*Assistant Professor, Hamdard Institute of Management Sciences, Hamdard University, Karachi
**Assistant Professor, Business Administration Department, Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science & Technology, Karachi
Online published on 24 January, 2015.
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play an important role in the economic development of the country. The objective of this study is to analyze characteristics of apparel SMEs in Pakistan. Primary data was collected through a questionnaire and structured interviews and secondary data was collected through literature review. The data of the apparel SMEs in Pakistan was taken from 146 apparel associations namely PHMA, PRGMEA and PCFA. Stratified random sampling procedure was used. Strata were south zone and north zone of apparel industry. This study concludes that the most of the respondents were above average age and status of the women entrepreneurs has been found as very poor. Top management of apparel SMEs was averagely qualified. No new apparel businesses have started business during last five years which was alarming. Most of the apparel SMEs are the sole proprietorships and are dealing in more than twenty products. This shows huge potential of this sector. Most of the apparel SMEs were customer-oriented culture and private limited companies.
Characteristics of SMEs, employee oriented culture, customer oriented culture, top management of apparel SMEs
