BARRIERS TO GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY OF START-UPS IN NORTH-EAST INDIA: A REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v7.i12s.2026.8385Keywords:
Start-Ups, North-East India, Barriers, Sustainability, Entrepreneurial GrowthAbstract [English]
Purpose: This paper examines the impediments to the sustainability and advancement of Start-Ups (SUs) in North-East India, focusing on interrelated problems in training, human resource management, use of digital technology, marketing, and finance. The paper seeks to determine crucial constraints that limit the performance of Start-Ups and recommend recommendations for improving survival and sustainability in the region.
Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was used, in which primary data were collected from 100 Start-Up founders and owners through a standardized 32-item Likert scale questionnaire. Participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling to ensure relevant entrepreneurial experience and diversity of the sample. Descriptive statistics were used to provide summaries of demographic profiles and question patterns, whereas correlation and multiple regression analyses were applied to examine the interrelations between major barriers and their impact on Start-Up performance, as measured by annual turnover.
Results: The findings indicate that training is a ubiquitous problem, having a strong impact on human resource and digital technology-related problems. Marketing and HR problems were discovered to have direct effects on Start-Up performance. In addition, there existed a high positive correlation between training gaps and barriers to digital technology adoption, reinforcing the significance of skill acquisition, digital literacy, and capacity-building programs with specialization. These observations highlight the interdependence of several challenges and the prominence of training as a master constraint impacting total sustainability.
Originality: This research adds to the paucity of empirical evidence on Start-Ups in North- East India by taking a holistic approach that encapsulates several interlinked barriers within one analytical framework. In contrast to the majority of studies isolating individual challenges, this research focuses on the systemic character of limits in developing regional entrepreneurial ecosystems and offers region-specific policy suggestions to enhance Start-Up survival and long-term viability.
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