ENTREPRENEURIAL ORIENTATION AND COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE: EVIDENCE FROM SMES IN SOUTH-SOUTH GEOPOLITICAL ZONE, NIGERIA

Abstract

In the entrepreneurship literature, there are limited empirical studies that had assessed the relationships between entrepreneurial orientation and competitive advantage as well as the entrepreneurial orientation variable influencing competitive advantage the most in Nigeria. In line with the above, this study examined the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and competitive advantage of SMEs in south-south geopolitical zone, Nigeria. Cross-sectional survey design was adopted and two hundred (200) questionnaires were administered on SMEs employees in south-south geopolitical zone, Nigeria. Four (4) entrepreneurial orientation dimensions were identified namely market, resource, innovation and strategic orientations. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency counts, simple percentage, mean, standard deviation, minimum and maximum values, Pearson correlation), post-estimation statistics (variance inflation factor), and inferential statistics (factor analysis). Foremost, the Pearson correlation revealed that there is a positive relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and competitive advantage. Interestingly, the factor analysis result revealed that innovative orientation is the most significant entrepreneurial orientation variable influencing competitive advantage; this was accompanied by strategic orientation, resource orientation, and the least, market orientation. The findings of the study will help SMEs in south-south geopolitical zone of Nigeria to be more entrepreneurial-oriented and develop good competitive advantage that will enable them grow, survive and succeed the extremely competitive business landscape.
 Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Market orientation, Innovative Orientation, Resource Orientation, Strategic Orientation, Competitive Advantage.