Gallet, G. L.2024-03-272024-03-272023Gallet, G. L. (2023). The Influence of Business Skills on The Performance of Women Owned Small and Medium Enterprises: A Case of Women Groups in Dodoma City, (Master's Dissertation) The University of Dodoma.https://repository.udom.ac.tz/handle/20.500.12661/4369Master Dissertation (Business Administration)Business skills and performance of SMEs is currently becoming common in business and social science in general, however there is scarce information on its influence on performance of women owned SMEs. The study attempted to examine the business skills’ influence on women owned SMEs performance. Basically, this study was conducted in Dodoma city. Specifically, the study examined the influence of marketing skills, financial management skills, leadership skills and interpersonal skills on performance of women owned SMEs. The study applied cross-sectional design and quantitative approach. Data was collected from 222 targeted respondents. Further, the study used simple and purposive sampling to get required respondents. Questionnaire survey was the main tool for data collection. The computation of descriptive and inferential statistics was done using SPSS software. Linear regression model was applied in inferential statistics. The testing of relationship between independent variables involving business skills and dependent variable which is business performance was done using regression analysis. Results from descriptive statistics revealed that marketing skills, financial management skills, leadership skills and interpersonal skills influence SMEs performance. Specifically, findings from inferential statistics show that marketing skills contributes significantly to almost 28% of women owned business performance (β = 0.283, p < 0.001), financial management skills contributes significantly to 42% of women owned business performance (β = 0.423, p < 0.000), leadership skills contributes significantly to 45% of women owned business performance (β = 0.445, p < 0.000) and interpersonal skills contributes significantly to almost 29% of women owned business performance (β = 0.288, p < 0.000) in the study area. Therefore, business skills influenced the performance of women owned SMEs. In regard to this, the study concludes that to achieve required performance, firms owned by women need to put more emphasis on training related to business skills in order to enhance performance of their SMEs. The study recommends on provision of appropriate business skills training to the women groups to support improvement of their performance and create more employment opportunities. Also, the study recommends to the policy makers to ensure there’s a policy attempting to force the government to set aside funds that can be used in training and upgrading the best performing small business.enBusiness skillsSmall and Medium EntreprisesEnterprisesLeadership skillsThesis