This study examines the influence of government support initiatives on the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and the international performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing economies. This study aims to clarify how different types of government support can enhance EO’s impact on SMEs’ success in international markets.
Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from a sample of SMEs in the Caucasus region. Regression analyses and moderation testing were conducted to evaluate the role of government support initiatives − both informational and experiential − in moderating the EO−performance relationship.
The findings indicate that experiential support significantly strengthens the EO−performance link, whereas informational support exerts influence primarily as a moderating factor. This highlights the unique value of experiential government interventions for SMEs entering global markets, while informational support enhances EO’s effectiveness when firms actively adopt an entrepreneurial posture.
This study contributes to the literature by integrating government support into the EO – performance framework for SMEs in emerging economies. It demonstrates that government support, particularly experiential, serves as an external resource enhancing SMEs’ competitiveness abroad.
