Title: Innovation and entrepreneurial activities of SMEs in Fiji

Authors: Gurmeet Singh; Ashna Prasad

Addresses: Faculty of Business and Economics, School of Management and Public Administration, The University of the South Pacific, Private Mail Bag, Laucala Bay Campus, Suva, Fiji ' Faculty of Business and Economics, School of Management and Public Administration, The University of the South Pacific, Private Mail Bag, Laucala Bay Campus, Suva, Fiji

Abstract: Small businesses may benefit from innovations in terms of structure, supply or markets, as producers of complementary products or in serving specialist niches. In addition, small firms may enjoy comparative advantage in industries that serve smaller, fragmented markets, where consumers value variety and where manufacturing flexibility carries a premium. This research highlights the present status of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Fiji and attempts to identify the strategies that help enhancing their competitiveness through innovation. Results of this study reveal that there is positive relationship between customer orientation and entrepreneurial activity and the correlation results are significant in explaining the linear association. The interesting result of this research shows that entrepreneurial growth in Fiji is not dependent on technological innovation.

Keywords: innovation; entrepreneurship; small and medium-sized enterprises; SMEs; Fiji; entrepreneurial activities; customer orientation; firm growth; technological innovation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2014.062504

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2014 Vol.22 No.2, pp.251 - 265

Published online: 02 Jul 2014 *

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