The Impact of Selected Entrepreneurial Competencies on SMEs Performance in Ethekweni Regions of South Africa: Theoretical and Practical Implications

Owner-managers of small businesses are in dire need of competent and skillful employees.
\nBesides, owner managers need to acquire specific competencies including personal, opportunity and
\nstrategic to sustain the day-to-day operations of firms. This study seeks to determine the impact of the
\nthree competencies to understand their impact on small business performance. The study put forward
\nthe argument that opportunity, personal and strategic competencies impact on SMEs performance. To
\nevaluate the impact of the three variables of exogenous and endogenous on SMEs performance, three
\nhypotheses were formulated. Empirical data was collected from 248 owner-managers of SMEs
\nchosen from database through the Durban Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DCCI). For two
\nweeks, the authors used the DCCI as the empirical context for the study where data was sourced.
\nBeing quantitative study, a self-designed 5-point Likert-scale questionnaire was applied to solicit
\nempirical data. The outcomes of the study showed that entrepreneurial competencies such as personal,
\nopportunity and strategic are crucial for small business performance. The findings also provide rich
\ninsights to some of the reasons for the rampant small business failures country-wide including
\neThekweni regions of South Africa. Further, the study unearths useful implications for ownermangers
\nto ensure that in general competencies is critical for small business survival and growth.