Analyzing the Role of Stakeholders in the Survival of Small and Medium Enterprises in Cameroon

In the entrepreneurship literature, a stakeholder is anybody who can affect or is affected by an organization, strategy or project. They can be internal or external and they can be at senior, middle or junior levels. Some definitions suggest that stakeholders are those who have the power to impact an organization or project in some way. Another definition of stakeholder is people or small groups with the power to respond to, negotiate with, and change the strategic future of the organization' (Eden and Ackermann 1998: 117). Freeman (1984: 46) defines a stakeholder as: any group or individual who can affect or is affected by the achievement of the organization's objectives. Recent research on small business growth have demonstrated that less ten percent of small and medium enterprises in Cameroon are not surviving the first three years of their existence. The research recommendations are among other things, the lack of stakeholders support of these entrepreneurial initiatives. This paper is an attempt to bridge the gap not only from the literature review perspective, but also in practical terms on the impact played by stakeholders within small business survival. To achieve the above, a thorough literature review on stakeholder contribution in small and medium enterprises will be conducted with the focus on developing countries if possible. Interviews of successful cases studies will be also be part of the research