scholarly journals Key failure factors of start-up women owned SMEs in service sector in Kigali: a principal component analysis approach

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Romain Kasema

Purpose This study aims to develop and test a framework for studying the failure of new women entrepreneurs in the small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) sector. Design/methodology/approach Using a sample of 114 unsuccessful entrepreneurs in Kigali, Rwanda, this study aimed to identify key failure factors of women-owned SMEs. This study used mixed methods where quantitative data were analysed using the principal component approach with Varimax rotation to reduce the variables to only three clusters. Findings The study findings revealed that the failure of women-owned SMEs results from the entrepreneur’s inability followed by the enterprise incompetence, which are both internally controllable factors and the inauspicious business environment. These findings contribute to the validity of the dynamic capability theory by explaining how well internal and external factors must stay glued together to avoid failure among women-owned SMEs, something that was not yet previously well documented so far. Originality/value New SMEs are considered a noteworthy constituent of Rwandan development. Unfortunately, most new SMEs, in general, do not grow; their failure rate is high (70%), which raised many worries for both researchers and policymakers as to why this occurs at this stage of business growth. Therefore, to the best of the authors’ knowledge this paper is the first to analyse the reasons for the failure of Rwandan women-owned SMEs in the service sector. These findings are important because they suggest that policies designed to reduce the incidence of SMEs’ failure should take account of the two main factors influencing failure among women entrepreneurs.

1991 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 622-642
Author(s):  
K. Bataille ◽  
J. M. Chiu

Abstract We present a method to determine the polarization of body waves from three-component, high-frequency data and examples of its application. The method is based on the principal component approach. One advantage of this approach is that the polarization state can be determined for small time windows compared with the predominant period of the wave. This is particularly useful for identifying converted waves within the crust. The stability of the result is analyzed with synthetic cases by adding simultaneous arrivals from waves and random noise. The method works well with both synthetic and local data in the detection of the polarization of the wave by separating arrivals from different directions. From the local data, some seismic phases related to crustal conversions are observed that require strong lateral variations.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 290-310
Author(s):  
Swagatika Nanda ◽  
Ajaya Kumar Panda

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to track the financial performance of manufacturing firms at different levels of their conditional quantiles. It also analyzes the relevance of revenue and cost channels along with key firm-specific parameters that influence firm’s profitability. Design/methodology/approach The study analyses a sample of 1,000 manufacturing firms over a study period spanning from 2000 to 2016. It uses both quantile regression and panel ordinary linear square (OLS) models to analyze the financial performance of the firms. Findings The study finds large scale of heterogeneity among the firms under different quantiles of profitability. Export earnings, firm size, asset turnover and volatility of exchange rate are the decisive determinants of financial performance across all quantiles. Financing assets by current debt is negatively impacting return on assets and return on capital employed of firms from lower quantile whereas profitability is positively impacted if they are financed by long term debt. Debt financing of assets does not make any sense for firms with high quantile of profitability. The study also finds that quantile regression approach is a better method than panel OLS models in the presence of highly heterogeneous and non-normal distributions. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to the financial performance of manufacturing firms and does not consider service sector which is also equally competitive. However, a sector wise analysis of firm’s profitability could be more meaningful than comparing all the firms in one basket of manufacturing domain. Practical implications The research findings have both practical as well as policy implications. Practically, the study helps the firm managers to identify critical success factors that significantly influence firm’s financial performance at different levels of profitability. It also helps the policy makers to align policy focus to stabilize firms at lower level of profitability and also to manage conducive business environment for all firms at different levels of their profitability. Originality/value The study provides a deep theoretical underpinning of literatures on firm’s financial performance and empirically investigates it using advanced methodology. The robust estimates of the study ensure to analyze financial performance under revenue and cost channels at diverse level of their profitability.


2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 573-579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haiqiang Chen ◽  
Terence Tai Leung Chong ◽  
Yingni She

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 329-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pooja Jha ◽  
Munish Makkad ◽  
Sanjiv Mittal

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to conceptualize, develop and validate a scale reflecting performance dimensions of women entrepreneurs. The study intends to address the important aspects of women entrepreneur such as identifying factors influencing performance of women entrepreneur in emerging economies including India, and to develop a reliable and valid scale for measuring performance from women entrepreneurs’ perspective, which will help to explain the phenomena of entrepreneurship among women by using a holistic approach.Design/methodology/approachIn-depth literature reviews were conducted to identify manifest item measuring the latent scale dimensions. Semi-structured interview with women entrepreneurs also contributed toward item generation. A total of 1,032 valid and usable questionnaires were used for the final statistical data analysis. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) also conducted to confirm factors-item composition considered for the study.FindingsA final scale comprising six dimensions of entrepreneurial performance has been developed. These dimensions are business environment, motivation (pull/push), training and skill development, networking and market information, socio–cultural and financial. Dimensions are reflecting perception of women entrepreneurs on performance. Psychometrically properties of the proposed scale were tested and the model fitness was established through CFA.Research limitations/implicationsThe proposed scale will be beneficial for both existing and nascent entrepreneurs toward gaining awareness regarding what accounts for their performance enhancement in the respective ventures undertaken. At the same time, the finding carries implications for regulatory bodies and policymakers as well, which are engaged in drafting guidelines catering to the development of women entrepreneurship in respective economies.Originality/valueThe authors believe that the proposed scale offers superior ability to explain factors that affect the performance of women entrepreneurs in emerging economies such as India.


2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 45-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elżbieta Majewska ◽  
Joanna Olbryś

The goal of this paper is to recognize the dynamics of financial integration across the European stock markets over the last two decades. We investigate two groups of markets: (1) three developed European markets in the U.K., France, and Germany; and (2) three emerging Central and Eastern European markets in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary (CEE–3). The evolution of the integration process is analyzed using a dynamic principal component approach. The index of integration serves as a robust measure of integration. The empirical results reveal that the dynamics of integration across the whole group of markets increased significantly following the CEEC–3’s accession to the European Union. An inverted U‑shape in the index of integration has been found in this case. Moreover, the average index of integration was significantly different during the Global Financial Crisis compared to the pre‑crisis period. 


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Maugeri ◽  
Martina Barchitta ◽  
Guido Basile ◽  
Antonella Agodi

Abstract Italy has experienced the epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, which spread at different times and with different intensities throughout its territory. We aimed to identify clusters with similar epidemic patterns across Italian regions. To do that, we defined a set of regional indicators reflecting different domains and employed a hierarchical clustering on principal component approach to obtain an optimal cluster solution. As of 24 April 2020, Lombardy was the worst hit Italian region and entirely separated from all the others. Sensitivity analysis - by excluding data from Lombardy - partitioned the remaining regions into four clusters. Although cluster 1 (i.e. Veneto) and 2 (i.e. Piedmont and Emilia-Romagna) included the most hit regions beyond Lombardy, this partition reflected differences in the efficacy of restrictions and testing strategies. Cluster 3 was heterogeneous and comprised regions where the epidemic started later and/or where it spread with the lowest intensity. Regions within cluster 4 were those where the epidemic started slightly after Veneto, Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont, favoring timely adoption of control measures. Our findings provide policymakers with a snapshot of the epidemic in Italy, which might help guiding the adoption of countermeasures in accordance with the situation at regional level.


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