How social context affects the development of SMES?

This paper aims at investigating Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) of Small and Medium-sized Family Enterprises (SMEs) through the lenses of social construction perspective. For this purpose, the qualitative approach is suitable and based on interviews with SMEs’ family members who founded or manage the firms now. Throughout the interviews, the social context including social ties, interactions, trust, and value systems, top manager’s personal values, and organizational culture are investigated. The analysis includes three case studies, and in all the three firms, women play a central role in the company, thus suggesting also some specific traits of women entrepreneurship.