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Sefiani, Yassine (2013) Factors for Success in SMEs: A Perspective from Tangier. PhD thesis, University of Gloucestershire.
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Text (Final Thesis)
Yassine%20Sefiani%20Thesis[1].pdf - Accepted Version Available under License All Rights Reserved. Download (6MB) | Preview |
Abstract
Purpose It is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the importance of the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector in the economic and social development of a country. In view of their identified importance, this present study aims to develop a clearer understanding of the factors that influence success of small and medium enterprises in Tangier, as perceived by local owner-managers. Design The initial research framework, which emanated from a systematic literature review, was empirically investigated using a two-stage design, which incorporated both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The rationale behind the two-stage methodology was firstly to avoid common-method bias; and, secondly, to seek to illuminate findings arising from the survey by providing individual insights. Approaches were employed in succession with the findings from the quantitative phase informing the qualitative phase. Initially, a paper and online survey questionnaire was administered to a population of 365 industrial SMEs, identified from the official website of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and New Technologies, the 2010 directory of the Association of the Industrial Zone of Tangier as well as its official website, and the website of the Tangier free zone. This survey was used in order to validate the initial conceptual framework and gain some insights on the perceptions of owner-managers of the factors influencing the performance of SMEs. Following the quantitative phase, fifteen in-depth face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with selected owner-managers of SMEs, forming a judgmental sample, to explore their experiences, beliefs, and attitudes with respect to the drivers of success. Findings & conclusions The study found that there are three generalized influences on the success of SMEs based on the Tangier entrepreneurs' perceptions: the 'owner-manager attributes' with an emphasis on the language skills factor; partnership working with an emphasis on the financial and networking partnership; and business characteristics with a focus on the location factor, which was mainly associated with the ‘free zones’. The existence of these ‘free zones’ was a key factor in selecting Tangier as a location for this study.
| Item Type: | Thesis (PhD) | |||||||||
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| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Small to medium enterprises (SMEs); Tangier | |||||||||
| Subjects: | H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management H Social Sciences > HF Commerce |
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| Divisions: | Schools and Research Institutes > School of Business, Computing and Social Sciences | |||||||||
| Depositing User: | Susan Turner | |||||||||
| Date Deposited: | 17 Oct 2014 15:22 | |||||||||
| Last Modified: | 02 Aug 2023 09:38 | |||||||||
| URI: | https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/1001 |
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