Impact of International Entrepreneurial Orientation on the Performance of Agri-food SMEs in Morocco and Spain

Abstract

This article explores the impact of International Entrepreneurial Orientation (IEO) and its various dimensions on the Export Performance (EP) of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the agri-food sector in Morocco and Spain. In a context of increasing globalization, marked by high uncertainty, dynamism, and complexity, many companies seek to internationalize to remain competitive. IEO is essential for SMEs as it drives them to adopt innovative, dynamic behaviors and take risks to adapt to a turbulent environment. This study specifically focuses on export-oriented SMEs to assess the effectiveness of their internationalization strategies.

The results show that IEO has a positive effect on the export performance of agri-food SMEs in both countries studied. Among the three main dimensions of IEO, innovation proved to be the most influential, followed by proactivity, while risk-taking had a lesser impact on export performance. These findings underscore the importance of IEO in the success of internationalization strategies for agri-food SMEs.

Keywords: SMEs, entrepreneurial orientation, international entrepreneurial orientation, performance, innovation, proactivity, risk-taking, exportation.

JEL Classification: M 160

Paper type: Empirical Research