THE ROLE OF CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE IN STIMULATING ECONOMIC GROWTH: AN ACADEMIC PERSPECTIVE

Purpose: The article aims to assess the knowledge and interest in the offer of chambers of commerce by students of faculties offering theoretical and practical knowledge about starting and running a business. Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire plus the Pearson correlation coefficient and the T-Czuprow dependence coefficient were used to examine the relationship between the study variables. The research sample consisted of students from the Faculty of Economics, Finance and Management. The sample was selected to represent a diverse group of individuals based on several criteria, including gender, field of study, degree of study and mode of study. Findings: Students are moderately familiar with the services offered by chambers of commerce. They are also not sufficiently aware that these entities can provide them with support at the stage of setting up or developing their business. Practical implications: The results indicated a need for increased information and promotional activities on the part of the chambers of commerce to communicate more effectively the support opportunities for future entrepreneurs. Originality/value: The article highlights the important role of chambers of commerce in supporting young entrepreneurs, which makes it a valuable source of information for those interested in starting their own businesses. The originality of this study lies in its targeted approach, which not only assesses students' awareness of services of chambers of commerce but also identifies their preferred areas of support.