EFFECT OF ENTREPRENEURIAL ALERTNESS ON THE GROWTH OF MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA

Abstract This study empirically examined the effect of entrepreneurial alertness on the growth of medium enterprises in North Central Nigeria. Specifically, the study investigated the impact of scanning and search, association and connections, evaluation and judgment, on the growth of medium enterprises in the region. The study adopted a survey research design and relied on primary data collected through structured questionnaires. The population of the study comprised 13,378 medium enterprises across the North Central states and the Federal Capital Territory, from which a sample of 388 owners and managers was selected using proportionate stratified random sampling. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The hypotheses were tested using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling with the aid of Smart PLS 4 at a 5 percent significance level. The findings revealed that scanning and search have a positive and significant effect on the growth of medium enterprises in North Central Nigeria (β = 0.456, t = 6.251, p = 0.000 < 0.05). Association and connections also exhibited a positive and significant effect on enterprise growth (β = 0.323, t = 4.121, p = 0.031 < 0.05). However, evaluation and judgment showed a negative but significant effect on growth (β = −0.311, t = −3.687, p = 0.003 < 0.05). Based on these findings, the study recommended that entrepreneurs and policy makers should strengthen mechanisms that promote environmental scanning and market information access in order to improve opportunity recognition. Business development institutions should also support networking platforms that enhance association and connections among entrepreneurs. Training programs should emphasize balanced decision making to avoid excessive evaluation that delays opportunity exploitation. The study contributes to knowledge by providing empirical evidence on the role of entrepreneurial alertness as a key driver of enterprise growth in emerging economies.