Exploratory study of the SMES of manufacturers of construction products in Uttar Pradesh

MSMEs play an important role in the growth of an economy. They are widely considered India's economic backbone accounting for 8% of India's GDP, 45% of industrial output and 40% of exports. Thus, MSMEs are an essential part of the Indian economy and have contributed significantly to the country's socio-economic progress. If their contribution is to be tapped optimally, their uniqueness needs to be nurtured in an overt and methodical manner. The business ecosystem is complex and challenging. Entrepreneurs of these firms toil very hard (juggling between various stakeholders within the ecosystem) to keep the organizational machinery moving. Inefficiencies of the MSMEs must be addressed if the sector is to reap the benefits of the massive investments made and address requisites of development factors for the sector. Given the adoption of dynamic business modelling with changing times, there was an urgent need to address the lacunas within the vertical. Thus, it is necessary and long due to understand the core and critical operational issues faced by these firms. In the light of the highlighted issues, the research proposes to study the structure and nature of SMEs manufacturing construction products in the state of Uttar Pradesh and identify and examine their operational issues, assessing the impact of the various business environment factors on the perception regarding the ‘Ease of Doing Business’ of the subjected SMEs in Uttar Pradesh. The present study has been planned across five chapters. The first chapter is 'Introduction'. It focuses on the introduction and evolution of MSMEs, its features and importance. It also throws light on the manufacturing sector. The second chapter is the 'Review of Literature'. The purpose of conducting a review of literature for the present study was to comprehend the various operational constraints faced by small business owners. The third chapter is Research Methodology, which underlines the research design, construct, sampling technique, analytical tools and techniques adopted in the process of the investigation. It embodies the conceptual framework of the research undertaken. The forth chapter is 'Data Analysis' which makes a judicious use of the various statistical tools for analyzing the data collected. The research lays down the findings and makes recommendations accordingly. My doctoral research study aims at contributing to the subject of ease of doing business among SMEs through my findings. I hope that my research work output will be useful for all the stakeholders- the entrepreneurs, the policy makers and the various trade and industrial bodies.