Failure Factors in Tunisian Micro-enterprises: Introspection through Cognitive Mapping

This paper aims to identify the key factors of entrepreneurial failure in Sfax, a Tunisian region known for its entrepreneurial culture, using a sample of 150 micro-enterprises operating in different sectors of the economy. To study this particular phenomenon, the authors used the cognitive approach and the structural analysis, regarded as a tool for structuring ideas and for schematizing the mental image of micro-entrepreneurs. The results show that the weak engagement and the insufficient wealth of human, financial and social capital of microentrepreneurs represented the main potential barriers that reduced the success of their micro-enterprises. This study also emphasizes the importance of the attributes of human and social resources (e.g., education, experience, knowledge and skills, social networks, and family) as critical resources for successful individual businesses.