The impact of the financial crisis on business performance of manufacturing companies in the South Moravian Region

Abstract

Purpose of the article The objective of the article is to determine the impact of the financial crisis on the performance of South Moravian firms during the period 2006-2014. Of particular interest will be the effect on economic performance. Methodology/methods The article is based on secondary research conducted among SMEs in the South Moravian Region. The secondary research consists of secondary data acquired from the database Amadeus and the relevant scientific literature. The sample contains 200 companies operating in the manufacturing industry. Three financial indicators were selected to obtain proper results. The findings are processed using statistical indicators, average and median. Findings Firstly, debt ratio is applied and shows a positive result represented by the decrease of 27.49% in the studied period. Secondly, a return on assets demonstrates an increase of 25.09% in the same period. In spite of a sharp decrease in the revenue of companies during the crisis period, the last indicator, added value, rises slightly. Conclusions As was shown by the literature, the impact of the financial crisis on firm performance is of great importance. Attention should be paid to increases in added value even when revenues are declining. Moreover, to find a balance between cost reduction, quality maintenance and employee satisfaction will be a key success factor for managers.