ENTREPRENEURIAL COMPETENCIES AND PERFORMANCE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN KWARA STATE

Abstract

This study examined the effect of entrepreneurial competencies on the performance of SMEs in Offa local Government Area of Kwara State. The study’s purpose was to establish the effect of entrepreneurial competencies dimensions such as relationship and opportunity competencies on performance of SMEs as proxy by customers’ patronage and product quality of small and medium businesses in Offa local Government Area of Kwara State. Survey design was used for the study as data were collected using questionnaires administered on a sample of one hundred and nine (109) respondents. The data analysis for the study was carried via multiple linear regression. In the course of findings, it was established that entrepreneurial competencies (a permutation of relationship and opportunity competencies) revealed a significant positive association on customer patronage and product quality. The study concludes that the relationship competency of an entrepreneur will afford the entrepreneur to build wider business network that would facilitate creating more customers, build relationship with them for continuous customer patronage as opportunity competence also works assiduously in improving the quality of the products produced through harnessing the opportunities that may arise either in terms of technological advancements or through the result of marketing research or intelligence aimed at satisfying the customers through product quality. The study further recommends that entrepreneur should be to build a wider network through their relationship competency trait with their valued customers and also utilize their opportunity competence to make use of business opportunities as they unfold.