Pursuing Venture Growth Through External Participation Among Entrepreneurs in the Philippines: Evidence from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor.

The article focuses on the role of external participation strategies—specifically foreign customer orientation and export orientation—in driving entrepreneurial venture growth in the Philippines. Using data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) for 2013 to 2015 and employing a generalized method of moments (GMM) regression analysis, the study finds that both foreign customer and export orientations significantly and positively impact venture growth, with export orientation showing a stronger effect. The findings suggest that Philippine micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) can enhance growth by increasing their involvement in international markets, supported by policies that improve access to global value chains, financing, and technical expertise. Recommendations include tailored government support to reduce trade barriers, provide financial incentives, and offer training programs to facilitate MSMEs' external participation and sustainable growth.