Entrepreneurial Competencies of SME Owners: A Comparative Exploratory Analysis between Iran and Italy

This chapter explores competencies of business owners in Iran and Italy. It presents the findings of an exploratory analysis of the entrepreneurial competencies that qualify and motivate business owners to successfully manage their business and overcome the challenges and complexities of leading a small and medium sized enterprise (SME) in the business environment of a developing and a developed nation. The participants were 143 SME owners; 83 from Iran and 60 from Italy. The findings demonstrated differences between entrepreneurial competencies of SME owners in the business context of the two countries. More specifically, SME owners in Iran had higher orientation toward learning and were more independent while their Italian counterparts had higher insight into the market and ability to persuade. The findings are discussed in light of their implications for research and practice in both countries.