With 46% net of entrepreneurs globally declaring their stress levels have risen in the past two years it seems evident that the difficult economic environment of the past two years has not only left a mark on business attitudes but also on entrepreneur's personal lives, so closely tied up with their business lives. In the UAE fully 62% net of respondents declare that their stress levels have risen markedly in the past two years.
Aside from overall stress levels the Regus survey also examined the major preoccupation behind that stress. Globally, entrepreneurs related that they are most concerned with falling profits and revenues. The second key concern, however, was a lack of cash or working capital to invest in the economic upturn, followed closely by worries over late payment. In the UAE in particular late payment was the main concern of entrepreneurs followed by reduced bank credit and falling revenues.
Mark Dixon, Chief Executive of workspace solutions provider Regus, comments: "Small businesses provide an important barometer of growth and innovation in any country. Entrepreneurial success is an indicator for innovation and future wealth generation. Given its importance, the concerns and obstacles faced by this segment are likely to have significant repercussions on the economy as a whole.
"As SMEs exit a period of economic difficulty and prepare to invest in the upturn their concerns reveal that pressures around securing capital to invest are great. In addition to this SMEs in the UAE, where banks are reported to generally reject 50-70% of credit applications
from small businesses, continue to feel hampered by lack of access to credit.[1]"
[1] http://vae.ahk.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Wirtschaftsnachrichten/AHK_SME_…
