Orientasi pasaran: kompetensi keusahawanan dan prestasi PKS di Malaysia

The contribution of the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in economic and social growth and promoting competitiveness among most nations has been well researched. However, the inconsistencies of findings reported in the literature triggered the need to further research on the factors affecting SME performance.
Therefore, this study was designed to examine the direct effect of market orientation, entrepreneurial competencies and entrepreneurial orientation on SME performance in Malaysia. The study also aimed to determine the mediating role of entrepreneurial orientation on the relationship between market orientation and performance, and
between entrepreneurial competencies and performance. A quantitative survey design was adopted, and data were collected from the SMEs registered with the SME Corp. The study also employed a systematic random sampling technique. Statistical analysis has been carried out to test the study hypotheses using Statistical Package
for the Social Sciences. The findings indicated that significant and positive relationship exists between market orientation and performance, entrepreneurial competencies and performance, and between entrepreneurial orientation and
performance. On the mediation relationship, the findings also revealed that entrepreneurial orientation mediate the relationships between market orientation and performance, and between entrepreneurial competencies and performance. This
study contributes mainly to the current literature on how entrepreneurial orientation mediate both market orientation and entrepreneurial competencies and SME performance relationships especially in the Malaysian context where similar studies are generally scarce. Moreover the study specifies a strategy on how to improve the performance of the SMEs. The study concluded with a discussion of the theoretical and managerial implications, the limitations as well as suggestions for future
research.