An Empirical Study on the Major Problems Faced by Entrepreneurs with Special Reference to Micro and Small Enterprises Among the Tribals in Manipur

Micro and small businesses in rural and tribal communities are crucial drivers of sustainable economic development, playing a significant role in addressing various global challenges such as poverty reduction, job creation, resiliency and economic development. In spite of their crucial role in the national economy, small enterprises often encounter numerous challenges and constraints that can hinder their development, growth and overall performance. The present study is aimed at assessing the major problems faced by micro and small entrepreneurs among the tribal communities in the hill districts of Manipur. This empirical study is descriptive in nature and uses both primary and secondary data. The primary data were collected from 311 registered entrepreneurs using a well-structured questionnaire. The percentage technique, mean, standard deviation, t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) test were used to analyse the data with the aid of SPSS. There is no significant difference in the major problems faced by entrepreneurs across gender. However, labour problems were different across levels of educational background, and there was a significant difference between the nature of industry and the infrastructural problems faced by micro and small entrepreneurs. The study suggests coordinating the efforts of the government and aiding organisations in assisting the entrepreneurs to tackle the multifaceted challenges.