Governance efficiency - essential condition to foster entrepreneurial competitiveness. Case of the Republic of Moldova

Abstract

The Republic of Moldova is the country with the lowest level of gross domestic product and living standards among the European countries, a situation which, although improved in dynamics, has not comparatively meliorated in the regional context. On the contrary, the development discrepancies that the country registers have become even more acute, the nation is still behind in terms of economic development even considering the regional context of the Eastern Europe. The main goal of the present study is to comprehensively assess and carry out a thorough analysis of the quality and competitiveness of the entrepreneurial and business environment of the Republic of Moldova, considering the regional context. Particular objectives of the study include: the analysis of the extent to which the entrepreneurial environment in the Republic of Moldova facilitates economic activity and individual initiative. Also, it is sought to perform a comparative analysis of the entrepreneurial competitiveness of the Republic of Moldova as compared to the rest of the Eastern European countries, including members and non-members of the European Union. At the same time, it is aimed to analyse the weakest positions of the entrepreneurial competitiveness of the Republic of Moldova that undermine the economic growth potential. CZU: 339.137.2:338.2(478); JEL: D73, L26, M21, O17; DOI: https://doi.org/10.53486/cike2022.16