Entrepreneurial Orientation and Competitive Advantage of Consumer Goods Manufacturing Firms in South-East, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and competitive advantage of consumer goods manufacturing firms in South-East, Nigeria. The research was motivated by the persistent challenges facing manufacturing firms in the region such as infrastructural deficits, fluctuating economic conditions, policy instability, and limited access to finance, which have constrained their competitiveness and growth. The study was anchored on the Resource-Based View (RBV) theory. The study adopted a correlational research design and utilized a structured questionnaire administered to employees of selected manufacturing firms across the South East region. Using a sample size of 372 respondents determined using the Krejcie and Morgan formula. The primary data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The hypotheses were tested using multiple linear regression technique. The findings revealed that there is a significant relationship between proactiveness and competitive advantage of consumer goods manufacturing firms in Southeast, Nigeria, and that there is a significant relationship between competitive aggressiveness and competitive advantage of consumer goods manufacturing firms in Southeast, Nigeria. The study concluded that entrepreneurial orientation is a strategic imperative for manufacturing firms seeking to achieve and sustain competitive advantage. Based on these, the study recommended that manufacturing firms should critically assess how they implement proactive strategies. Managers of manufacturing firms should avoid acting prematurely or without adequate information, rather should ensure that proactive actions are grounded in strategic foresight and supported by market intelligence. Firms should balance proactive initiatives with risk assessments to avoid misaligned resource allocation.