The primary purpose of this article is to clarify the nature of the entrepreneurial orientation (EO) construct and to propose a contingency framework for investigating the relationship between EO and firm performance. We first explore and refine the dimensions of EO and discuss the usefulness of viewing a firm's EO as a multidimensional construct. Then, drawing on examples from the EO-related contingencies literature, we suggest alternative models (moderating effects, mediating effects, independent effects, interaction effects) for testing the EO-performance relationship.

Clarifying the Entrepreneurial Orientation Construct and Linking It To Performance

Effective organizations are configurations of management practices that facilitate the development of the knowledge that becomes the basis for competitive advantage. A market orientation, complemen...

Market Orientation and the Learning Organization

This article outlines a conceptual model of entrepreneurship as an organizational-level phenomenon. The model is intended to depict the organizational system elements that relate to entrepreneurial...

A Conceptual Model of Entrepreneurship as Firm Behavior

https://isiarticles.com/bundles/Article/pre/pdf/9619.pdf

Entrepreneurial orientation and small business performance : A Configurational Approach

Entrepreneurial orientation (EO) has received substantial conceptual and empirical attention, representing one of the few areas in entrepreneurship research where a cumulative body of knowledge i ...

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Entrepreneurial Orientation and Business Performance: An Assessment of Past Research and Suggestions for the Future

This paper reports the results of a study designed to investigate the effective strategic responses to environmental hostility among small manufacturing firms. Data on environmental hostility, organization structure, strategic posture, competitive tactics, and financial performance were collected from 161 small manufacturers. Findings indicate that performance among small firms in hostile environments was positively related to an organic structure, an entrepreneurial strategic posture, and a competitive profile characterized by a long-term orientation, high product prices, and a concern for predicting industry trends. In benign environments, on the other hand, performance was positively related to a mechanistic structure, a conservative strategic posture, and a competitive profile characterized by conservative financial management and a short-term financial orientation, an emphasis on product refinement, and a willingness to rely heavily on single customers.

Strategic management of small firms in hostile and benign environments

This paper reports the results of a study designed to investigate entrepreneurship and 'fit' in small and medium sized high technology manufacturing firms. A normative model of fit has been developed, which including the variables of entrepreneurial style, organizational structure, and mission strategy, determines a measure of the firm's fit with its environment. The normative model of fit proposed here is based on variables and relationships found to be important in previous empirical studies. Data on environmental turbulence, entrepreneurial style, organization structure, mission strategy, and financial performance were collected from 82 manufacturing firms. A measure of fit was calculated for each firm. Findings indicate that performance among firms was positively related to the measurement of fit. In short, fit is an important construct for firm success. Implications include prescriptive guidance to assist practitioners in diagnosing and correcting 'misfit' for individual firms.

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Entrepreneurship and the concept of fit: A model and empirical tests

This research examined the effects of three strategic process variables—strategic decision–making participativeness, strategy formation mode, and strategic learning from failure—on the entrepreneur...

Strategic Process Effects on the Entrepreneurial Orientation–Sales Growth Rate Relationship

This paper describes a process used to determine critical success factors that are felt to be predictive of successful project management. Full time managers who have had experience with projects were used to generate critical success factors that they felt to be crucial to successful project implementation. Ten factors were discovered that relate well to previous theoretical formulations in the literature. In addition, these ten factors have been linked together in an interdependent quasi-sequential framework. This research has provided the basis for developing a behavioral instrument to be used as a diagnostic for assessing the status of any project as determined by the ten factor model.

Dennis P. Slevin

Papers

Strategic management of small firms in hostile and benign environments

A Conceptual Model of Entrepreneurship as Firm Behavior

Entrepreneurship and the concept of fit: A model and empirical tests

Strategic Process Effects on the Entrepreneurial Orientation–Sales Growth Rate Relationship

Critical factors in successful project implementation