Author(s): Yousif Aftan Abdullah, Dr. Mohd Najib Bin Mansor
The purpose of this study is to examine the moderating role of business environment on the relationship between Entrepreneurial Skills (ES) and business performance of Small Business (SB) in Iraq, Baghdad. This study aims to resolve the inconsistencies found in the contemporary literature regarding the relationship between ES and business performance. Questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale was adopted from previous work to ascertain the responses of the respondents. Survey research design was adopted, and self-administered questionnaires were used to collect the data from small business owners in 9 districts in Baghdad the capital of Iraq. The analysis was conducted using SPSS version 23.0. The direct relationship and hierarchical regression analysis were spent to exam the hypothesis with moderating influence of Business Environment on the Relationship between Entrepreneurial Skills and Small Business Performance. The major findings reveal that that business environment moderates the relationship between entrepreneurial skills and small business performance. The study has useful recommendations for Iraqi Government and policy making institutions.