The Survival Rates of SMEs in Turkey and the Conceptual Framework of Factors Affecting IT

SMEs are vitally important enterprises as they are a source of income and employment in both developed and developing economies. However, despite their importance, only a small part of them survive for many years. Therefore, identifying the factors that enable SMEs to survive will play an important role in attracting entrepreneurs’ attention and encouraging them to take steps to ensure the survival of their enterprises. In the literature, these factors are considered independently of each other. In this context, there is a gap in the literature that requires to demonstrate the relationship between these factors. This article aims to contribute to the literature by identifying factors affecting the survival of SMEs in Turkey and providing a conceptual framework that explains their relationships. In the proposed framework, managerial practices, entrepreneurial traits, market adaptation, growth management and finance management were considered as the main constructs. If this conceptual framework, which was revealed as a result of field observations and detailed literature reviews, is empirically supported by further studies, it can create an alternative perspective that will inspire SME owners in Turkey to keep their companies alive for years.