways to acquire it. Moreover, the current EU funds planning period will come to an end in 2020 without a clear vision of future EU stimulus towards building competitive and inclusive economy and their budgetary distribution.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1. Introduction
1.1. The background of the problem
1.2. The background of the author's study
Chapter 2. Objectives of the study
2.1. Problem Statement
2.2. Objectives of the Study
2.3. Hypothesis Statement
2.4. Limitations to the Study
Chapter 3. Literature review
3.1. Chapter introduction
3.2. A brief history of the available EU funding instruments in Latvia
3.2.1. EU pre-accession funds (ISPA fund, SAPARD programmes, Phare programme)
3.3. Available funding instruments
3.3.1. European Regional Development Fund
3.4. Future without the support of EU funds: possibilities and alternatives
3.5. Introduction to the Author's Discussion
Chapter 4. Collection of Primary Data
4.1. Methodology
4.2. Research Design
4.2.a. Type of Research
4.2.b. Design of the Research Instrument
4.2.c. Sample Selection
4.3. Research Execution
4.4. Analysis of Data
4.4.a. Profile of Respondents
4.4.b. Analysis of Responses
Chapter 5. Intermediate Analysis and Conclusion
5.1. Hypothesis Testing
5.2. Intermediate Conclusions
Chapter 6. Overall Conclusion and Recommendation
6.1. Summary of Findings
6.2. Overall Conclusion
6.3. Recommendations on further study
6.4. Lessons Learned / Learning Aspects
6.5. Ethical implications
Research Objectives and Core Topics
The primary goal of this research is to evaluate the level of awareness among Latvian youths regarding European Union (EU) funding instruments and their impact on entrepreneurial development. By investigating current knowledge gaps, the study seeks to understand whether existing communication channels are sufficient to support business innovation and if the public understands the potential of these financial mechanisms.
- Analysis of the historical evolution and current landscape of EU funding in Latvia.
- Evaluation of the awareness level of EU funding among the target group (youth aged 20-30).
- Identification of the most effective communication channels for EU funding information.
- Assessment of the correlation between financial support mechanisms and SME growth.
- Formulation of recommendations to improve the transparency and accessibility of EU funds.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1. Problem Statement
The central Research Problem set was the assessment of awareness of EU funding opportunities among youths. However, in the Thesis subject area defining process, an additional Research Problem arose: in order to address the primary Research Problem, theoretical grounds had to be set to fully comprehend all the aspects of the funds’ structure, historical background, current implications in the national economy, future prospects, and the true contribution to the development of SMEs.
To address the main Research Problem, for the purpose of narrowing the sampling unit and sample size to draw more precise conclusions, the author chose to report on the results of questionnaires filed by young people in the age group from 20-30. In the author's observations, a relatively high proportion of those youths that possess a university diploma and/ or background knowledge of the business environment, has considered launching a business or at some point has had at least an idea regarding potential entrepreneurial directions. However, although the state has introduced various iniatives to promote creation of new businesses and growth of existing ones, there is room for improvement in terms of intelligibility.
Summary of Chapters
Chapter 1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the research context, providing a historical overview of Structural Funds in Latvia and outlining the research motivation.
Chapter 2. Objectives of the study: This chapter defines the core research problem, formulates the specific objectives, and states the hypotheses to be tested.
Chapter 3. Literature review: This chapter examines the history of EU funding instruments in Latvia, detailing the role of various funds and their contribution to macroeconomic stability.
Chapter 4. Collection of Primary Data: This chapter describes the methodology, research design, and execution of the quantitative survey conducted among Latvian youths.
Chapter 5. Intermediate Analysis and Conclusion: This chapter presents the data analysis, tests the research hypotheses, and summarizes the findings from the survey.
Chapter 6. Overall Conclusion and Recommendation: This chapter provides a final synthesis of the study, offers recommendations for future research, and discusses ethical implications.
Keywords
EU Funding, Latvia, Entrepreneurship, Structural Funds, SME, Awareness, Economic Development, Cohesion Policy, ERDF, Research Methodology, Financial Instruments, Youth, Innovation, Macroeconomics, Survey.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper primarily investigates the awareness of EU funding opportunities among young people in Latvia and evaluates how these financial mechanisms support entrepreneurial development.
What are the main thematic areas covered?
The work covers the history of EU funds in Latvia, the role of ERDF and Cohesion Funds, the economic impact of these funds on SMEs, and the effectiveness of public information strategies.
What is the primary research question?
The research asks if society is truly aware of the broad funding opportunities provided by the EU and if the implementation and utilization of these funds are effectively understood by potential beneficiaries.
Which scientific methodology is used?
The study utilizes a quantitative research approach based on deduction, employing a survey (questionnaire) distributed to a specific age group (20-30) to test the defined hypotheses.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body examines the historical transition of Latvia's economy post-independence, the technical structure of EU funds, survey results regarding public knowledge, and future prospects for EU funding.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include EU Funding, Latvia, Entrepreneurship, SME, Cohesion Policy, Awareness, and Economic Development.
How does the author define the "Problem Statement"?
The author defines the problem as a lack of awareness among young potential entrepreneurs regarding available funding, compounded by the complexity of the funding structures themselves.
What was the main conclusion regarding the hypotheses?
The research concluded that the null hypothesis (Young people lack knowledge of EU funding instruments) could not be rejected, confirming that there is a significant knowledge gap among the target demographic.
- Citar trabajo
- Anna Bekere (Autor), 2017, The great influence of the EU funding instruments on the Latvian economy, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/494616
