Strategic orientation and performance of SMEs in Nigeria: moderating role of competitive intensity.

Small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) are an important framework for promoting economic prosperity and wealth creation. Despite their importance as instruments of economic growth and development, the performance of SMEs in Nigeria has over time continued to decline with an attendant impact on the country's development. This study was conducted to examine whether strategic orientation and its dimensions of market, learning, and entrepreneurial orientations improve the performance of SMEs. Also, the study examined whether competitive intensity moderates these relationships. The study employed a cross-sectional research design on a sample of 213 SMEs in Nigeria. PLS-SEM was used as the tool for data analysis while the validity of the measurement instruments was tested and found satisfactory. The study found that only the market orientation dimension contributes to the performance of SMEs in Nigeria while learning and entrepreneurial dimensions failed to predict performance. Competitive intensity also failed to moderate the relationship between strategic orientation and the performance of SMEs in Nigeria. The theoretical and practical implications of the study were then presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]