The offer of the banking sector to small and medium-sized Polish enterprises during a crisis

Abstract

Fruitful cooperation between banks and businesses, which not only benefits stakeholders, but also provides aims particularly important in times of crisis, is the basis for efficient functioning of the economy. The SME sector has become so attractive, and banks are currently so interested in supporting companies from that sector, that co-operation between banks and businesses is beginning to yield much improved results. The amount of bank lending to businesses, which in 2011 increased significantly (by 14.2%) compared to 2010, is one of the measures of this cooperation. Comprehension of the specifics of the interbank market (in four areas - maintaining a bank account, lending, issuing and processing of payment cards, and online customer services) creates understanding of the banks' strategies, and relationships that occur within the Polish economy, between funders, which create supply of credit, and borrowers - small and medium-sized entities that make up almost 50% of the GDP, and provide employment for more than two-thirds of employees in Poland.