THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GOVERNMENT-SUPPORT PROGRAMMES TOWARD BUSINESS GROWTH

Recognizing the important role played by Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the nation’s economic activities, the Government has introduced several assistance programmes and incentives called government-support programmes (GSPs) which consists of financial and credit assistance, marketing and market research, technical and training assistance, extension and advisory services, and infrastructure supports. The GSPs aimed at preparing sustainable growth for SMEs. However, the contribution of GSPs toward business growth in SMEs firms is still questionable. GSPs are seen as lacking and not delivering enough towards developing and strengthening local SMEs. Therefore, the aim of this research is to identify the contribution of GSPs toward business growth among SMEs in Malacca. The aim was achieved through exploring, analyzing and examining the relationship of three dimensions of GSPs namely financial assistance, training assistance and marketing assistanc