The significant role of small business sector suggests that an understanding of why firms perform successfully or otherwise is crucial to the stability and health of the economy. The attempt is made to examine internal and external factors that affect small business performance in the services sector in Syria as a case study. The main question to be answered is that whether the characteristics of the business and owner/manager have a significant effect on the performance of the firm through the management strategies and business practices they choose to adopt. The results of the analysis...