Barriers to Entrepreneurship Confronted by Persons with Disabilities: An Exploratory Study on Entrepreneurs with Disabilities in Northern Province, Sri Lanka

Abstract : The main objective of this research was to study the effects of Entrepreneurial Training (ET), Access to Credit Facilities (ACF), Technology Usage (TU), Entrepreneurial Knowledge (EK), and Policy & Regulatory Barriers (PR) on the entrepreneurial performance (EP) of disabled people in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. A quantitative analysis was performed and the relationships between the variables were examined using correlation and regression techniques. The correlation results presented that there were very strong positive connections between EP and ET (r = 0.934, p < 0.01), ACF (r = 0.866, p < 0.01), EK (r = 0.886, p < 0.01), and PR (r = 0.787, p < 0.01) while TU also showed a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.699, p < 0.01). The results of the regression analysis showed that ET (β = 0.677, t = 12.050, p < 0.001), ACF (β = 0.139, t = 2.220, p = 0.028), EK (β = 0.251, t = 3.888, p < 0.001), and PR (β = 0.059, t = 2.527, p = 0.012) not only positively but also significantly affected EP. On the contrary, TU (β = -0.122, t = -2.993, p = 0.003) indicated a significant negative impact, implying that the use of technology without sufficient skill or accessibility support could slow down the performance. The results underline the necessity of entrepreneurial training, access to financial resources, knowledge acquisition, and efficient management of the regulatory process as the main aspects that can improve the business performance of disabled entrepreneurs. The research points to the requirement of customized training programs, money lending schemes for the disabled, technological facilities for the disabled, and policies that are supportive of the disabled to encourage the growth of inclusive entrepreneurship in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka.