MODERATING EFFECT OF ENTREPRENEURIAL ORIENTATION ON ENTREPRENEURIAL COMPETENCIES AND PERFORMANCE OF AGROBASED SMEs

The objective of this research was to examine the moderating effect of entrepreneurial orientation on the relationship between entrepreneurial competencies and performance of agrobased SMEs in Nigeria. The study used questionnaires gathered from 230 managers of agrobased firms in Lagos state Nigeria. Data analysis was carried out using hierarchical multiple regression to show relationships between the variables. Findings suggest that entrepreneurial competencies have a direct influence on performance of Agro-based SMEs. More so, the statistical result indicates that innovativeness, proactiveness and autonomy are the three entrepreneurial orientations that moderate the relationship between entrepreneurial competencies and performance of the firms