Barriers to Growth : Key Challenges Facing Bahraini Small and Medium Enterprises

Alrabeei, Husain; Kasi, Bharateesh Ramprakash

doi:10.12816/0019051

Cited by 8 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Nonetheless, while it makes up more than 98% of all commercial establishments registered (Ministry of Industry Commerce and Tourism, 2020), the sector contributes 25% to the country's GDP (Townsend, 2017), 8% of the national exports (BNA, 2018), 56% of the overall labor forces (Khamis, 2016), and 11% of the national employment (AlSoufi, 2016). Accordingly, Bahrain SMEs do not seem to have a proportionate impact on the economy with undesirable performance (Alrabeei & Kasi, 2014;Townsend, 2017) conducive to recession (Economic Development Board, 2018). Consequently, the following themed problems are contended as being the key reasons behind any unwanted situation.…”

Section: Findings Of Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, investigating in the Bahrain context is beneficial from different perspectives. Previous researches that have conducted investigation on Bahrain SMEs are either fragmented into different directions or on selected portions such as women gender (Sadi & AlGhazali, 2012;AlGhazali et al, 2013;Hasan and Almubarak, 2016;Dutta, 2017), marketing perspective (Alsamari et al, 2013), external dimensions (Dunn & Bradstreet;Alrabeei & Kasi, 2014), and/or international business (AlRabeei & Scott, 2011;Alyafie & Almubarak, 2016). Consequently, there is a lack on the literature on Bahrain that looks into the sector from both internal and external sides regardless the gender or the sectorial classifications.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Revisiting the Challenges Affecting SMEs Through Behavioral Approach

Shekar¹,

Hasan²,

Mubarak³

2021

IJARBSS

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The main aim of this study is to investigate the key challenges affecting small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Simultaneously, it would also discuss the background of those challenges, as well as recognizing the challenges that could be controlled by SMEs, and to propose a model. The paper is exploratory in nature and stands on secondary sources. The data are inclusive of scholarly and publicly sources. The data analysis is built on critical content analysis and theming process. Three figures are presented to demonstrate the methodology of study, the suggested model, and the linkage between the findings of study with the corresponding proposed constructs. The study recognizes six internal and external challenges that affect the SMEs. Resources management, entrepreneurial behavior, SMEs capabilities, problem solving and decision making, as well as leadership are the internal factors. The complexity of the business environment and social influence are external factors. It is found that SMEs organizational behavior is the principal domain behind these challenges. The study suggests practitioners should follow specific behavioral strategies such as entrepreneurial management (EM), transformational leadership (TL), strategic improvisation (SI), and dynamic capabilities (DCs) to overcome the different challenges and scale up their positions. As for the promoters, stimulating entrepreneurship among people and revising the training courses should be conducted to cope with market needs.

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Section: Findings Of Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Revisiting the Challenges Affecting SMEs Through Behavioral Approach

Shekar¹,

Hasan²,

Mubarak³

2021

IJARBSS

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Constraints classified to management and motivation constraints, sources constraints, market opportunities, and structure constraints [Barber at al., 1989]. http://journals.uob.edu.bh Different filed studies applied on the selected countries used survey data that fulfilled by SME 's managers such as: [Lahcen& Rafik,(2017), BCCI,(2016), El-Said &El-Said & Zaki,(2015, JYES (2015), Alrabeei & Kasi, (2014), Youssef (2014), Al-saddy, (2011), Hertog, (2010]. These studies concluded that SMEs in the selected countries face the similar challenges as follow:…”

Section: Smes In Egypt Jordan and Bahrain: An Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Customers in these markets are wary of committing to a variable (per unit) pricing scheme because, given the unpredictability of demand, it is hard for SMEs to have the proper tool to estimate demand relatively accurately for this pricing scheme to be profitable [JYES, 2015: 16-17] The marketing is a main challenge for businesses in Bahrain, given the size of the domestic market, the small size of the domestic market made it difficult for many businesses to grow. In addition to some SMEs don't know either how to market their products or services or how to make clear growth strategy for their business [Al-rabeei & Kasi, 2014]. Moreover, the owner-managers complained about lack of legal protection from unfair competition, particularly the informal contractors who quote low prices for customers, due to cheap and illegal labor.…”

Section: Marketing Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Reality of SMEs in Arab Nations: Experience of Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain

Elseoud¹,

Kreishan²,

Ali³

2020

JIFS

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The study aims at analyzing the current state of the SMEs sector in three Arab countries, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain; therefore, we adopt descriptive and analytical approaches. Findings show that SMEs sector plays a vital role in the region as a major source of various economic contributions, but it faces domestic and external challenges, which could hinder its resilience and competitiveness. Most of SMEs are concentrated in the trade sector; other important sectors include small-scale workshops, hotels and restaurants as well as contracting. They are less important in industry and other capital-intensive sectors, and finally, the study recommends specific suggestions, which could enhance the contribution of SMEs sector in national income of the Arab countries.

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“…These studies were subdivided into two categories based on their specific objectives. The first category sought to determine the internal barriers hindering small business growth (Dumbrava & Demian, 2009;Doern, 2011;Ismail & Karlsson, 2013), while the second category sought to determine the external barriers hindering small business growth (Gill & Biger, 2012;Gill & Mand, 2013;Alrabeei & Kasi, 2014;Baporikar et al, 2016;Conley, 2018). Studies in each category are discussed in detail in the succeeding paragraphs.…”

Section: Owner-perception Perspective Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding and Overcoming Barriers to Small Business Growth: Nigerian Evidence

Zubairu

Ogbole²,

Ayorinde³

et al. 2019

ijebd

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Purpose: This study sought to understand the barriers hindering the growth of small businesses in Nigeria, and to investigate the various strategies small business owners and managers develop to overcome these barriers. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative research design using in-depth, semi-structured, face-face interviews was utilized to obtain the barriers to growth as well as strategies developed to overcome them by 15 sachet water company managers in Minna, the capital city of Niger State in North Central Nigeria. Findings: The major internal barriers to growth identified included unmotivated employees, lack of modern machinery, lack of storage capacity and poor marketing and distribution strategies, while the major external barriers included weather conditions, poor electricity, bad roads and competition. Strategies to overcome these barriers included creating a family atmosphere, hiring more workers, using alternative power and forming a union to control prices. Research limitations/implications: This study was limited to 15 sachet water companies in Minna, Niger State, so it is difficult to generalize the findings to other states and to other industries. Practical implications: The results of this study will be beneficial to several stakeholders: sachet water companies in Minna and beyond, other SMEs as well as policy makers. For sachet water companies in Minna and beyond, by understanding the various strategies which the interviewed managers use to overcome their internal and external challenges, a diffusion of learning will occur, whereby other sachet water company managers can inculcate some of these effective strategies into their own operations. As for other SMEs, some of the identified barriers will also be the same ones they face. The strategies the interviewed managers use to overcome these challenges can also provide guidance for these SMEs. Finally, by clearly identifying the barriers hindering the growth of these sachet water companies, this study provides policy makers with clear guidance on what policies need to be instituted to help these SMEs overcome their challenges and contribute their quota to the growth of the Nigerian economy. Originality/value: By utilizing semi-structured interviews in surveying the 15 sachet water managers in Minna, Niger State, this study overcomes the weakness of the vast majority of prior studies which utilized questionnaires. The major disadvantage of adopting questionnaire to measure attitudes and perception is that, respondents will be denied the opportunity to air out their views about the subject matter.

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Barriers to Growth : Key Challenges Facing Bahraini Small and Medium Enterprises

Cited by 8 publications

References 28 publications

Revisiting the Challenges Affecting SMEs Through Behavioral Approach

Revisiting the Challenges Affecting SMEs Through Behavioral Approach

The Reality of SMEs in Arab Nations: Experience of Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain

Understanding and Overcoming Barriers to Small Business Growth: Nigerian Evidence

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