Journal Screenshot

International Journal of Academic Research in Economics and Management Sciences

Open Access Journal

ISSN: 2226-3624

Failure Factors in Traditional, Digital, and Hybrid Startups of Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises in the Retail Industry: Literature Review

Mohd Anuar Arshad, Mohammad Khaled Azzam

http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJAREMS/v12-i4/19256

Open access

This comprehensive literature review delves into the failure factors of traditional, digital, and hybrid startups within micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) operating in the retail industry. Spanning the years from 2012 to 2023, this study sheds light on the intricate web of dynamics contributing to the downfall of MSMEs in this competitive landscape.
The retail industry has witnessed a remarkable evolution driven by technological advancements and changing consumer behaviors. Startups operating in traditional, digital, and hybrid modes are integral to this transformation. However, the high failure rate among these startups remains a pressing concern. A disheartening trend reveals that many MSMEs encounter significant challenges, with many failing to endure beyond their initial years.
This review meticulously analyzes various critical factors contributing to retail startups' failure. The synthesis of insights from diverse sources highlights the intricate interplay of elements such as financial instability, lack of entrepreneurial competencies and attributes, ineffective marketing strategies, inadequate technological integration, unfavorable government policies, weak customer relationships, mismanagement of timing, and insufficient infrastructural support.
The study underscores the imperative need to address these failure factors to cultivate a supportive environment for MSMEs in the retail industry. By dissecting the root causes of failure, this review provides a foundation for informed decision-making, enabling stakeholders, policymakers, and entrepreneurs to devise strategies that mitigate these challenges.
In conclusion, this comprehensive literature review unravels the multifaceted tapestry of failure factors plaguing traditional, digital, and hybrid startups within the retail industry's micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. The insights offered herein aim to contribute to creating a conducive ecosystem where startups can survive and thrive, fostering innovation, economic growth, and resilience in the ever-evolving retail landscape.

Abou-Moghli, A. A., & Al-kasbah, M. M. (2012). Social network and the success of business startups. International Journal of Business and Management, 7(9), 134–140. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijbm.v7n9p134.
Afiqah, N., Ishak, M., Abidin, N. B., & Rajadurai, J. (2018). New Wave of Businesses: Brick to Click Approach in Malaysia. International Journal of Engineering and Technology (UAE), 7(4), 777-781.
Agyapong, G. T. (2016). Factors Influencing the development and growth of small medium-sized enterprises; The case of Ghana (Doctoral dissertation, Brunel University London.).
Ahmed, A., Aldahabreh, N., Nusairat, N. M., Abuhashesh, M., Rawashdeh, L., & Al-Gasawneh, J. A. (2021). The Impact of Entrepreneurs' Emotional Intelligence on Creativity: The Moderating Role of Personal Traits. Annals of the Romanian Society for Cell Biology, 25(5), 5626–5640.
Alharbi, M. M. H. (2020). Entrepreneurship and Job Creation in Jordan: Challenges and Prospects for Startups. Journal La Bisecoman, 1(3), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.37899/journallabisecoman.v1i3.114.
Amankwah-Amoah, J. (2016). An integrative process model of the University of Bristol - Explore Bristol Research. Journal of Business Research, 69(9), 3388–3397.
Aminova, M., & Marchi, E. (2021). The Role of Innovation on Startup Failure vs. Its Success. International Journal of Business Ethics and Governance, 4(1), 41–72. https://doi.org/10.51325/ijbeg.v4i1.60
Amornkitvikai, Y., Tham, S. Y., Harvie, C., & Buachoom, W. W. (2022). Barriers and factors affecting the e-commerce sustainability of Thai Micro-, Small-and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs). Sustainability, 14(14), 8476.
Andrea Payaro, & Anna Rita Papa. (2017). Products Suitable for E-commerce: A Proposed Model for Click and Bricks Companies. Management Studies, 5(3), 205–211. https://doi.org/10.17265/2328-2185/2017.03.005
Arasti, Z., Zandi, F., & Talebi, K. (2012). Exploring the Effect of Individual Factors on Business Failure in Iranian New Established Small Businesses. International Business Research, 5(4), 2–11. https://doi.org/10.5539/ibr.v5n4p2.
Avery, J., Steenburgh, T. J., Deighton, J., & Caravella, M. (2012). Adding bricks to clicks: Predicting the patterns of cross-channel elasticities over time. Journal of Marketing, 76(3), 96-111.
Bejleri, E., & Fishta, A. (2017). Toward Virtual Business. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 8(3), 275–280. https://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2017.v8n3p275.
Berman, B., & Thelen, S. (2018). Planning and implementing an effective omnichannel marketing program. International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, 46(7), 598–614. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJRDM-08-2016-0131.
Blank, S., & Dorf, B. (2012). The Startup Owner's Manual: The Step-by-Step Guide for Building a Great Company. Diateino.
Buyinza, F., Mutenyo, J., Kakande, N., & Banga, M. (2017). Determinants of firms startup size and performance of small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs): Empirical evidence from Uganda. Journal of Applied Business and Economies, 19(12), 46-56.
Cantamessa, M., Gatteschi, V., Perboli, G., & Rosano, M. (2018). Startups' roads to failure. Sustainability, 10(7), 2346. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072346
Carter, R., & Van Auken, H. (2006). Small firm bankruptcy. Journal of Small Business Management, 44(4), 493–512. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-627X.2006.00187.x.
Chakraborti, J., Dutta, A., & Jana, B. (2022). An Empirical Investigation Into Why Startups Resist Use of Digital Marketing. Journal of Content, Community, and Communication, 15(8), 69–83. https://doi.org/10.31620/JCCC.06.22/06
Chatterjee, S., Chaudhuri, R., Vrontis, D., & Thrassou, A. (2022). SME entrepreneurship and digitalization – the potentialities and moderating role of demographic factors. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 179(March), 121648. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.121648.
Chen, J., Reilly, R. R., & Lynn, G. S. (2012). New product development speed: Too much of a good thing? Journal of Product Innovation Management, 29(2), 288–303. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5885.2011.00896.x.
Douglas, J., Douglas, A., Muturi, D., & Ochieng, J. (2017, September). An exploratory study of critical success factors for SMEs in Kenya. In Toulon-Verona Conference" Excellence in Services (pp. 223-234).
Endang Siswati. (2021). Model kolaborasi pemasaran online untuk meningkatkan daya saing usaha mikro dalam menghadapi era digital di Kota Surabaya. Majalah Ekonomi, 26(1), 95–100. https://doi.org/10.36456/majeko.vol26.no1.a3958.
Enders, A., & Jelassi, T. (2000). The Converging Business Models of Internet and Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers. European Management Journal, 18(5), 542–550. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0263-2373(00)00043-8.
European Commission. (2017). Annual report on European SMEs 2016/2017. Focus on self-employment. Brussels: European Commission. https://doi.org/10.2873/742338.
Fatoki, O. (2014). The causes of the failure of new small and medium enterprises in South Africa. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 5(20), 922–927. https://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n20p922.
Festel, G., Wuermseher, M., & Cattaneo, G. (2013). Valuation of early-stage high-tech startup companies. International Journal of Business, 18(3), 216–231.
Fornari, E., Grandi, S., & Fornari, D. (2018). Retailing 4.0: the new era of E-commerce in fast moving consumer goods. Symphonya, (2), 77-90.
Gammon, E., & Levie, J. (2010). Founder's human capital, external investment, and the survival of new high-technology ventures. Research Policy, 39(9), 1214–1226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2010.05.017.
Gumel, B. I., & Bin Bardai, B. (2023). A Review of Critical Success Factors Influencing the Success of SMEs. SEISENSE Business Review, 3(1), 37–
61. https://doi.org/10.33215/sbr.v3i1.906.
Headd, B. (2003). Redefining Business Success: Distinguishing between Closure and Failure. Small Business Economics, 21(1), 51–61. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024433630958.
Herhausen, D., Binder, J., Schoegel, M., & Herrmann, A. (2015). Integrating Bricks with Clicks: Retailer-Level and Channel-Level Outcomes of Online-Offline Channel Integration. Journal of Retailing, 91(2), 309–325. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretai.2014.12.009.
https://explodingtopics.com/blog/startup-failure-stats.
Ioni??, F., Shuleski, D., & Cristina, A. M. (2016). From Click-and-Mortar to Clicks-and-Bricks: Challenges of Business Transformation Management. Management International Conference, 1(4), 193–205.
Isharyadi, R., Sari, R. N., & Purwantoro, P. (2022). Analysis of Development Stages and Digital Start-Up Success Factors. Budapest International Research and Critics Institute-Journal (BIRCI-Journal), 5(3), 21211-21218.
Jenkins, A., & McKelvie, A. (2016). What is entrepreneurial failure? Implications for future research. International Small Business Journal: Researching Entrepreneurship, 34(2), 176–188.https://doi.org/10.1177/0266242615574011.
Kalyanasundaram, G., Ramachandrula, S., & Mungila Hillemane, B. S. (2021). The life expectancy of tech startups in India: What attributes impact tech startups' failures? International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, 27(8), 2050–2078. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-01-2021-0025.
Konsek-Ciecho?ska, J. (2019). Startup Companies, Challenges in Poland. Knowledge International Journal, 30(6), 1621–1626. https://doi.org/10.35120/kij30061621k.
Lattacher, W., & Wdowiak, M. A. (2020). Entrepreneurial learning from failure. A systematic review. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, 26(5), 1093–1131. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-02-2019-0085.
Le Floc’h, G., & Scaringella, L. (2017). Another failed M&A: misaligned business models as the culprit. Journal of Business Strategy, 38(5), 18–26. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBS-05-2016-0049.
Levinthal, D. A. (1991). Random Walks and Organizational Mortality. Administrative Science Quarterly, 36(3), 397. https://doi.org/10.2307/2393202.
Mellahi, K., & Wilkinson, A. (2004). Organizational failure: A critique of recent research and a proposed integrative framework. International Journal of Management Reviews, 5–6(1), 21–41. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-8545.2004.00095.x.
Mikle, L. (2020). Startups and reasons for their failure. In SHS Web of Conferences (Vol. 83, p. 01046). EDP Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/20208301046.
OECD (2015). SME and entrepreneurship. OECD Publishing.
OECD. (2016). Stimulating digital innovation for growth and inclusiveness. OECD Digital Economy Papers, No. 256. https://doi.org/10.1787/5jlwqvhg3l31-en
Petru, N., Pavlák, M., & Polák, J. (2019). Factors impacting startup sustainability in the Czech Republic. Innovative Marketing, 15(3), 1–
15. https://doi.org/10.21511/im.15(3).2019.01.
Prohorovs, A., Bistrova, J., & Ten, D. (2019). Startup Success Factors in the Capital Attraction Stage: Founders' Perspective. Journal of East-West Business, 25(1), 26–51. https://doi.org/10.1080/10669868.2018.1503211.
Rifai, F., & Yousif, A. S. H. (2016). The effect of management policy & process on adopting entrepreneurship aspects by Jordanian universities. Journal of Management and Sustainability, 6(3), 127. https://doi.org/10.5539/jms.v6n3p127.
Rizvanovi?, B., Zutshi, A., Grilo, A., & Nodehi, T. (2023). Linking the potentials of extended digital marketing impact and start-up growth: Developing a macro-dynamic framework of start-up growth drivers supported by digital marketing. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 186, 122128.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.122128.
SBA. (2017). U.S. Small Business Administration Summary of Performance \& Financial Information. 8.
S., D., & R., S. (2022). Digital transformation in Retail Industry. Cardiometry, pp. 24, 859–866. https://doi.org/10.18137/cardiometry.2022.24.859866 .
Seethamraju, R. (2018). Adoption of Digital Payments by Small Retail Stores. In Australasian Conference on Information Systems, Sydney, Australia.
Sefiani, Y., & Bown, R. (2013). What Influences the Success of Manufacturing SMEs?. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 4(7), 297–309.
Shepherd, D. A., & Patzelt, H. (2017). Trailblazing in entrepreneurship: Creating new paths for understanding the field. Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48701-4.
Smith, S. P., Rhodes, K., & Chairperson, E. D. D. (2015). Southern California small business leaders and emotional intelligence: Exploring perceptions of effect and value in the workplace (Doctoral dissertation, Pepperdine University).
Verhoef, P. C., Kannan, P. K., & Inman, J. J. (2015). From Multichannel Retailing to Omni-Channel Retailing. Introduction to the Special Issue on Multichannel Retailing.Journal of Retailing, 91(2), 174–181.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretai.2015.02.005.
Vliamos, S. J., & Tzeremes, N. G. (2012). Factors Influencing Entrepreneurial Process and Firm Startups: Evidence from Central Greece. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 3(3), 250–264. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-011-0043-x
Watson, J., and J. Evertt (1996). "Do Small Businesses Have High Failure Rates?" Journal of Small Business Management 34(4), 45–52.

(Arshad & Azzam, 2023)
Arshad, M. A., & Azzam, M. K. (2023). Failure Factors in Traditional, Digital, and Hybrid Startups of Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises in the Retail Industry: Literature Review. International Journal of Academic Research in Economics and Management Sciences, 12(4), 518–534.