Does Entrepreneurial Orientation Affect the Performance of Women-owned SMEs in the Banditry Zone? The Empirical Evidence from Kebbi State, Nigeria

This study was carried out to investigate how women-owned small and medium-sized businesses in Kebbi State, Nigeria, have fared in the face of banditry by using entrepreneurial orientations. In order to gather information from women-owned SMEs, a cross-sectional survey methodology was adopted. A cluster sampling approach was used to select 234 participants at random for the study and questionnaires used as a research instrument for data collection. The study's hypotheses were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The result found that taking risks, being aggressive in the marketplace, and being independent are crucial entrepreneurial orientations for the success of SMEs in Kebbi State, Nigeria. It is assumed that innovation will boost business performance, but the results of this study show that innovation has the opposite effect on women-owned businesses, contradicting this expectation. The study concluded that taking risks, being aggressive in a competitive environment, and having autonomy benefit SMEs’ performance. The study recommended that Owner-managers, decision-makers, and researchers can benefit greatly from the findings of this study in order to better understand how entrepreneurial orientations affect business performance. Owner-managers of SMEs should be encouraged and emphasize on risk-taking, independence, and competitive aggression to enhance their performance and economic effect. It is significant to highlight that placing too much emphasis on innovation should be minimized.