Human Capital Transfer from Large Enterprises to Small Business: Conditions, Benefits and Threats

Marek Matejun and Piotr Sitkiewicz

Human capital is one of the most important intangible assets of each modern business entity. This statement is especially important for the small and medium sized enterprises, which, in most cases lack the tangible resources. Their ability to compete on the market both locally and globally, mostly depends on their flexibility, owner's intuition and the quality of human capital that pushes those companies forward. One of the ways to acquire desirable human capital by the small and medium sized entities, is to influence its transfer from large business enterprises. Taking this into account, the aim of this article is to identify and assess the conditions that increase the benefits as well as reduce the threats, which result from human capital transfer from large entities to the small businesses. To achieve this aim, a research survey was conducted on a sample of 356 micro, small and medium sized companies that operate on polish market. Based on the above, 2 research hypothesizes were verified. The results indicate that the growth of benefits and reduction of threats that result from this specific human capital transfer is determined by the set of: legal, economic, organizational, socio-cultural conditions and technical conditions. The results have moreover high managerial implications, giving advice which conditions should be developed within the companies to increase the level of benefits associated with the process of human capital transfer, and at the same time which of those conditions potentially mitigate the risks.

DOI : https://doi.org/10.21102/wjm.2017.03.81.06