Although Jordan’s economy is dominated by micro and small enterprises (MSEs), relatively little is known about them. To overcome this informational gap, USAID LENS conducted a survey of MSEs in 2014-2015 to better understand Jordanian enterprises and to assess the major barriers and opportunities for growth. The study covers general demographics, workforce trends, firm performance, access to finance, processes and networks, and the impact of the Syrian refugee crisis.

The survey consists of 86 questions in a double sampling design with stratification. The data gathers representative information for all MSEs operating in the governorates of Amman (excluding the Greater Amman Municipality), Zarqa, Irbid, Karak, Tafilah, and Aqaba (excluding the ASEZA free zone). Although the study is not intended to be national in scope, the target population of the six areas collectively capture 60% of the kingdom’s population.

As a complex survey, the research design was undertaken using probability sampling in two phases. In the first phase, 977 geographic clusters were randomly selected from districts in each area. From these clusters, 97,347 households were contacted through door-to-door interviews, of which 10,197 reported owning a business. A sub-sample of 6,385 MSEs was then drawn, stratified by sector governorate. 4,721 of these MSEs were then successfully surveyed. The results can reliably be generalized to all MSEs within this geographic boundary.