The aim of this study is to form a basis for a research programme dealing with Hungarian businesses with the definition of the concept “moving forward”. In the study, the authors express their view that the prosperity of the Hungarian economy depends on the future performace of these businesses, therefore, they consider it important to explore what factors limit businesses to start a serious development path.
Balázs Szepesi, the strategic director of HETFA, in his study exmaines the conceptual framework of the obstacles and opportunities how enterprises in Hungary can move forward. The performance of the SMEs that significantly determine the prosperity of the Hungarian economy, compared to the Visegrad countries is at a low level. As reasons for this phenomena, we can identify the assimetric nature of joining into the international economy, the limited application of successful business management practices and the weaknesses of the institutional environment that could encourage to take challenges. The research programme has practical motivation to find answer to the question how to change this situation. The main results are also presented in the relevant section of the “Összkép” journal (in Hungarian).