Entrepreneurial and SME Activity in Libya: Reviewing Contextual Obstacles and Challenges Leading to Its Fractured Enterprise Culture

Abdulmonem Ahmed Esaudi, Robert Smith and Veronica Scuotto
Additional contact information
Abdulmonem Ahmed Esaudi: University of the West of Scotland
Veronica Scuotto: University of Turin

Chapter Chapter 18 in The Palgrave Handbook of African Entrepreneurship, 2022, pp 437-462 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Entrepreneurship and SME activity in Libya, like many North African countries have traditionally been restricted by the role of large state-owned enterprises and historical, cultural and religious barriers. Whilst there is some evidence of change in recent years, historical and cultural impediments still remain deeply embedded. Libya is mired in an internecine Civil War making it a conflict zone. This is underpinned by a lack of a stable enterprise culture caused by a myriad of contextual obstacles and challenges which must be overcome before the power of entrepreneurship can be unleashed. It is essential to understand how such instability can derail potential opportunities. This review, drawing upon historical and cultural evidence explores Libyan entrepreneurial and SME behaviour to document contemporary entrepreneurial practice. Individual entrepreneurial endeavour has been impeded by systemic problems including political and social instability, endemic poverty, economic growth inequality, corruption, bureaucracy, ineffective infrastructure and a lack of enterprise support mechanisms. This study is timely given the rapidly evolving entrepreneurial dynamic.

Keywords: Libya; MENA; Entrepreneurship; SME activity; Libyan enterprise culture; Libyan enterprise centre’s (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-030-75894-3_18

Ordering information: This item can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/9783030758943

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-75894-3_18

Access Statistics for this chapter

More chapters in Springer Books from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().