IDENTIFYING FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE BUSINESS SIZE AS A MEASURE OF PERFORMANCE AMONG SMALL BUSINESSES IN MAIDUGURI METROPOLIS

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between entrepreneurial behavior, choice of finance, and business size in Maiduguri Metropolis, Nigeria. A sample size of 310 entrepreneurs was used to gather primary data through self-administered questionnaires. The study found that entrepreneurs preferred using personal savings and profits as their source of finance and resourcefulness was the most common entrepreneurial behavior exhibited by respondents in Maiduguri. The study also revealed that the average size of entrepreneurial businesses in Maiduguri is small. The study further showed that the choice of finance moderated the relationship between entrepreneurial behavior and business size. The study recommends programs that increase entrepreneurial resourcefulness, financial institutions providing financial products that cater to the needs of the entrepreneurial economy, and policy-makers collaborating with development agencies to design schemes that foster the creation of small and medium-sized entrepreneurs in the region