The territorial intelligence and SME performance in peripheral territory
The mediating role of local entrepreneurship. An empirical PLS-SEM study in the province of Boujdour (Morocco)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.23882/emss26350Keywords:
Territorial intelligence, Local entrepreneurship, SME performance, Mediation, PLS-SEM, Morocco, Peripheral territoryAbstract
Research on territorial intelligence suggests that shared strategic knowledge can strengthen local firms' capacity for action, yet the mechanisms through which territorial intelligence translates into SME performance remain under-specified. This article argues that local entrepreneurship is the central transmission mechanism linking territorial intelligence to SME performance. The model is tested on 128 SMEs located in the province of Boujdour, Morocco, using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Results show that territorial intelligence positively affects local entrepreneurship (beta = .455, p < .001), and that local entrepreneurship positively affects SME performance (beta = .473, p < .001). The indirect effect is significant (beta = .215, p < .001), whereas the residual direct effect of territorial intelligence on SME performance is not significant (beta = .073, p = .401). With a VAF of 74.6%, the findings indicate a strong mediation effect, mostly transmitted through local entrepreneurship. The study contributes to entrepreneurial ecosystem theory by positioning territorial intelligence as a cognitive and relational infrastructure that activates local entrepreneurial dynamics.
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