AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECT OF INNOVATION AS MEDIATOR TO BUSINESS NETWORKING AND PERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIP: EVIDENCE FROM ZIMBABWEAN SMES

Abstract

The aim of this study was to improve the understanding of the mediating role of innovation on the business networking and business performance relationship. The study adopted a quantitative approach to gather 154 usable questionnaires from SMEs in Zimbabwe. The results revealed a statistically significant relationship between business networking and performance and also the mediating role that innovation plays between the business networking and performance relationship. The study makes a contribution to the existing literature on management and SME by assessing the mediating role of innovation in the relationship between business networking and business performance in the SME sector of a Sub-Saharan African country