ANALYZING STRATEGIC EVALUATION AND STRATEGIC IMPLEMENTATION ON THE PERFORMANCE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SCALE ENTERPRISES IN SOUTHWEST, NIGERIA

This study investigates the effects of strategic evaluation and implementation on the performance of small- and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) in Southwestern Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design was adopted to collect data from SME owners across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo States. The population comprised 149,326 registered SMEs, as reported by SMEDAN (2023), from which a sample of 399 respondents was determined using the Yamane formula. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire that underwent face and content validity assessments, while reliability was confirmed using Cronbach’s Alpha. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis in SPSS 25. The findings revealed that strategic evaluation demonstrated a statistically significant positive effect on SMEs' performance. However, strategic implementation has a statistically insignificant effect on SMEs' performance. The study concludes that while implementation contributes to SMEs performance, its effect is limited without effective execution mechanisms; by contrast, strategic evaluation plays a critical role in enhancing SMEs performance. It is recommended that SMEs strengthen implementation processes by improving coordination, resource allocation, and monitoring, and by institutionalising regular evaluation practices to support informed decision-making and sustained competitive advantage.