Analysis of small business performance in Syria

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a model that evaluates the performance and assesses the success of small business enterprises in the service sector in Syria. Design/methodology/approach – A logistic regression model based on a comprehensive questionnaire with a response rate of 58 percent that examines the contribution of several factors to the success of small business enterprises; a sample of 340 firms; implied by three performance measures: owner/manger satisfaction with performance, profitability, and sales turnover. These factors are: planning, firm size, source of capital, owner/manager age, and training for company management and staff. Findings – Provides information about each factor, indicating their significance and contribution to the success of small business enterprises. Recognizes that trained self‐financed young owners/managers are better able to run their business successfully. However, lack of training and insufficient planning were found to be common among the surveyed sample. Research limitations/implications – A higher response rate could have added better significance to the examined factors. The investigation is limited to the small business service sector in established in Syria. Self‐administered interviews could have given a better insight on the significance of the findings. Practical implications – This paper could prove helpful to young entrepreneurs willing to start their businesses in growing economies such as the Syrian economy. Originality/value – This paper satisfies the need for young entrepreneurs who lack the proper knowledge, based on scientific research, for small business development. Also introduces a fair representation of the small business economy in a developing country, most likely similar in behavior to other countries in the region.