Strategic Management: Small Medium Enterprise (SME) Business Challenges, Opportunities and Performances in Malaysian Biotechnology Industry

What this paper aims to do is provide findings on the study carried out on thirty-five Bio-Nexus companies under the Industrial Cluster. Telephone and face-to-face interviews with the key officers of said companies were made; to answer questions ranging from key information on the company, its financial health, business environment, barriers and challenges, productivity and quality consciousness of the firm. A detailed analysis was carried out, supported by literature reviews supporting our findings and the conclusion of our study.

For the purpose of this study, biotechnology (industrial cluster) was chosen as biotechnology has been identified as one of the new economic growth engines that will drive Malaysia towards advanced nation with a high-income by the year 2020. A significant was achieved with the launching of the National Biotechnology Policy (NBP) in 2005, which states Malaysia’s vision “to position biotechnology as the new economic engine to enhance prosperity and wellness of the nation by 2020”. Amongst others, the policy identifies specific actions in the areas of agriculture, healthcare and industrial biotechnology development. The following are three clusters in biotechnology industry in Malaysia: