Mediating Effect of Interaction Orientation on the Relationship between Technology Orientation and SMEs Performance

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the mediating effect of interaction orientation on the relationship between technology orientation and SMEs performance. The study was anchored on Resource Based Theory. Data was collected from a sample of 326 SMEs owner-managers in north-east Nigeria using multi-stage sampling technique. The analysis was done with descriptive and inferential statistics on Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 23 and Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) on Smart-PLS 3. Mean and percentage were used to determine the extent of application/existence or otherwise of the variables in the studied SMEs. PLS-SEM was then used to test the mediation of interaction orientation on the relationship between technology orientation and SMEs performance. The results revealed that interaction orientation mediates the relationship between technology orientation and SMEs performance Finally, it was recommended that training and orientation should be conducted for SME owner-managers to increase the application of technology and interaction orientations to realize increased SMEs performance.