Entrepreneurial Orientation and Networking as Enablers of Firm Performance: A Fuzzy-Set Based Comparative Analysis of Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

This study examines entrepreneurial networking and offers a new perspective on how micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) enhance firm performance. The primary aim is to identify combinations of factors-namely, innovativeness, risk-taking, proactiveness, and networking-that contribute to improved firm performance. Using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), the study analyses survey data from a sample of 426 MSMEs. The findings reveal that networking, when combined with innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking, can lead to an increase in firm performance. However, the effective combinations of factors vary by enterprise size. Among micro and small enterprises, either risk-taking alone or the combination of innovativeness and networking is sufficient to improve performance. In medium-sized enterprises, firm performance improves through combinations such as innovativeness with networking, proactiveness with networking, or risk-taking with proactiveness. This study contributes to an understanding of how entrepreneurial traits and networking strategies interact across different types of enterprises, offering practical insights into the strategic configurations that drive firm performance.