THE ROLE OF RISK-TAKING AND COMPETITIVE AGGRESSIVENESS IN MANAGEMENT OF SMEs

Risk-taking and competitive aggressiveness, substantial elements of the entrepreneurial orientation of SMEs, have a significant impact on the management of SMEs. The aim of this contribution is to define the importance of these elements and to quantify the differences between entrepreneurs in terms of entrepreneur's gender and education, and company's age and size. Our research conducted in 2015 in the Czech Republic revealed some significant specifics within the relationships among gender, risk and competitive aggressiveness in the field of SMEs. Statistically significant differences between the designated social groups were compared through Pearson statistics at the significance level of 5%. According to our results since male and higher educated managers more intensively incline to initiative, to the realization of riskier projects and to aggressiveness against competitors, management of the entrepreneurially oriented companies should include these type of team members in order to formulate riskier and more competitively aggressive strategies. Companies which operate on the market for more than 10 years have a positive attitude and the "need" of risk and aggressive behaviour towards its competitors.