The article's objective is to describe which factors affecting to the success and/or the mortality of micro and small companies in the State of Santa Catarina are. It was elaborated, therefore, a field study with a sample of companies registered on Junta Comercial do Estado de SC from 2000 to 2004. The data were analyzed in quality and quantity method under two perspectives: i) Relevant factors on enterprise's history (real), which highest averages grades were given to the product/market knowledge, business focus, identification of opportunities, organization and product' suitability; and ii) factors that the entrepeneur believes to be the most important for the success (ideal), which highest averages grades were given to the organization, the relationship among the partners, the knowledge about the market, the business focus and the identification of oportunities.
Success; Failure; Factors affecting; Micro and small companies
