The influence of entrepreneurial marketing skills on the performance of small medium enterprises in Malaysia

Abstract

The dissertation seeks to find the significance of entrepreneurial marketing skills on performance in small entrepreneurial businesses in Malaysia. This in order to improve the economic conditions of societies where most often small medium enterprises dominate. As a result, successful small medium enterprises lead to healthier societies with vibrant standards of living. In order to do that the entrepreneurial marketing skills have to be measured and should be imparted to these small businesses. To do this, a collection of skills have been collected from various research and through rigorous efforts affirmed in this dissertation. Those not having these skills have been found unable to perform. The analysis done was structural equation modelling using partial least squares. Not only that, experience and training are elements that cannot be left out. Experience of owners of small medium enterprises do help in performance especially when all the balanced skills are being acquired notwithstanding entrepreneurial marketing skills. Yet even though training does help performance it does so in a unique manner. Entrepreneurs are not trained in entrepreneurial marketing skills in Malaysia. Thus, training can only go so far. The results show that increased levels of training do not enhance entrepreneurial marketing skills. As a result, in order to improve performance, further entrepreneurial marketing skills should be taught so that entrepreneurs succeed and a major part of the society enjoys a higher standard of living.