Determinants of entrepreneurship failure in Lebanon: an exploratory approach

Abstract

This paper documents the results of the first phase of an ongoing research aiming at investigating the determinants of entrepreneurship failure in Lebanon. Using a purposeful sampling approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with sixteen market players (bankers, economists, university professors and entrepreneurs). Results revealed a total agreement with the literature and identified several other factors specific to the Lebanese context such as the arrogance of the Lebanese entrepreneur, the inadequate practices related to recruitment and management processes, and a misguiding macroeconomic policy combined with a high level of corruption. These "special" issues merit further investigation and will be assessed in a subsequent research study of a larger scale.