The Impact of Small Businesses on Reducing Unemployment: A Field Study in Some Libyan Restaurants (Tripoli)

Abstract

The study aimed to examine the role played by small enterprises and their impact on curbing unemployment. Adopting a descriptive-analytical approach, the researcher concluded that small enterprises contribute to job creation and the reduction of unemployment rates. They play a vital role in providing employment opportunities for youth and absorbing job seekers, thereby helping to reduce reliance on government jobs and increasing employment prospects in the private sector. The study also revealed that funding and support are fundamental factors in the success, sustainability, and job-creation capacity of these enterprises, while their contribution to skills development and entrepreneurship was found to be at a moderate level The researcher recommended increasing financial and funding support for small enterprises by providing loans, facilitating project expansion, and developing skills-training programs for youth. She also advocated for streamlining government procedures and strengthening the role of government bodies and specialized institutions in offering technical and marketing support and consultancy—thereby ensuring sustainability and competitiveness—while simultaneously fostering a culture of entrepreneurship and self-employment among young people through seminars, awareness programs, and partnerships between universities, training institutions, and support organizations. Such measures would help steer youth toward investment and productive activity rather than waiting in lines for public-sector employment.