Examining the Business Venture Success of Restaurants: The Role of Innovation Capability as a Mediator

Abstract

ABSTRACT This research examines successful entrepreneurial practices of small and medium restaurants in Malaysia, which includes aspects of start-up planning, financial support, networking, family support, and government support. It also investigates the mediating role of innovation capability on successful entrepreneurial practices. Purposive sampling technique was used to collect data from 390 restaurant business owners through a mailed structured questionnaire. Structural equation modeling involving SmartPLS 3.0 and SPSS 20 software were used to analyse the data and to test the hypotheses. It shows that only start-up planning, networking and innovation capacity were supported, whereas financial support, family support and government support were not supported. Results revealed that innovation capability is a significant intervening variable on the relationship between start-up planning and business venture success, as well as the relationship between networking and business venture success. The study provides practical implications to restaurant owners to actively evaluate the existing resources for better decision making. Keywords: Restaurant; business venture success; networking; start-up planning; innovation capability. ABSTRAK Kajian ini meneliti amalan keusahawanan yang berjaya di restoran kecil dan sederhana di Malaysia, yang merangkumi aspek perancangan permulaan, sokongan kewangan, rangkaian, sokongan keluarga, dan sokongan kerajaan. Kajian ini juga menyiasat peranan mediasi keupayaan inovasi terhadap amalan keusahawanan yang berjaya. Teknik pensampelan purposif digunakan untuk mengumpul data dari 390 pemilik perniagaan restoran melalui soal selidik berstruktur yang dihantar. Pemodelan persamaan struktur yang melibatkan perisian SmartPLS 3.0 dan SPSS 20 digunakan untuk menganalisis data dan menguji hipotesis. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa andaian bagi permulaan perancangan, jaringan dan keupayaan inovasi adalah disokong manakala andaian bagi bantuan kewangan, sokongan keluarga dan sokongan kerajaan adalah tidak disokong. Keputusan menunjukkan keupayaan inovasi adalah pemboleh ubah intervensi yang signifikan terhadap hubungan antara perancangan permulaan dan kejayaan usaha perniagaan, serta hubungan antara jaringan dan kejayaan usaha perniagaan. Kajian ini memberikan implikasi praktikal kepada pemilik restoran untuk secara aktif menilai sumber-sumber sedia ada untuk membuat keputusan yang lebih baik. Kata kunci: Restoran; kejayaan usaha perniagaan; rangkaian; permulaan perancangan; keupayaan innovasi.