Does entrepreneurial orientation encourage Pakistani SMEs to participate in China-Pakistan economic corridor?

ABSTRACT Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) operating in China and Pakistan have shown great interest to participate in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). However, there is a dearth of reliable evidence on how SMEs can easily participate and get maximum benefits of the corridor. This research fills the gap by examining the influence of entrepreneurial orientation on the participation of CPEC through a sample of 211 Pakistani SMEs. The emphasis is placed on entrepreneurial orientation, rather than statutory regulations and governmental invention, to meet the desired objectives of CPEC. The results indicate that innovativeness, pro-activeness and risk-taking significantly facilitate SMEs towards CPEC while autonomy and competitive aggressiveness do not influence the perception of top managers/owners about CPEC. Our research recommends SMEs create entrepreneurial culture (specifically innovative, proactive and risk-taking) to gain benefits from export/imports arising CPEC. The findings also recommend policymakers initiate entrepreneurship programs and minimize regulations on internationalization among the SMEs..