Since the 6th industrial policy has been pushed forward by the government, a number of the 6th industrial certified businesses has increased. Nevertheless, many of them have been facing the limitations of growth that has result from poor business performance due to difficulties with marketing that is based on small management structures, financial issues and product development that are needed for creating new paths to markets or facilities. In this context, this study focuses on deducing policy alternatives for customized aid or implications to enhance entrepreneur orientation through analyzing the relationship between the entrepreneurial characteristics of the 6th industrial businesses which possess features of small businesses, and business performance.
Government and government organizations have been promoting a variety of projects to support and revitalize the 6th industry. This study was conducted with farmers’small startup businesses that have been supported for the 6th industry by the Rural Development Administration and agricultural echnology/extension centers at the provincial level in Korea.
The precedent study on the 6th industry was reviewed in terms of planning how to revitalize it, identifying policy tasks on it, creating the ecological system for it and a diagnosing system for the 6th industrial businesses, cultivating human resources and identifying the relationship between the 6th industry and entrepreneur orientation, including examining policies and projects for aid on the 6th industry pursued by the government and government organizations, and the current progress status of projects which are for assisting farmers'' small startup businesses.
Also, the study on entrepreneur orientation and management performance was examined about how ‘innovativeness’, ‘proactiveness’and ‘risk taking’ which are components of the entrepreneur orientation, influence in financial performance and non-financial performance.
Based on the precedent study, relevant hypotheses and study model were established and empirical research was performed on the basis of 130 questionnaires.
The empirical research shows that the ‘innovativeness’ and ‘risk taking’part of components of the entrepreneur orientation, affect financial performance and non-financial performance in a positive way
while the ‘proactiveness’, the other component of the entrepreneur orientation, does not have a significant impact on neither financial performance nor non-financial performance. By identifying that entrepreneur orientation of the 6th industrial businesses, has positive effects on the management performance, it is necessary to strengthen the capabilities concerning the entrepreneur orientation such as the ‘innovation,’ Furthermore, the government and the 6th industry relevant organizations are required to identify the level of the entrepreneur orientation and regional features of the 6th industrial businesses. According to them, customized prior education and consulting should be preceded unlike conducting aid projects in one lump. Afterward, aid should be provided to establish the foundation for the 6th industry.
In addition, the ‘proactiveness’ among the components of the entrepreneur orientation has failed to affect management performance in positive fashion. In line with this, it implies that even though aggressive
marketing strategies, education and consulting are carried out, they have little impact on the management performance, according to the survey, which shows that they do not seem to have much influence in the
management performance due to the features of processed agricultural products and the great number of similar businesses as competitors.
In connection with, the way to provide relevant education and consulting including marketing related to the 6th industry by the government or institutes should be reconsidered when it comes to its way and direction. Also, it should be changed from by government to businesses themselves to develop their own capabilities.