The impact of entrepreneurs characteristics on the performance of small medium enterprises : the case of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)

This study seeks to examine the effect of entrepreneurial competencies (innovation, leadership, networking and risk-taking) on the survival of SMEs in KSA. The literature review evaluates the relationship between each of the entrepreneurial competencies and their effect on survival of SMEs worldwide. We have opted to adopt a descriptive research design. The findings reveal that entrepreneurial competencies (innovation competency, leadership competency, networking competency and risk-taking competency) of the SME owners/managers (entrepreneurs) have a positive and significant effect on the survival of SMEs in KSA. The study recommends SMEs should embrace innovation competency as a means of enhancing survival and leadership competency which is the key aspect for both survival and performance. SMEs should also embrace networking competency as a way of gaining competitive advantage and widening customer base, adopting the calculated risk-taking strategies in their operations.