| dc.description.abstract | Micro and Small enterprises (MSEs) in Uganda face survival challenges and many of
them collapse before celebrating their first birthday, and those that manage to reach one
year still show survival challenges. Prior studies highlight a number of reasons for failure
but do not clearly explain how entrepreneurial competencies (ECs) of the owner/manager
influence MSE survival. The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of ECs
on the MSE survival in Wakiso district, Uganda using the six significant ECs as
determined by Morris‟ model. The specific objectives were to establish the influence of:
(social networking, opportunity recognition, risk management, creative problem solving,
guerrilla skills and perseverance) on MSE survival in Wakiso district, Uganda. The
descriptive survey research design using a pragmatic approach were used. Purposive
sampling was used to select five sub-counties from a total of sixteen based on their
nature of importance, such as possessing a high record of MSE failure, being rural, periurban
and
urban,
and a high concentration of MSEs. From the accessible population of
1,500 MSE owners/managers obtained from Wakiso District records of MSEs as of
2018, questionnaires were distributed to a sample of 306 of which 281 usable
questionnaires were returned giving a response rate of 91.8 percent. Sub-counties were
stratifies from which respondents were obtained using simple random sampling by use of
a lottery method.Officers responsible for business operations at each sub-county were the
key informants and were interviewed. The study targeted the owners/managers of MSEs
within Wakiso district who employed from 0 – 4 people (micro) and from 5 – 50 people
(small). Multiple linear regression analysis was used to establish the influence of
entrepreneurial competencies on MSE survival in Wakiso district, Uganda and results
depited that social networking, creative problem solving, guerrilla skills, and
perseverance had a positive and statistically significant influence on MSE survival in
Wakiso district, Uganda. Opportunity recognition had a negative significant influence on
MSE survival, while Risk management was found insignificantly influencing MSE
survival. Results from interviews also showed that entrepreneurial competencies under
study were very important in contributing to MSE survival and elicited for other factors
contributing to MSE survival. The study concluded that all the entrepreneurial
competencies under study, except for risk management were contributors to MSE
survival. It was recommended that MSE owner/managers strive to utilize their social
network skills, opportunity recognition skills, creative problem solving skills, guerrilla
skills and perseverance skills maximally. They should establish short and long-term
networks with relevant stakeholders, should take advantage of opportunities that arise
after careful assessment, should utilize their creative problem solving abilities in their
product and service offering, employ tactics that are unique low cost tactics, and should
persevere at all costs during periods of adversity. MSE owners/managers should
establish forums or associations where they could facilitate the development of these
competencies further if they want to enhance business survival. | en_US |
