International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Modern Education (IJMRME) Impact Factor: 7.315, ISSN (Online): 2454 - 6119 (www.rdmodernresearch.org) Volume 5, Issue 1, 2019 136 ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS AND MANAGERIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COCONUT TRADERS IN NORTHWESTERN CAGAYAN, PHILIPPINES Allan O. de la Cruz* & Lorna G. Ilustrisimo** * Assistant Professor IV, College of Business Entrepreneurship & Accountancy, College of Teacher Education and the Graduate School, Cagayan State University-Sanchez Mira, Cagayan ** Instructor I, College of Business Entrepreneurship & Accountancy and College of Agriculture, Cagayan State University-Sanchez Mira, Cagayan Cite This Article: Allan O. de la Cruz & Lorna G. Ilustrisimo, “Entrepreneurial Skills and Managerial Characteristics of the Coconut Traders in Northwestern Cagayan, Philippines”, International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Modern Education, Volume 5, Issue 1, Page Number 136-144, 2019. Copy Right: © IJMRME, 2019 (All Rights Reserved). This is an Open Access Article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium provided the original work is properly cited. Abstract: The study identified the entrepreneurial skills and managerial characteristics of the small and medium scale coconut traders in the Northwestern part of Cagayan province. Descriptive-correlation design was employed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s r and Chi -square in data analysis. Findings revealed that the coconut traders have a high level of human relations skill and average levels for both business management and technical skills. The dominant characteristics of the coconut-traders as managers include being a risk- taker, an opportunity oriented, reliable, independent, persistent in solving problems and being tolerant to failure. However, the coconut traders as managers do not have the characteristics of one needing achievement improvement in his field. The personal profiles of the coconut traders as to sex and highest educational attainment were found to be significant in both business management and human relations skills while in technical skill, it is significant in language/s spoken and highest educational attainment. On the other hand, as to their business profiles, it was found out that the number of years in the coconut industry, number of staff/workers, capitalization in coconut business, frequency of trading coconut products, volume of coconut products traded and annual income from coconut business were found significant to their managerial characteristics. Key Words: Coconut Traders, Entrepreneurial Skills, Managerial Characteristics & Northwestern Cagayan Introduction: Entrepreneurship has been an issue examined by many theorists due to its positive contributions to economic and social life in each period of human history (Geri, 2013). Entrepreneurship as pointed out by Professor Howard Stevenson, the godfather of entrepreneurship studies at Harvard Business School, is the pursuit of opportunity beyond resources controlled. The definition sees entrepreneurship as a distinctive approach to managing rather than a specific stage in an organization’s life cycle. The definition also provides a guidepost for entrepreneurial actions; it points to tactics entrepreneurs can take to manage risk and mobilize resources. This rationalization expects the entrepreneurs to possess certain entrepreneurial skills and managerial characteristics for these spell the success or failure of a business venture. While entrepreneurs have in common certain characteristics and skills, there is a wide range of individuality among them. Some of them receive formal training and skill development, others have a natural flair for it. Some succeed, others do not. Still others break every rule, possess their distinct characteristic or devise very unusual approaches, but still succeed. While there is no single recipe for becoming a successful entrepreneur, certain skills and characteristics are associated with entrepreneurial success. Meanwhile, across the globe, the notion of engendering greater entrepreneurial activity has become a prominent goal for many national governments. Scase (2000) noted that governments across the world are increasingly recognizing the positive impact that the creation of new businesses can have on employment levels, as well as the competitive advantages that small firms can bring to the marketplace. Coconut industry which plays a key role in shaping national development is one kind of enterprise which Filipinos venture into. In the Northwestern part of Cagayan province, Philippines, several entrepreneurs engaged in the coconut trading business. These coconut traders as one sector of this industry see a positive effect on the creation of businesses along this line of business venture. While entrepreneurship provides benefits in terms of social and economic growth, it also offers benefits in terms of individual fulfillment, with entrepreneurship now breaking through the barriers of class, age, gender, sexual orientation, and race. . Because of the foregoing situations and observations, the researchers have thought of identifying the personal and business profiles of these entrepreneurs, measuring the level of the coconut traders’ entrepreneurial skills along business management, human relations and technical aspects, looking into their managerial