SMEs Management Practices in a Hostile Business Environment in Zimbabwe

Abstract

A great deal of extant literature has emphasised the importance of SMEs role in the economic performance of any country. It is this realization that has propelled almost all countries to nurture their SMEs so as to achieve economic development. This paper intends to interrogate the management practices adopted by SMEs in Zimbabwe, particularly in Gweru metropolitan albeit the macro factors that bedevilled the country to date. To achieve this discussion, emphasis will be drawn to the adoption and adaptation of management practices by these SMEs particularly in four facets: management of human resources, cash management, management of capital assets, and management of the product/service. This is a conceptual paper and a qualitative research design is going to be used to define the methodology of this paper. A cross sectional survey is proposed for this study, using a sample size of fifty SMEs who will be chosen using purposive and snowballing sampling methods. Questionnaires will be administered on the chosen sample and this will be followed by semi-structured interviews on five cases that will constitute the main cases for discussion and confirmation. Data will be analysed using a thematically data analysis approach as put forth by respondents narrating their encounters.