Entrepreneurial orientation pathways to performance: A fuzzy-set analysis

Most prior research on entrepreneurial orientation (EO) aggregates its features into a gestalt construct to investigate its influence on firm performance. This study deconstructs EO into innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk taking dimensions and focuses on the causal mechanisms by which those factors collectively affect performance. By drawing on the resource-based view of the firm and its dynamic capabilities extension, the study identifies multiple paths of complex causal recipes that can lead to certain organizational capabilities, competitive advantages, and performance. To do that, the study uses fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), a technique that provides a holistic view of the examined interrelationships, compared to traditional net effect approaches that assume symmetric and linear relationships among variables. The study provides key conclusions and insightful implications for managers and researchers. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.