ALIGNING ENTREPRENEURIAL ORIENTATION AND OPEN INNOVATION FOR BETTER EXPLANATION OF INDUSTRIAL TUNISIAN SMES PERFORMANCE

The main objective of this research is to examine the effect of the alignment as gestalt of Open Innovation and Entrepreneurial Orientation on the Industrial Tunisian SMEs performance. To achieve this aim, we carry out a quantitative survey with a questionnaire distributed to 110 Industrial Tunisian SMEs and mobilize the perspective of alignment as gestalt of the configurational approach. Our results reveal an empirical taxonomy which distinguishes four Tunisian SMEs configurations named, The Conservative Enclosed, The Committed Exceptional, The Vigilant Receptive and the Innovative Involved. Our findings show that The Committed Exceptional and Innovative Involved configurations register the same high level of performance. However, the Conservative Enclosed is the least performed unlike the Vigilant Receptive configuration which is characterized by an average level of performance. Overall, theoretical and empirical contributions are heralded to advance the relevance of Open Innovation approach to the entrepreneurship theory.