Entrepreneurial Orientation Dimensions and the Development of SMEs

Abstract

Contemporary dynamics and complexity of the environment force small and medium-sized enterprises to build a sustainable competitive advantage by exploring new market opportunities. The concept of entrepreneurial orientation reflects the degree to which the development goals of these enterprises are driven by the identification and exploitation of market opportunities. The aim of the paper is to assess the development of small and medium-sized enterprises determined by entrepreneurial orientation. Therefore, the following research hypothesis was put forward: Small and medium-sized enterprises with a higher level of entrepreneurial orientation, i.e. the ones oriented towards searching for market opportunities and introducing new products as well as willing to accept risk and market competition, achieve a strong competitive position, which has a positive impact on their development. The implementation of thus formulated aim and the verification of the adopted hypothesis required, on the one hand, a literature review and analysis of the existing studies regarding determinants of the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in the context of entrepreneurial orientation dimensions, and on the other hand, conducting the author's own research among small and medium-sized enterprises. Quantitative research was carried out among 400 small enterprises in Poland in the period December 2017 - January 2018 by means of a survey questionnaire using the CATI technique. The analysis of the obtained research results allowed for positive verification of the research hypothesis assuming a positive impact of entrepreneurial orientation on the development of small enterprises.