A Cross-Cultural View of Strategic Competency: The Perspective of SME Entrepreneurs

The present study attempts to understand the prevalence of strategic competency among entrepreneurs in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Australia and Malaysia. A sample of 20 SME entrepreneurs from Australia and Malaysia participated in this study. A series of interviews were conducted to probe into the behaviours that delineate strategic competency among these entrepreneurs. The results showed that SME entrepreneurs in both countries highlighted the importance of strategic competency in managing and running their ventures despite some minor variations in terms of the practices across country. This study provides entrepreneurs with knowledge about the way they should operate their business and encourages them to be conscious of the importance of strategic competency in managing their business and increasing the odds of success. The study also shows that entrepreneurs are capable of minimising the negative impact of business environment if they are willing to equip themselves with strategic competency.