Regional soft environment, entrepreneurial competence, and SME performance

Abstract

Abstract: To address the question about why the significant relationship recognized by the academics and the development of external environment by government is unable to be embodied in the SMEs practices, by standing on a new view of the combination of external and internal factors, the mediative role of entrepreneurial competence in the relationship between regional soft environment and SMEs performance is proposed and examined through an empirical method. The findings show that regional soft environment has a significantly positive effect on SMEs performance, however all of its elements do not have such effect on SMEs short term performance, which suggest that the construction of regional soft environment is a long term project, and it has a far-reaching influence on SMEs performance; Meanwhile, entrepreneurial competence plays a full mediative role in the relationship between regional soft environment and SMEs short term performance, and plays a partial mediative role in the relationship between regional soft environment and SMEs long term performance, it is indicates that entrepreneurial competence could directly influence the transformation of regional soft environment achievements.

Key words: regional soft environment, SME performance, entrepreneurial competence

CLC Number:

F272.92

Yu Dongping, Duan Wanchun. Regional soft environment, entrepreneurial competence, and SME performance[J]. Science Research Management, 2012, 33(12): 68-77.

References

[1] Forsman, H. Business development success in SMEs: A case study approach[J]. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 2008, 15(3): 606-622.
[2] Teng, H. S. S., Bhatia, G. S., Anwar, S. A success versus failure prediction model for small businesses in Singapore[J]. American Journal of Business, 2011, 26(1): 50-64.
[3] Lee, H., Kelley, D., Lee, J., Lee, S. SME survival: The impact of internationalization, technology resources, and alliances[J]. Journal of Small Business Management, 2012, 50(1): 1-19.
[4] 孙早, 刘庆岩. 市场环境、企业家能力与企业绩效[J]. 经济学家, 2006, 18(4): 110-117.
[5] Peng, M. W. Institutional change and strategic choices[J]. The Academy of Management Review, 2003, 28(2): 275-296.
[6] 伍蓓, 陈劲, 吴增源. 环境动态性对研发外包强度与企业绩效关系的调节效应研究[J]. 科研管理, 2010, 31(4): 23-30.
[7] 罗党论, 唐清泉. 中国民营上市公司制度环境与绩效问题研究[J]. 经济研究, 2009, 55(2): 106-118.
[8] Hall, G. C., Hutchinson, P. J., Michaelas, N. Determinants of capital structures of European SMEs[J]. Journal of Business Finance and Accounting, 2004, 31(5): 711-728
[9] Nguyen, T. H., Alam, Q., Prajogo, D., Duong, A. N. The importance of the State's entrepreneurial role, business support services, and technological assistances to the development of Vietnamese SMEs[J]. International Business Research, 2008, 4(1): 3-9.
[10] Habib, M., Zurawicki, L. Corruption and foreign direct investment[J]. Journal of International Business Studies, 2002, 33(2): 291-307.
[11] Fisman, R., Svensson, J. Are corruption and taxation really harmful to growth? Firm level evidence[J]. Journal of Development Economics, 2007, 83(1): 63-75.
[12] Nguyen, T. T., van Dijk, M. A. Corruption and growth: Private vs. state-owned firms in Vietnam[J]. In Press, 2008, 1-46.
[13] Nguyen, T. H., Alam, Q., Prajogo, D. Public policy for the development of private sector and SMEs in a socialist market economy[J]. Journal of Academic Research in Economics, 2009, 1(1): 79-92.
[14] Ha, T. T., Swierczek, F. W. Motivation, entrepreneurship and the performance of SMEs in Vietnam[J]. Journal of Enterprising Culture, 2003, 11(3): 47-68.
[15] Standish-Kuon, T., Rice, M. Introducing engineering and science students to entrepreneurship: Models and influential factors at six American universities[J]. Journal of Engineering Education, 2002, 91(1): 33-39.
[16] Orlitzky, M., Schmidt, F., Rynes, S. Corporate social and financial performance: A meta analysis[J]. Organization Studies, 2003, 24(3): 403-441.
[17] Fabrizio, K. R. The Use of University Research in Firm Innovation. In Vanhaverbeke W& West J(Eds.), Open Innovation: Researching A New Paradigm. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2006.
[18] Beck, T., Kunt, A. D., Levine, R. SMEs growth and poverty: Cross-country evidence[J]. Journal of Economic Growth, 2005, 10(3): 197-227.
[19] Zia, B. H. Export incentives, financial constraints, and the (mis) allocation of credit: Micro-level evidence from subsidized export loans[J]. Journal of financial economics, 2008, 87(2): 498-527.
[20] Man, T., Lau, T., Chan, K. F. The competitiveness of small and medium enterprises: A conceptualization with focus on entrepreneurial competencies[J]. Journal of Business Venturing, 2002, 17(2): 123-142.
[21] Sparrow, P. R., Hodgkinson, G. P. What is strategic competence and does it matter? Exposition of the concept and a research agenda[J]. NY: CAHRS Working Paper Series, 2006.
[22] Edelman, L. F., Brush, C. G., Manolova, T. Co-alignment in the resource-performance relationship, strategy as mediator[J]. Journal of Business Venturing, 2005, 20(3): 359-383.
[23] Brice, J. J., Spencer, B. Entrepreneurial profiling: A decision policy analysis of the influence of entrepreneurial self-efficacy on entrepreneurial intent[J]. Academy of Entrepreneurship Journal, 2007, 13(2): 47-67.
[24] Muzychenko, O., Saee, J. Cross cultural professional competence in higher education[J]. Journal of Management Systems, 2004, 16(4): 1-9.
[25] Rauch, A., Wiklund, J., Lumpkin, G. T., Frese, M. Entrepreneurial Orientation and Business Performance: Cumulative Empirical Evidence. Paper presented at the 23rd Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference. UK: Glasgow, 2004.
[26] Ahmad, N. H. A Cross Cultural Study of Entrepreneurial Competencies and Entrepreneurial Success in SMEs in Australia and Malaysia. Austraua: The University of Adelaide, 2007.
[27] Sambasivan, M., Abdul, M., Yusop, Y. Impact of personal qualities and management skills of entrepreneurs on venture performance in Malaysia: Opportunity recognition skills as a mediating factor[J]. Technovation, 2009, 29 (2):798-805.
[28] irec, K., Brada, B. How does networking impact the SMEs growth[J]. Organizacija, 2009, 42(2): 59-66.
[29] Rudez, H., Mihalic, T. Intellectual capital in the hotel industry: A case study from Slovenia[J]. Hospital Management, 2007, 26(2): 188-199.
[30] Kiggundu, M. N. Entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship in Africa: What is known and what needs to be done[J]. Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, 2002, 7(3): 239-258.
[31] Ward, A. Enterprise skills and enterprise learning[J]. Foresight, 2004, 6(2): 104-109.
[32] Priyanto, S. H., Sandjojo, I. Relationship between entrepreneurial learning, entrepreneurial competencies and venture success: Empirical study on SMEs[J]. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 2005, 5(5-6): 454-468.
[33] 范钧. 区域软环境对中小企业竞争优势要素作用机制的实证研究-以浙江制造业为例[J]. 科研管理, 2010, 31(2): 105-113.
[34] 买忆媛, 甘智龙. 我国典型地区创业环境对创业机会与创业能力实现的影响-基于GEM数据的实证研究[J]. 管理学报, 2008, 5(2): 274-278.
[35] Keh, H. T., Nguyen, T. T. M., Ng, H. P. The effects of entrepreneurial orientation and marketing information on the performance of SMEs[J]. Journal of Business Venturing, 2007, 22(2): 592-611.
[36] 杨鑫, 金占明. 从个体特征到企业绩效-战略管理研究路径解析[J]. 管理学报, 2011, 8(2): 220-225.
[37] 王铁男, 陈涛, 贾榕霞. 组织学习、战略柔性对企业绩效影响的实证研究[J]. 管理科学学报, 2010, 13(7): 42-59.
[38] Easterly-Smith, M., Crossan, M. M., Nicolini, D. Organizational learning: Debates past, present and future[J]. Journal of Management Studies, 2000, 37(6): 783-796.
[39] 温忠麟, 张雷, 侯杰泰等. 中介效应检验程序及其应用[J]. 心理学报, 2004, 36(5): 614-620.