Abstract
This study analyzed the influence of entrepreneurial orientation on employees’ innovative performance in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) located in Imbabura, Ecuador. A quantitative, predictive, and correlational methodology was applied, using a non-experimental cross-sectional design. The sample included 326 valid cases, processed with IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) v.26 and Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) v.26, applying Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test the hypothesis and evaluate the theoretical model. The results showed that supervisors’ entrepreneurial orientation behaviorsrisk-taking, innovativeness, proactiveness, competitive aggressiveness, and autonomy positively and significantly influence employees’ generation, promotion, and implementation of innovative ideas. It is concluded that entrepreneurial orientation is a key predictor of innovative performance in SMEs, strengthening their ability to adapt and compete in dynamic environments.
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