Business Service Centers: A New Growth Impulse for the Slovak Economy

Abstract

Business service centers (BSCs) are a crucial part of Slovakia's economy, employing around 40,000 highly skilled workers and playing a significant role in the growth of service exports. The industry is mainly concentrated in Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia. However, Košice, located in Eastern Slovakia, is playing an increasingly important role in information technology (IT) outsourcing. The employees of BSCs create higher value compared to other industries, which allows BSC operators to offer higher wages. Despite experiencing layoffs in the past, BSC operators in Slovakia currently have stable positions. However, to ensure the long-term sustainability of the industry, the government needs to provide more focused support. This support should aim to secure the highly skilled workforce required for the industry, whether from Slovakia or abroad. Although the industry is not immediately threatened by the ongoing artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, most BSC operators are preparing their units for the further automation of their processes.

Citation

Dudáš, T. (2024), "Business Service Centers: A New Growth Impulse for the Slovak Economy", Augustín, M., Jančovič, P. and Sergi, B.S. (Ed.) Modeling Economic Growth in Contemporary Slovakia (Entrepreneurship and Global Economic Growth), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 219-233. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83549-454-720241017