Entrepreneurship Among Young People of Roma Origin—Attitudes and Perceptions

There has been a growing research interest in young people with entrepreneurial intentions and in minorities who contribute to the development of the economy and society through their business initiatives. At the same time, there needs to be more research on entrepreneurship among the Roma community. The Roma ethnic group is the most significant minority in Europe, according to data from various institutions. A lot of research looks at their culture, demographics, and socio-economic challenges, but their entrepreneurial activity should be more often studied. This is especially valid for studying the awareness and intentions for entrepreneurship among young people of Roma ethnicity who are getting an education and are looking for their realization. The novelty of the research is the in-depth study of the attitudes to entrepreneurship and the desire to develop entrepreneurial activities in the future by pupils of secondary schools and university students of Roma origin. The aim is to explore the awareness of students from secondary schools and universities of Roma origin regarding the benefits and opportunities that entrepreneurship provides for their development and the advancement of the community. The methodology includes a survey through a structured questionnaire, which covers 442 respondents. Two-dimensional distributions and statistically significant differences analyze the data found between specific characteristics. The results show that young people of Roma origin need more knowledge and encouragement to choose and develop an entrepreneurial career. Institutions and organizations should be more active in their work with the youth of this ethnic group, especially in terms of entrepreneurship.