The mediation effect of TQM practices on the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and organizational performance of SMEs in Kuwait

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play a vital role for the economic development of most countries, particularly in developing economies such as Kuwait. There are, however, challenges and problems that have to be addressed in an effort to achieve a better performance and ensure longer-term success. In the pursuit of entrepreneurial leadership (EL), SMEs frequently adopt total quality management (TQM) practices as their key strategies to enhance their competitive advantage. However, there is a dearth of studies that investigate the relationship of these concepts with the performance SMEs in developing countries. This paper seeks to examine the association between determinants of organizational performance, such as entrepreneurial leadership (EL) and TQM practices, of Kuwait's SMEs. This study uses a quantitative method. A survey questionnaire is administered to collect data from 500 SME owners and CEOs in Kuwait, and 384 are found to be usable. The outcomes of this study show beneficial and considerable influence of entrepreneurial leadership and TQM practices on organizational performance. The association of entrepreneurial leadership with organizational performance of SMEs is fundamentally mediated by TQM practices.