Abstract:

Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) particularly those from emerging countries presence is significant roles to the economic development. Despite of their constraints, SMEs are struggling to expand into the international market and compete internationally. This study aims to explore the SMEs from emerging countries by examining the ecosystem of the SMEs in Malaysia. Based on  qualitative methods specifically personal interviews using open ended questionnaire involving 35 SMEs’ owners, the study finds that the development of entrepreneurial ecosystem of Malaysia required all the six elements; finance, market, human capital, business culture, business support and policy.  Nevertheless, the importance of the six components slightly differ from Iceberg Model (2010). For example, although the Iceberg Model (2010) stated the policy as the first or the most important component of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, in Malaysia the SMEs have emphasized more on the importance of finance and market, than the policy.