Factors that affect the sustainability of small businesses in Ecuador.

Abstract

The consolidation of small businesses in Latin America and specifically in Ecuador has been strengthening over time, however, they have not been able to resist the various changes and fluctuations in the market, which is why their sustainability has become unbalanced. This article aims to determine what factors affect the sustainability of small businesses in Ecuador, and what characteristics make them last in the long term. This work was based on documentary bibliographic research with a qualitative analysis, the most relevant articles were selected, the results were obtained from indexed journals, mainly in Redalyc and Scielo. Various factors affect sustainability, including external and internal factors, entrepreneurs' competencies, training and experience, managerial and administrative management, vision and mission of the company, the country's policies and the limited support that the government provides to entrepreneurship. Most of the articles emphasize field research, documentary bibliography and application of surveys, giving validity to the individual competencies of entrepreneurs. COVID has generated several effects on society, one of them resilience, as well as adaptability and a change in mentality.