Background and Purpose: In the life cycle of a firm, business transfer represents the critical stage of development. Underestimating the complexity and longevity of this process can have negative implications for firms, their owners and wide network of stakeholders. The aim of this paper is to compare the attitude towards business transfer of entrepreneurs aged 55 and more in Croatia and Finland and provide policy recommendations for improvement of the national business transfer ecosystems. Methodology/Approach: Both surveys targeted entrepreneurs aged 55 and more using the same questionnaire, with some adjustments to Croatian business transfer ecosystem. Finish barometer was conducted through webbased survey among members of Federation of Finnish Enterprises. Survey in Croatia was conducted with combination of CATI and CAWI collection method by a professional data collection agency. Data collected was compared based on a demographic criterion, industry background, experience in business transfer, expected future of the company, support needed and biggest challenges. Results: The research results indicated a growing number of entrepreneurs in Croatia who will be interested in selling their firm once they withdraw from the business and less than expected family business successions. In Finland the most important challenges are related to business valuation and finding a successor or a buyer. Conclusion: For further development of business transfer ecosystem in Croatia it is recommended to focus on awareness raising activities, channels for matching sellers and buyers, promotion of takeover entrepreneurship and consultancy support for micro enterprises. In Finland results indicate the importance of investing continuous efforts in raising the effectiveness of the measures implemented.

Business transfers are linked to both the beginning and the end of entrepreneurial processes. A person can become an entrepreneur by acquiring an existing business instead of starting one, and exit from entrepreneurship can occur through selling the business. Business transfers are gradually becoming more common among small businesses, largely due to entrepreneurs’ aging, and thus deserve attention from entrepreneurship scholars. In particular, the issue of why and how business transfer negotiations fail without achieving a transfer has received little research attention. The purpose of this paper is to explore this phenomenon from potential buyers’ and sellers’ perspectives. The findings are based on a sample of 156 responses. The results suggest that the problems occurring in unfinished business transfers are quite numerous and the gaps between the views of the two negotiating parties are wider than in cases where business transfer negotiations are concluded successfully, indicating that the initial negotiation positions can be crucial. This research proposes some key elements to consider when planning an exit by business transfer and highlight the importance of unfinished small business transfers as an essential element of a dynamic business transfer market; a substantial proportion of the potential buyers and sellers are satisfied with the outcome even though the transfer did not occur.

This study investigates whether post-business transfer MCS development (PBTMCSD) is associated with post-business transfer success (PBTS) in small firms. The data for the study was collected in January 2012 as a web-based survey. The target group consisted of acquirers (both external buyers and family business successors) who had implemented a business transfer during 2006–2011 in Finland. A total of 178 questionnaires were sent out, and 67 responses were received. Regression analysis is used to investigate the relationship between PBTMCSD and PBTS. We utilize both resource-based view (RBV) and contingency theory. The results indicate that PBTMCSD has a positive and significant relation with PBTS. Our findings highlight the importance of PBTMCSD even in small companies in the context of business transfer. However, the relationship between PBTMCSD and PBTS performance was stronger for firms with five or more employees as well as firms with previous experience of business transfers.