Managerial skills and performance in small businesses: the mediating role of organizational climate

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual model to determine whether organizational climate (OC) mediates the effect of managerial skills (MSs) on business performance in small businesses, such as pharmacies. Design/methodology/approach The model proposed in this research was tested using separate questionnaires specifically designed for managers, employees and clients. The data set consists of responses from 301 managers, 470 clients and 328 employees from community pharmacies in Tehran, capital of Iran, which were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings Although the results indicated no significant direct relationship between MSs and pharmacy performance (PP), they also confirmed that having a context-appropriate set of MSs can positively affect PP via the mediating effect of OC. Originality/value This is the first study investigating how MSs improve performance in retail pharmacies. Although this research focuses specifically on small businesses in the pharmaceutical industry, it nevertheless contributes to the literature by showing the importance of OC.