FinTech Innovation as a Mediator Between Entrepreneurial Orientation, Digital Literacy, Access to Finance, and SME Performance

Abstract

FinTech (Financial Technology) has emerged as a game-changer for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), offering innovative solutions to enhance financial access, operational efficiency, and performance. This study investigates the role of FinTech-driven financial innovation as a mediating variable in the relationship between Entrepreneurial Orientation, Digital Financial Literacy, and Access to Finance (independent variables) and SME Performance (dependent variable) in the context of Chinese manufacturing SMEs. Utilizing a quantitative research design, data will be collected through structured questionnaires from 300 respondents (owners and managers) of manufacturing SMEs across China. The study applies Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to analyze the direct and indirect effects among the variables. The findings are expected to reveal that the three independent variables entrepreneurial orientation, digital financial literacy, and access to finance have a significant positive impact on SME performance. The novelty of this study lies in its integrated framework that combines entrepreneurship, digital financial competencies, and FinTech within a single performance model. By focusing on Chinese manufacturing SMEs, this research provides new insights for FinTech adoption in a rapidly developing industrial economy.