Small is Significant: Training and Development Needs of Indian MSMEs

Although the Micro/Small and Medium Enterprises (M/SMEs) in India (as also in other countries) make significant contributions to the economy (with about 30% share in GDP, 50% share in exports, and more than 60% share in employment), their developmental needs are addressed primarily through the facilitation of the external environment. In order to take advantage of the external facilitation, M/SMEs have to develop their internal capabilities, which are hardly attended to. Training is widely recognized as a major tool for developing the internal capabilities of M/SMEs. However, there were hardly any studies on the training-related issues of Indian M/SMEs. It is in this context that the present study was undertaken for identifying the perceived training needs and the training-related preferences of M/SMEs. The study covered a wide range of issues related to training in M/SMEs, such as the perceived training needs, the preferred training contents, methods, timings, duration, and training providers, as well as the actual training provided, for various levels (owners/directors, managers, and employees) in the organization. The findings of the study and the recommendations made on their basis will be useful for researchers, trainers/consultants, and practitioners/entrepreneurs, as well as policy-makers.

Mathew James Manimala retired in 2018 after serving as Director of Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship (XIME), Bangalore, India. Prior to that, he worked as Professor at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB), India, where he has also served as the Jamuna Raghavan Chair Professor of Entrepreneurship.