Shape up or ship out. Experiences of micro and small business entrepreneurs in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province of Zimbabwe

This study was part of a larger study that sought to find out why businesses tended to imitate one another. However, this particular study focused on the challenges faced by micro and small entrepreneurs in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province in Zimbabwe as a result of business imitations. A case study design was adopted and individual interviews were used as data collecting instruments. Qualitative data were collected from 30 purposively selected micro and small business entrepreneurs. Findings revealed that while micro and small business entrepreneurs used imitation as a business entry strategy, they also faced challenges of imitation by other players. Recommendations are that capacity building workshops be conducted to educate these entrepreneurs on appropriate strategies to remain relevant in the market