<![CDATA[This research aims to examine the effect of innovation and entrepreneurial orientation on the competitive advantage of food sector MSMEs in Kecamatan Singaparna, Kabupaten Tasikmalaya. Culinary MSMEs serve a crucial function within the Indonesian economy, accounting substantially for job creation as well as gross domestic product; nevertheless, numerous encounter obstacles in sustaining competitive advantage because of limited innovativeness and weak entrepreneurial orientation, particularly in semi-urban areas like Singaparna. The present investigation adopted a quantitative correlational design through a survey approach. Research data were gathered by means of standardized survey questionnaires employing a five-point Likert scale involving eighty-seven MSME entrepreneurs chosen through purposive sampling together with the Slovin formula. The collected data underwent multiple linear regression analysis utilizing IBM SPSS. The findings indicate that innovation exhibits a positive and substantial impact on market competitiveness, and entrepreneurial orientation also has a positive and significant effect on competitiveness. Together, these two variables explain 72.5% of the variance in MSME competitiveness (Adjusted R² = 0.725). These findings support Schumpeter’s Theory of Economic Development and Lumpkin & Dess’s Entrepreneurial Orientation Theory. Practically, the study implies that culinary MSME actors need to enhance product, process, marketing, and organizational innovation while strengthening innovative, proactive, risk-taking, autonomous, and aggressive behaviors to improve competitiveness. This research fills a contextual gap by focusing on a semi-urban district where such studies remain limited.”.]]>
