The Impact of Entrepreneurial Leadership Competencies on Business Success for SME Start-up and Growing Business Ventures in Namibia
The Impact of Entrepreneurial Leadership Competencies on Business Success for SME Start-up and Growing Business Ventures in Namibia
Shirley Tuwilika Ndapandula Magazi | 2019
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of entrepreneurial leadership competencies on business success for small and medium enterprise (SME) business ventures in Namibia by examining the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership competencies, business life-cycle, and business success. A nonexperimental cross-sectional quantitative research study design was employed to study the relationship between entrepreneurial competencies, business success, and business life cycle. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the different entrepreneurial competencies required at the different stages of SME business ventures, the effect of entrepreneurial competencies on business success, and how entrepreneurial competencies influence business success for business ventures at the different stages. The intent of this study was to establish the relationship between entrepreneurial competencies, business life cycle, and business success. The nexus of this study was entrepreneurial competencies as predictors of business success for SME business ventures. Both financial and nonfinancial measures were incorporated to reflect business success. The study findings revealed that there was no relationship between entrepreneurial leadership competencies and business stages, between entrepreneurial leadership competencies and business success, and entrepreneurial leadership competencies and business success at the four stages of the business life cycle. The significance of this study was the advancement of entrepreneurial leadership and entrepreneurship research in a developing country. The implications of the findings require training programs and mentoring programs to device measures of equipping SMEs with skills to translate entrepreneurial competencies into meaningful contributions for the business by developing practical ways to apply entrepreneurial competencies to business operations and management. This will translate entrepreneurial competencies into application within the business context. Future research could explore the moderating effect of the business environment and entrepreneurial orientation on the relationship between entrepreneurial competencies, business success, and business stages of the business life cycle.