INDUSTRIAL CLUSTERING AND PERFORMANCE OF TECHNOLOGY-BASED SMES IN NIGERIA: DOES FIRM AGE AND SIZE HAVE ANY INFLUENCE?

This research focused on examining the relationship between industrial clustering and performance of technology-based SMEs in Nigeria, and to identify the moderating role of firm age and size on this relationship. A sample size of 65 owners/managers of technology-based small and medium enterprises were surveyed through the use of structured questionnaire. Hierarchical multiple regression were adopted in analysing the research instrument. Based on the findings from the statistical analysis, this research concludes that there is a direct relationship between industrial clustering and the performance of SMEs in Nigeria. The study also asserts that firm age is a critical influencer of the relationship between industrial clustering and performance of SMEs. Consequently, it is recommended that SME operators in Nigeria should leverage on industrial clustering as a means of enhancing their performance levels. More so, owners/managers of SMEs, bearing in mind the age categorization of their organizations should form industrial clusters in ways that help younger firms share from the experiences of older firms to enhance their performance

INDUSTRIAL CLUSTERING AND PERFORMANCE OF TECHNOLOGY-BASED SMES IN NIGERIA: DOES FIRM AGE AND SIZE HAVE ANY INFLUENCE?

This research focused on examining the relationship between industrial clustering and performance of technology-based SMEs in Nigeria, and to identify the moderating role of firm age and size on this relationship. A sample size of 65 owners/managers of technology-based small and medium enterprises were surveyed through the use of structured questionnaire. Hierarchical multiple regression were adopted in analysing the research instrument. Based on the findings from the statistical analysis, this research concludes that there is a direct relationship between industrial clustering and the performance of SMEs in Nigeria. The study also asserts that firm age is a critical influencer of the relationship between industrial clustering and performance of SMEs. Consequently, it is recommended that SME operators in Nigeria should leverage on industrial clustering as a means of enhancing their performance levels. More so, owners/managers of SMEs, bearing in mind the age categorization of their organizations should form industrial clusters in ways that help younger firms share from the experiences of older firms to enhance their performance. Key words: Entrepreneurship, Industrial Clustering, Innovation, Firm Age, Firm Size, Technology-based SMEs performanc

Entrepreneurial competencies and the performance of informal SMEs: the contingent role of business environment

This study examined entrepreneurial competencies as a viable pathway for improving the innovative performance of SMEs in Nigeria's informal sector and the contingent roles of the business environment. A survey research design was used to gather data from 296 entrepreneurs who operate informal SMEs in Nigeria. Based on the findings from the SEM-PLS multivariate analysis, the study concluded that entrepreneurial competencies, especially organising, conceptual, learning, strategic, opportunity and risk-taking competencies, are essential for achieving higher innovation performance. The study also reveals that entrepreneurial competencies are useful towards mitigating environmental pressures resulting from operational turbulence and erratic policy changes, as the firm drives towards improving innovation outputs. As such, the entrepreneurship environment is becoming more endogenous as entrepreneurs, through their entrepreneurial competencies, have started to gain control over it. This study contributes to the entrepreneurship literature by highlighting the most essential competencies alongside the relevant contingencies. By doing that, this study offers a practical guide on priority competence area that entrepreneurship stakeholders, including entrepreneurs and policymakers, should consider for investment