“Determinación de factores asociados a la ventaja competitiva en Mipymes del sector comercial de Azogues - Ecuador ”

Abstract

This study, "Determination of Factors Associated with Competitive Advantage in MSMEs in the Commercial Sector of Azogues, Ecuador," is based on a positivist quantitative methodology. The research was conducted with an exploratory, descriptive, and correlational design in the population of MSMEs in Azogues-Ecuador, with a sample size of 115. A survey, validated by experts, was employed as the data collection instrument, with a Cronbach's reliability coefficient of 0.786 —indicating high reliability—. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics for variables of interest in four categories: competitive advantage, innovation, market orientation, and knowledge transfer. Each category includes detailed questions to explore different aspects. The findings indicate a significant correlation between competitive advantage and the three independent variables: innovation (0.989**), market orientation (0.984**), and knowledge transfer (0.995**). This suggests that these factors determine the competitive advantage of MSMEs in the commercial sector of Azogues, Ecuador. However, the data follow a non-normal distribution, so Spearman's correlation test was used instead of parametric analysis. Despite this limitation, the study provides valuable information on factors contributing to competitive advantage in this particular sector and context.