Title: Entrepreneurial Skills and Organizational Competitiveness of SMEs in Imo State, Nigeria
Authors: Chigbu, Elvis Chisom and B. Chima Onuoha
Volume: 9
Issue: 11
Pages: 77-85
Publication Date: 2025/11/28
Abstract:
This study investigated the association between entrepreneurial skills and organisational competitiveness in Imo State, Nigeria. The study focusses on how two dimensions of entrepreneurial skills, opportunity recognition and conceptual skill influence market responsiveness and innovation capability, which serve as the measures of organisational competitiveness. A sample of 181 was drawn using Krejcie and Morgan (1970 Table from an accessible population of 327. Structured questionnaires were distributed, and data was analysed using Spearman's rank-order correlation. The findings show that there are strong and positive correlations between opportunity recognition, market responsiveness, and innovation capabilities. Similarly, conceptual skill showed significant positive associations with market responsiveness and innovation capability. These findings indicate that SMEs who excel in identifying business opportunities and applying strategic thinking are more likely to remain competitive in dynamic situations. The study conclude that entrepreneurial abilities are crucial for increasing SMEs' competitiveness and recommend training and capacity-building interventions to increase opportunity perception and conceptual thinking among regional entrepreneurs.