Abstract
This study examines entrepreneurial networking and offers a new perspective on how micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises
(MSMEs) enhance firm performance. The primary aim is to identify combinations of factors—namely, innovativeness, risk-taking, proactiveness,
and networking—that contribute to improved firm performance. Using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), the
study analyses survey data from a sample of 426 MSMEs. The findings reveal that networking, when combined with innovativeness,
proactiveness, and risk-taking, can lead to an increase in firm performance. However, the effective combinations of factors vary by
enterprise size. Among micro and small enterprises, either risk-taking alone or the combination of innovativeness and networking is sufficient
to improve performance. In medium-sized enterprises, firm performance improves through combinations such as innovativeness
with networking, proactiveness with networking, or risk-taking with proactiveness. This study contributes to an understanding of how
entrepreneurial traits and networking strategies interact across different types of enterprises, offering practical insights into the strategic
configurations that drive firm performance.