Management and Entrepreneurship

PROTECTED WHEN
Central Philippine COMPLETED
University
School of Graduate Studies Respondente
Iloilo City, Philippines Number _____

SME in Construction Industry: The Need for

Entrepreneurial and Managerial Skills

INTERVIEW SCHEDULE FOR SME in Construction and

Managers, Owners, and/or Entrepreneurs

PART A: PERSONAL DETAILS OF INTERVIEWEE

Age (years)
Below 25
25 – 34 1
35 - 44 2
45 - 54 2
55 - 64 1
Above 64

Experience (years)
Below 5
5–9 1
10 – 14 2
15 - 19 1
20 - 24 2
Above 24

Affiliation
Professional 1
Political 1
Business 4
Religious
Others
None
Management and Entrepreneurship

Educational Background
Engineering (civil, electrical,,,,), Architecture 3
Business (commerce, entrepreneurship…), comp. 2

Business and Engineering 1

Others (non-engineering, non-business)
None

Gender
Male 6
Female

PART B: COMPANY INFORMATION

Ownership
Single proprietorship 3
Corporation 3
Partnership
Cooperative

Number of Employees
1–9
10 – 99 5
100 – 199 1

Type
General 6
Specialty

Size of Capitalization(PhP)
Up to 3,000,000 2
3,001,000-15,000,000 2
15,000,001-100,000,000 2
Management and Entrepreneurship

Number of years in Construction Business

Below 5
5–9 1

10 - 14 3
15 - 19 1
20 - 24
Above 24 1

Affiliated to (check if applicable)

Local Company 3
National Company 2
International Company
Management and Entrepreneurship

The following sets of questions ( statements, phrases and/or passages) are intended to gather
information pertaining to your personal knowledge and opinion on certain management areas.
Please check the appropriate column that best describe your answers ( or answer briefly as
needed ).

Management Practice Don't

Questions Yes No Know
1 Do you have a written short-term goals? 4 2
Do you have a written long-term goals? 4 2
Is your businesses operating with relatively high losses without knowing actual
 1 figures?2
Is your businesses operating with relatively high inefficiencies
without knowing actual figures? 1 2
Are major decisions
prepared in writing? 6
evaluated in necessary details? 5
compare consequences? 6
optimized? 5
monitored in implementation? 5
Are potential
underutilized? 4
results unpredictable? 2 3
developments are risky? 2 3
results unexpected? 2 3
Do you have practice of business planning? 3 1
Do you make monitoring and measurement? 4 1
2 Do you effectively use information technology ( IT ) in
business monitoring and measurement? 4 1
decision preparation? 4
3 Do you believe you have the ability to deal with cash flow
in a professional manner? 4 1
4 Is specialized advice to your company (business consultant)
available? 4 1
5 Do you practice:
(check that applies)
a) use of performance evaluation system as management tools 1 4
b) monitoring and measure your businesses 3 2
c) optimize decisions 3 2
d) eliminate inefficiencies systematically and maximize
use of available resources 5
6 Highly structured channels of communication, highly restricted
access? 5
Managers’ operating styles allowed to range freely from the very formal to the very
4 informal ?
A strong tendency to let the expert in a given situation have the
 most say in decision-making even if this means temporarily bypassing
the formal line authority (if there is any) 4 1
A strong emphasis on adapting freely to changing in circumstances
without too much concern for past practice 13
A strong emphasis on getting things done even
if it means disregarding formal procedures 1 3
Loose of control; heavy dependence on informal
relationships and norm cooperation for getting work done 2 3
A strong tendency to let the requirements of the situation and the
Individual’s personality define proper behavior 4
7 Answers to questions like “What business are we in?” and
“What are we trying to accomplish?” do not change over time in our
company. 3 1 1
Our business unit has a formal, written vision and/or mission
statement that details what we broadly aspire to achieve. 3 1
Our business unit has one over-riding, non-financial objective that’s .
broadly recognized and agreed upon as our personal definition of
“winning” 3 1
We have a mission or vision statement that’s routinely used as a basis
for evaluating the appropriateness of strategic decision alternatives 3 1
We have a mission or vision statement that’s routinely used as a basis
For evaluating the appropriateness of strategic decision alternatives. 3 1
Due to the need to align our business aspirations with environmental
realities, our top managers would have to question the appropriateness
of our mission or vision if our financial performance were to fall below.
expectations for two consecutive years 4
Entrepreneurship Practice Don't
Questions Yes No Know
1 My business is quick to use improved work methods. 5
My business unit is quick to use improved work methods.
that are developed by workers 5
In my business, developing one’s own ideas is encouraged for the
improvement of the company. 5
Upper management is aware and very receptive to ideas and suggestions. 5
A promotion of employee status and salary usually follows from the
development of new and .innovative ideas 5
2 Those employees who come up with innovative ideas on their own often
receive management encouragement for their activities 5
The “doers on projects” are allowed to make decisions without going
through elaborate justification and approval procedures. 1 3
Senior managers encourage innovators to bend rules and rigid procedures in order3 to keep promising
2 ideas on track.
Many top managers have been known for their experience with
the innovation process. 5
Money is often available to get new project ideas off the ground. 5
Individuals with successful innovative projects receive additional rewards
and compensation beyond the standard reward systemfor their ideas
and efforts 4 1
There are several options within the business for individuals to get
financial support for their innovative projects and ideas. 4 1
3 People are often encouraged to take calculated risks with ideas
around here. 3 2
Individual risk takers are often recognized for their willingness to
champion new projects, whether eventually successful or not. 3 2
The term “risk taker” is considered a positive attribute for people
in my business arena. 4 1
An employee with a good idea is often given free time to develop
that idea. 4
There is considerable desire among people in the business for generating
new ideas without regard for crossing departmental boundaries. 5
4 Most small companies get bogged down there. They get so imbued with
the struggle-to-survive mentality, that they forget about long-term goals. 3 1
It is not really clear where the company was headed. Experts were
saying that companies needed a real mission. Simple. Clear. Audacious. 3 1
Is mission stated (if any) to reflect the entrepreneur’s long term vision? 3 1
Do you have goals and objective for the next 3-5 years? 4
Do you evaluate business situation? 4
Do you have strategy formulation, implementation, and control? 3 2
5 There should have a certain acceptable expectation regarding
service that, if not met, should involve some consideration
of change. Management must be people who care about their
customers and are willing to do whatever it takes to insure favorable
in customer relations. 3 1
The business evaluation process involves looking at:
creation and length of the opportunity. 3 1
its real and perceived value. 3 1
its risks and returns. 3
its fit with the skills and goals of the entrepreneur.
its differential advantage in its competitive environment 3
Owner is used to having resources committed at periodic
intervals, often based on certain tasks or objectives being reached. 3
LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE ON: Strategic, Marketing. Business and Financial Plans
: Training and Networking
The following sets of questions ( statements, phrases and/or passages) are intended to gather
information pertaining to your personal knowledge and opinion on certain management areas. Please
check the appropriate column that best describe your answer
( or answer briefly as needed

1 - Good Knowledge 2 - Some Knowledge 3 - No Idea

Level of Knowledge on Strategic Plan 1 2 3

1 A strategic plan is a long-range, policy-oriented document that maps an
explicit path between the present and a vision of the future. It is derived
from an assessment, goal-setting, and decision-making process that relies
on careful consideration of the business capabilities and environment 2 1
2 strategic plan compatible with your business definition
in terms of the services you offer to your customer 2
_____________________________________________________ 1
3 strategic plan compatible with your prioritization of
business objectives.
____________________________________________________ 3
4 goal support the mission 2
goal deal with just one issue 3
goal represent a desired result that can be measured
goal reflect a primary activity, a strategic
direction, a strategic issue or a gap in service 3
goal challenging, but still realistic and achievable 3
goal encompass a relatively long period, (i.e.
three years or longer?) 2 2
5 objective reflect specific, desired accomplishments 2 2
progress toward completion of an objective be measured 2 1
objective aggressive and challenging, yet realistic
and attainable within available resources 2 1
objective specify a result rather than an activity specific time
frame for completion of the objective 2 1

Level of Knowledge on Marketing Plan 1 2 3

1 Marketing plan is a document that outlines specific actions intended to
be carried out in the interest potential customers and clients in your product service and
2 persuade them
1 to buy the produc
 2 industry monitoring system to monitor the trends in
construction industry 1 1 1
3 clearly identified other domestic or international enterprises
that make the same offers to the same markets and/or segments that
you target 1 1 1
4 keep track of new entrants to the market that may, in the future,
make the same offers to the same markets and/or segments that
you target 2 1
5 clearly identified your target clients and know how to .
reach them 2 1

Level of Knowledge on Business Plan 1 2 3

1 A business plan is a document that summarizes the operational and
financial objectives of a business and contains the detailed plans and budgets showing
2 how the
1 objectives are to be realize
2 The assessment of risk includes evaluate weakness of business, .
new technologies and contingency plans 3 1
3 Description of venture section of a business plan discusses
a) product(s) & service(s) 2 1
b) size of business 2 1
c) sales or revenues 2 1
d) background of entrepreneurs 2 1
4 Industry analysis section of a business plan the following
a) future outlook and trends 1 1
b) analysis of competitors 2 1
c) market segmentation 1 2
d) annual profit 2 1
5 Introductory page of business plan includes the following:
a) Name and address of Business 3
b) Name(s) and address(es) of principals 31
c) Nature of Business 3
d) Statement of Financial Needed 3
e) Statement of Confidentiality of report of organization 3

Level of Knowledge on Financial Plan 1 2 3

1 A financial plan is a document that determines whether or not
your business idea is viable, and is a key component in determining whether or
2 not your business
1 plan is going t
2 Description of venture section of a financial plan discusses
a) product(s) & service(s) 2 1
b) size of business 2 1
c) sales or revenues 2 1
 d) background of entrepreneurs 2 1
3 Balance Sheet - Estimates the firm’s worth on a given date; :
built on the accounting equation (assets = Liabilities + capital)
Is the firms' worth based on SME definition 2 1
4 Income Statement – Compares the firm’s expenses against its
revenue over a period of time to show its net profit (or loss);
Net Profit = Revenue - Expenses, is this is prepared on
a) quarterly basis 1 2
b) monthly basis 2 1
c) semi-annual basis 1 2
d) annual basis 2 1
5 Statement of Cash Flows - Shows the change in the firm’s
working cash over a period of time by using:
a) Cash provided by operating activities 2 1
b) Cash provided by investing activities 2 1
c) Cash provided by financing activities 2 1
d) None of the above

Level of Knowledge on Training and Networking 1 2 3

1 Knowledge of (i.e. informed of) DTI training program
a) Entrepreneurship & Skills Training for Potential Entrepreneurs 2
b) Training on Specific Skills and Knowledge 2
c) Skills Upgrading for SME Service Providers 2
d) Business Management Competency Courses 2
2. Knowledge of networking that,
a) compile a design brief and specifications list 2
b) plan production 2
c) cost and price 2
d) issue quotations, invoices and receipts
 e) conduct market research 1 1
f) create a business card that reflects a specific image 1 1
g) develop a marketing portfolio 1
3 Participate and identify the technical competencies to be.
addressed in the training program
a) Learner goals – what participants want to be able to do when they
have completed the program. 2
b) what knowledge, skills and attitudes the prospective entrepreneurs
in the program need in order to succeed. 2
c) what knowledge, skills and attitudes learners already have 2
4 Knowledge of company practices
a) My company has processes in place to solicit product ideas, cost
saving measures, and new initiatives from all employee 2
b) My company actively trains employees at all levels, from executive
assistant on up, to act entrepreneurially. 2
5 The Center for Research and Communication (CRC) has been .
commissioned by the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Secretariat
(APEC) based in Singapore, in cooperation with the Philippines
Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Industry, to conduct
among APEC member economies a "Survey of Technology Information
Needs and Training Opportunities for Small and Medium Enterprises
(SMEs)"
a) this training and networking are known to you 2
b) would you be interested to be in contact with CRC, APEC or DTI
in this aspect 2