Strategic Entrepreneurial Approaches and Their Influence on the Competitive Posture of Small-Scale Enterprises in South-South Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64917/fbim-009Keywords:
Strategic Entrepreneurship, Competitiveness, Small-Scale Businesses, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)Abstract
Small-scale businesses are pivotal drivers of economic growth, employment generation, and innovation in developing economies. However, their long-term survival and prosperity are intrinsically linked to their ability to achieve and sustain a competitive advantage in dynamic and often challenging market environments. This article explores the profound influence of strategic entrepreneurship on the competitiveness of small-scale businesses, with a specific focus on the South-South region of Nigeria. Strategic entrepreneurship, a synergistic integration of entrepreneurial (opportunity-seeking) and strategic (advantage-seeking) behaviors, offers a powerful framework for businesses to simultaneously identify novel opportunities and develop sustainable competitive positions. Drawing upon resource-based theory and entrepreneurial orientation concepts, this study synthesizes existing literature to elucidate how strategic entrepreneurial practices – encompassing innovation, proactiveness, risk-taking, strategic renewal, and resource leveraging – can enhance market responsiveness, foster unique capabilities, and ultimately improve the competitive posture of small-scale enterprises. The article highlights the contextual factors prevalent in South-South Nigeria that necessitate such an approach and concludes with recommendations for business owners and policymakers aimed at fostering a more strategically entrepreneurial and competitive SME sector.
References
[1] Adeyemi, I. I., Isaac, O. A., & Olufemi, A. S. (2017). Strategic management; A policy to enhance sustainable business development in small and medium scale enterprises in Nigeria. Archives of Business Research, 5(9), 108–118.
Adibe, G. C., Akam, A. G. U., & Onuorah, A. N. (2023). Entrepreneurial orientation and performance of selected small and medium scale enterprises in Southeast, Nigeria. International Academic Journal of Management and Marketing, 7(3), 107–129.
Audretsch, B., Lehmann, E., Belitski, M., & Caiazza, R. (2018). Knowledge management in entrepreneurial organizations. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 3, 1554–7191.
Barney, J. B., Ketchen, Jr. D. J., & Wright, M. (2011). The future of resource-based theory: Revitalization or decline. Journal of Management, 37, 1299–1315.
Bosire, K., & Nzaramba, K. (2015). Entrepreneurship skills development and growth of small and medium enterprises in Rwanda. International Journal of Information, Technology and Business Management, 1(17), 12–28.
Brownhilder, N., Neneh, B. N., & Van-Zyl, J. (2017). Entrepreneurial orientation and its impact on firm growth amongst SMEs in South Africa. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 15(3), 166–178.
Dapend, Y., Jin, C., & Sonting, P. (2016). A process study of strategic entrepreneurship: The advantage for upcoming businesses. New York: Heinemann.
Farja, Y., Gimmon, E., & Greengerg, Z. (2016). The effect of entrepreneurial orientation on SMEs growth and export in Israeli peripheral regions. New England Journal of Entrepreneurship, 19(2), 25–40.
Gast, J., Werner, A., & Kraus, S. (2016). Antecedents of the small firm effect; the role of knowledge spillover and blocked mobility for employee entrepreneurial intentions. International Entrepreneurship Management Journal, 5, 67–69.
Haider, S. H., Asad, M., & Fatima, M. (2017). Entrepreneurial orientation and business performance of manufacturing sector SMEs of Punjab Pakistan. European Business and Management, 3(2), 21–28. doi:10.11648/j.ebm.20170302.12.
Hughes, M., & Morgan, R. E. (2017). Deconstructing the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and business performance at the embryonic stage of firm growth. Industrial Marketing Management, 36(5), 651–661.
Ibrahim, M., & Shariff, M. (2016). Mediating role of access to finance on the relationship between strategic orientation attributes and SMEs performance in Nigeria. International Journal of Business and Society, 17(3), 473–496.
Kantur, D. (2016). Strategic entrepreneurship: Mediating the entrepreneurial orientation-performance link. Management Decision, 54(1), 24–43.
Kimuli, S., Ajagbe, A., Udo, E., & Balunywa, W. (2016). Strategic entrepreneurship and performance of secondary schools in Uganda. International Journal of Economics, Commerce and Management, 4(7), 466–493.
Kiyabo, K. (2019). Conceptualizing strategic entrepreneurship and SMEs performance using the resource-based theory: A literature review. Uongozi Journal of Management and Development Dynamics, 29(2), 34–37.
Kuratko, D. F., & Audretsch, B. (2017). Strategic entrepreneurship: Exploring different perspectives of an emerging concept. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice Journal, 33(1), 1–7.
Madanchian, M., & Taherdoost, H. (2017). Role of leadership in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). International Journal of Economics and Management Systems, 2, 240–243.
Majama, N. S., & Magang, I. T. (2017). Strategic planning in small and medium enterprises (SMEs): A case study of Botswana SMEs. Journal of Management and Strategy, 1(8), 74–103.
Makinde, O. G., & Agu, C. U. (2018). Strategic entrepreneurship and performance of SMEs in Aba Metropolis. Archives of Business Research, 6(9), 49–69.
Njenga, G., & Theuri, F. (2016). The role of entrepreneurship training and education in enhancing growth of SMEs in Kenya: A case study of Mombasa County. Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 21, 97–106.
Nnabugwu, O. C. (2021). Strategic entrepreneurship and competitive advantage of SMEs in Anambra State, Nigeria. International Journal of Business & Law Research, 9(3), 215–227.
Okoi, I. O., Okoi, C. I., Takon, S. M., Orok, A. B., Emori, E. G., & Owui, H. O. (2021). Entrepreneurship orientation and culture and the performance of SMEs in Calabar Metropolis Nigeria. Webology, 18(2), 212–224.
Okoi, I., Ije, U., Iheanacho, M., Emori, E., & Ezekiel, S. (2022). Strategic entrepreneurship practices and performance of SMEs in Nigeria. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 20(1), 108–116. doi:10.21511/ppm.20(1).2022.10.
Olawoye, O. O. (2016). Commodity-based sovereign wealth funds: An alternative path to economic development (Doctoral dissertation). University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Omare, J. O., & Kyongo, J. K. (2017). Effect of entrepreneurial skills on competitive advantage among SMEs. International Journal of Economics, Commerce and Management, 7(5), 173–180.
Potjanajaruwit, P. (2018). Competitive advantage effects on firm performance: A case study of startups in Thailand. Journal of International Studies, 11(3), 104–111. https://doi.org/10.14254/2071-8330.2018/11-3/9
Putera, W., Rakib, M., & Sahabuddin, R. (2021). Competitive advantages influence on marketing performance: Study on food and beverage MSMEs. The American Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Research (AJHSSR), 4(1), 75–83.
Redford, D. T. (2016). Entrepreneurship and dynamic enterprise. African Development Charter Series, 4, 3–5. Retrieved from http://www.internationalpolicybrief.org/images/Charter/Charter4.pdf
Rezeai, J., & Ortt, R. (2018). Entrepreneurial orientation and firm performance: The mediating role of functional performances. Management Research Review, 41(7), 878–900.
Salisu, Y., & Abu Baker, L. J. (2018). Technological collaboration, technological capability and SMEs product innovation performance. International Journal of Management Research & Review, 8(2), 1–13.
Syed, H. H., Muzaffar, A., & Minaa, F. (2017). Entrepreneurial orientation and business performance of manufacturing sector SMEs of Punjab Pakistan. European Business & Management, 3(2), 68–75.
Ukenna, B. I., Makinde, G. O., Akinlabi, B. H., & Asikhia, O. U. (2019). Strategic entrepreneurship and organisational performance of selected agricultural SMEs in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States Nigeria. International Journal of Development Strategies in Humanities, Management and Social Sciences, 9(3), 89–127.
Yusuf, E. (2017). Influence of entrepreneurship education, technology and globalization on performance of SMEs in Nigeria. African Journal of Business Management, 15(11), 367–374.
Zafar, A., & Mustafa, S. (2017). SMEs and their role in economic and socio-economic development of Pakistan. International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, 4(6), 1–16.
Zhai, Y., Sun, W., Tsai, S., Wang, Z., Zhao, Y., & Chen, Q. (2018). An empirical study on entrepreneurial orientation, absorptive capacity, and SME’s innovation performance: A sustainable perspective. Sustainability Journal, 10, 1–14.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Dr. Ebiere T. Briggs, Prof. Godwin U. Okon, Dr. Theresa I. Ebong
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain the copyright of their articles published in this journal. All articles are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are properly cited.