Typologies characterizing a group of small enterprises in Valdivia - Chile

Abstract

The objective of the study was to identify and describe different attributes that characterize small enterprises and their entrepreneurs in Valdivia. Information was obtained via a static survey. The variables were analyzed through descriptive statistics, followed by multiple correspondence analysis, which permitted characterization of the small enterprises according to the results given by the first factorial plane. A cluster analysis was also conducted to group the enterprises by means of a dendrogram.
The first factorial plane allowed the definition of three groups of enterprises, located in the different quadrants inside the plane. These groups were determined by twelve variables such as age, experience, training and entrepreneurs’ motivation; in addition to annual sales, short, medium and long term perspectives, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for these companies.
The first group contained entrepreneurs with technical degrees, with a desire for further training as well as the desire to make their enterprises grow in the medium and long term. Their enterprises were perceived to have 1 to 2 weaknesses and 5 to 6 strengths. The second group was formed by entrepreneurs between 46 and 55 years of age, with a basic level of education and no plans to improve their enterprise in the short term. Their enterprises had 3 to 4 weaknesses, and 1 opportunity. The third group included entrepreneurs that perceive their enterprises to have 1 to 2 strengths, 5 to 6 weaknesses and with the desire to improve their enterprise in 5 or 6 areas in the short term.
The dendrogram obtained from the cluster analysis demonstrated 4 groups of small enterprises with 50% of the companies concentrated in the first group, 17% in the second, 13% in the third, and the remaining 20% in the fourth group.