The Effect of Entrepreneurial Leadership Strategies on Competitive Advantage of Selected SMES in Lagos State, Nigeria

Le résumé fourni par la source

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are widely recognised as significant contributors to economic growth and employment generation in developing economies. Despite their economic importance, many SMEs in Nigeria continue to face challenges in achieving sustainable competitive advantage due to inadequate entrepreneurial leadership strategies. This study examined the effect of entrepreneurial leadership strategies on the competitive advantage of selected SMEs in Lagos State, Nigeria. The study adopted a survey research design with a population of 11,643 registered SMEs in Lagos State. A sample size of 426 SME owners/managers was determined using the Taro Yamane formula. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire with Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficients ranging from 0.797 to 0.911. Multiple regression analysis was employed to test the hypothesised relationships at a 5% significance level using SPSS version 27. Findings revealed that entrepreneurial leadership strategies significantly affected competitive advantage among selected SMEs in Lagos State, Nigeria (Adj.R² = 0.279, F(4, 389) = 39.071, p<0.05). Specifically, innovativeness (β = 0.248, t = 6.322, p<0.05), risk taking (β = 0.296, t = 5.567, p<0.05), and creativity (β = 0.173, t = 3.109, p<0.05) had positive and significant effects on competitive advantage, while adaptability showed a negative but insignificant effect. The study concluded that entrepreneurial leadership strategies, particularly innovativeness, risk-taking, and creativity, are critical determinants of competitive advantage in SMEs. The study recommended that SME owners/managers should actively cultivate entrepreneurial leadership strategies through idea-generation workshops, calculated risk-taking initiatives, and creative problem-solving approaches to enhance their competitive positioning in the marketplace.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.