Competitiveness and Growth Hindrances of Light Engineering Industry of Bangladesh: A Study on Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise (MSME) Owners

Abstract

Indigenous light engineering talents of Dholaikhal and Jinjira have long been life line for the manufacturing industries and automobile sector of Bangladesh. Recent studies have shown that they are passing through hard times and the Government institutions are not supporting them to face the challenges and capture opportunities of their competitiveness and growth. First generation indigenous light engineering entrepreneurs have passed on the sector to the next generation. Much around them has changed. This study attempts to assess the major hindrances of achieving competitiveness and growth for the light engineering MSMEs in the changed scenario. A qualitative study was conducted through depth interview of the micro, small and medium sized LE enterprise owners, observation and validation workshop method. It looked beyond the words of the interviewees and read between the assembly lines of the factories. Findings show that the major hindrance to their competiveness and growth cultural factors, rather than popular view of resource scarcity.

Keywords: Light engineering industry, micro, small and medium enterprises, growth and competitiveness, hindrance, Bangladesh, institutional role, need-delivery gap matrix.