Perceptions of Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises' (Smmes) Owners on Services Provided by the Supporting Institutions in South Africa

In South Africa), there are public and private institutions that have been put in place to encourage the start-up and growth of Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs). There is a need to evaluate the impact of those services provided by these institutions in order to identify the gap(s) that needs to be filled and suggest areas where there is a need for improvement. This study used a quantitative research approach. From a sample of 384 SMMEs in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa., this paper assesses SMMEs' satisfaction vis à vis the services provided by the supporting institutions. Specifically, this work seeks to identify the relationship between the frequency of receiving support from the institutions and SMMEs' satisfaction. Spearman correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to depict the significance and the effect of receiving support from supporting institutions on Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) satisfaction. Findings reveal that the frequency of receiving networking support, training, business advice and funding is significantly correlated with SMMEs' satisfaction while the frequency of receiving guidance on licensing procedures, assistance with access to business premises is not. This paper suggests a regression model that could assist supporting institutions in their attempt to increase SMMEs' satisfaction.