The ability of SMEs to sustain their performance amid market competition is deeply intertwined with their capacity to adopt and implement innovative business strategies. Hence, this paper aims to investigate competitive strategy as a mediator of the effect of entrepreneurial orientation on firm performance by conducting a study of selected registered SMEs in Ilorin Kwara State. Specifically, it examined the effect of innovativeness, proactiveness, and autonomy on firm performance and competitive strategy as a mediator. A descriptive survey research design was adopted with a population of 1,416 registered SMEs in Kwara State. A sample of 312 SMEs was administered a structured questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed using PLS-SEM. The findings revealed that autonomy has the strongest effect on firm performance (β = 0.401, t = 8.846, p < 0.000), followed by proactiveness (β = 0...

The ability of SMEs to sustain their performance amid market competition is deeply intertwined with their capacity to adopt and implement innovative business strategies. Hence, this paper aims to investigate competitive strategy as a mediator of the effect of entrepreneurial orientation on firm performance by conducting a study of selected registered SMEs in Ilorin Kwara State. Specifically, it examined the effect of innovativeness, proactiveness, and autonomy on firm performance and competitive strategy as a mediator. A descriptive survey research design was adopted with a population of 1,416 registered SMEs in Kwara State. A sample of 312 SMEs was administered a structured questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed using PLS-SEM. The findings revealed that autonomy has the strongest effect on firm performance (β = 0.401, t = 8.846, p < 0.000), followed by proactiveness (β = 0.21...

The ability of SMEs to sustain their performance amid market competition is deeply intertwined with their capacity to adopt and implement innovative business strategies. Hence, this paper aims to investigate competitive strategy as a mediator of the effect of entrepreneurial orientation on firm performance by conducting a study of selected registered SMEs in Ilorin Kwara State. Specifically, it examined the effect of innovativeness, proactiveness, and autonomy on firm performance and competitive strategy as a mediator. A descriptive survey research design was adopted with a population of 1,416 registered SMEs in Kwara State. A sample of 312 SMEs was administered a structured questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed using PLS-SEM. The findings revealed that autonomy has the strongest effect on firm performance (? = 0.401, t = 8.846, p < 0.000), followed by proactiveness (? = 0.2...