Organizational Performance under Macroeconomic Pressure: An Empirical Analysis.

Abstract

Previous studies have emphasized that many parents from marginalized communities experience a sense of disconnection from formal education, particularly in relation to school mathematics, which often appears abstract and unrelated to everyday experiences. This research investigates the influence of key macroeconomic variables on organizational performance, with a specific focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are particularly susceptible to economic fluctuations. The study assessed the effects of four macroeconomic indicators—interest rate, inflation rate, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, and investment—on the financial performance of 4,428 Portuguese SMEs over an eleven-year period. Firm performance was measured using the Return on Equity (ROE) financial indicator. A multiple linear regression model was applied to examine the relationship between ROE and the selected macroeconomic variables. The results indicated that the inflation rate and investment were statistically significant predictors of ROE. Specifically, a one-unit increase in the inflation rate was associated with an average rise of 22.303 in ROE, whereas a one-unit increase in investment corresponded to a decrease of 6.816. This reflects a positive relationship between inflation and ROE, and a negative one between investment and ROE. Interest rate and GDP growth, although included in the initial model, were ultimately excluded due to their lack of statistical significance.