INDEXED IN 

ISSN 2456-0235

International Journal of Modern Science and Technology

​​​​​​​January 2020, Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 7-24. 

​​​Small and medium Entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and its role in reducing unemployment in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Esmat Mohamed Abdel Moniem el sayed
College of Business, University of Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

​​​*Corresponding author’s e-mail: emalsayed@uj.edu.sa

​Abstract

​SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) account for 60 to 70 percent of jobs in most OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries with a particularly large share in Italy and Japan, and a relatively smaller share in the United States. Throughout; they also account for a disproportionately large share of new jobs, especially in those countries which have displayed a strong employment record. In Saudi Arabia, more than two-thirds of the population is younger than 30 and about 100,000 graduates enter the job market each year. The present paper discusses what measures should be taken and highlights the importance of understanding the relationship and interaction between unemployment and entrepreneurship.  The present research focuses on studies which explain the Small and medium-sized entrepreneurship and its role in reducing unemployment in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches are used to collect data which may contribute to a better understanding of the employment issues of Saudi young men and women. Besides; we introduce entrepreneurship Survey Questionnaire; this survey has focused mainly on understanding the relationship and interaction between unemployment and entrepreneurship.  In this survey, a more balanced view is taken by examining the factors which contribute to creating more job opportunities.

Keywords: Small and medium-sized enterprises, Entrepreneurship, Saudi Arabia, Unemployment, job opportunities.

​References

  1. European Commission, DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, Communication, Access to Documents and Document Management Unit A1. May, 2019
  2. Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics of Egypt. knoema - World Data Atlas. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  3. Naudé W. Entrepreneurship in Economic Development,” Research Paper, United Nations University-WIDER, United Nations University, No. 2008/20.
  4. GCF-Global competitiveness forum -Competitive Governments) UNDEL SMEs in KSA, 2015
  5. Trading economics (actual data, historical chart, and calendar of releases - was last updated on May of 2017.
  6. Marcati A, Guido G, Peluso AM. The role of SME entrepreneurs’ innovativeness and personality in the adoption of innovations. Research Policy 2008;37:1579-90.
  7. [7] World Bank Group, Thorsten Beck and Robert Cull, Policy Research Paper, SME Finance in Africa, September, 2014.
  8. U.S. Census Bureau Data. 2011
  9. OECD Small and Medium Enterprise Outlook , OECD Publishing, 2000
  10. Borisov, Lyudmila, LGB Direct: How do Entrepreneurs Contribute to the Economy, Blog, October 28, 2014,
  11. Darren L, Conrad L. Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management in the Hospitality Industry. Jordan Hill, UK: Elsevier Linacre House, 2009.
  12. OECD Harmful Tax Competition. An Emerging Global Issue. Paris: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 1998.
  13. Schumpeter, JA. The Theory of Economic Development: An Inquiry into Profits, Capital, Credit, Interest, and the Business Cycle, New York: New York University Press, 2004.
  14. Ogundele OJ. Introduction to Entrepreneurship Development, Corporate Government and Small Business Management. 1st Edition. Lagos: Molofin Nominees, 2007
  15. Jimmy H, Pauric MG. A qualitative approach to developing small firm marketing planning competencies. Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal 1999;2:167-75/
  16. Baumbach CM. Basic Business Management. New York: Prentice Hall Inc, 1983.
  17. Gibson T, van der Vart HJ. Defining SMEs: A less imperfect way of defining Small and Medium Enterprises in Developing Countries, Brookings Global Economy and Development, September 2008.
  18. Lucky EO. Olusegun AI. Is Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) an Entrepreneurship?. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences 2012;2:487-96.
  19. Johns, N, Mattsson J. Destination development through entrepreneurship: a comparison of two cases. Tourism Management 2005;26:605-16.
  20. Murphy L, Benckendorff P, Loscardo G, Pearce PL. Tourist Shopping Villages: Forms and Functions. New York: Routledge, 2011.
  21. Hyvärinen J. Rautiainen AM. In, Teknologiakatsus 188/2006
  22. Storey DJ. Understanding the Small Business Sector, Routledge, London, 1994
  23. Birch D, Haggerty A, Parsons W. “Who’s Creating Jobs?”Cognetics Inc, 1993
  24. Davidsson P. “SMEs and Job Creation in Sweden”, paper presented at the OECD High-level Workshop on “SMEs: Employment, Innovation and Growth”, Washington, DC. 1995
  25. Barajas Al-Barajas, “Unemployment facts and figures”, Saudi Gazette, Saturday, May 20, 2017
  26. Stephen F, Michael M, Solving unemployment for GCC nationals. Performance Journal, 2013;5:66-70.
  27. Tariq A Al-Maeena. Addressing unemployment among Saudi youth, Saudi Gazette.  31, 2016.
  28. Mazen Aldawood. Deputy Governor of the SME Authority, Based on a presentation delivered by, on September 28, 2016.
  29. Fahd Al Rasheed. Global Entrepreneurship Research Association Director, GEM Saudi Arabia BGCEL at MBSC, KAEC, KSA, Global Entrepreneurship research association GRA, “GEM Global Entrepreneurship Monitor"2016-2017.
  30. Gertjan H. Unemployment in Saudi Arabia: a Ticking Time Bomb, September 9th, 2013.
  31. Babson College, Babson Park, MA, United States, London Business School, London, United Kingdom, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile, UniversitiTun Abdul Razak, Malaysia, 2017.
  32. GEM Global Entrepreneurship Monitor© 2017", by the Global Entrepreneurship Research Association (GERA) Global Report "Founding and Sponsoring Institutions", 2016.
  33. OECD Policy Briefs are prepared by the Public Affairs Division, Public Affairs and Communications Directorate, "Small and Medium-sized Enterprises: Local Strength, Global Reach", 2000.
  34. "Entrepreneurship and Small Enterprises Survey and its Role in Reducing Unemployment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in light of the Vision of the Kingdom of 2030, 2017/
  35. Abla Abdul Hameed Bokhari, Nazeeh Shuja Alothmany, Samia Suliman Maqbool, King Abdulaziz University, Working Paper Submitted to the Saudi Economy Conference: Challenges and Opportunities, "Entrepreneurship and Unemployment in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia", 2012.
  36. Abla Abdul Hameed Bokhari, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah-Saudi Arabia,"Entrepreneurship as a Solution to Youth Unemployment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia", 2017.