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Entrepreneurial orientation and international entrepreneurial business venture startup

Fredric Kropp (Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Commercialisation Centre,The Adelaide University, Adelaide, Australia)
Noel J. Lindsay (Entrepreneurship, Commercialization, and Innovation Center, Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia)
Aviv Shoham (Graduate School of Management, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel)

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research

ISSN: 1355-2554

Article publication date: 14 March 2008

10134

Abstract

Purpose

This study seeks to examine the interrelationships among three elements of an entrepreneurial orientation (proactiveness, innovativeness, and risk‐taking), age and education of the entrepreneur, and the international entrepreneurial business venture (IEBV) start‐up decision.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from a sample of 539 individuals from dynamic internationally focused South African firms. Since the dependent variable is non‐metric and the independent variables associated with the IEBV new entry decision are metric, multiple discriminant analysis was used to test new entry decisions.

Findings

Results indicate that the start‐up decision is positively related to the proactiveness and risk‐taking components of an entrepreneurial orientation and the age of the lead entrepreneur and negatively related to the education of the lead entrepreneur. As predicted, the innovativeness component of entrepreneurial orientation is not a factor in the start‐up decision.

Practical implications

Investors can determine the likelihood of venture start‐up by examining the proactiveness and risk‐taking dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation and the age and education of the lead entrepreneur. Since older and less educated entrepreneurs have a greater likelihood of starting ventures, entrepreneurial training programs may provide greater returns by targeting this age and education group.

Originality/value

This is the first examination of the role of entrepreneurial orientation, age, and the IEBV start‐up decision. It examines South Africa, a more dynamic, changing and hostile business environment. Managers and financiers can enhance their probability of success by developing the proactiveness and risk taking entrepreneurial orientation dimensions.

Keywords

Citation

Kropp, F., Lindsay, N.J. and Shoham, A. (2008), "Entrepreneurial orientation and international entrepreneurial business venture startup", International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, Vol. 14 No. 2, pp. 102-117. https://doi.org/10.1108/13552550810863080

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2008, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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