Revising Entrepreneurial Orientation Construct in a Social Enterprise

Abstract

Entrepreneurial behavior and entrepreneurial orientation (EO) have received significant scholarly attention in entrepreneurship and management research, but mainly in the commercial context. However, some attempts discussing such behavior and EO among non-profit organizations, but limited in the social enterprise context. The literature argues that EO is higher in such contexts (Zahra, Gedajlovic, Neubaum & Shulman, 2009; Lumpkin, Moss, Grass, Kato & Amezcua, 2013). Also, some new EO dimensions are proposed, at the same time existing EO dimensions are redefined. Based on this limited literature, the author undertakes an overview of existing work on EO dimensions and analyses how EO can be reconstructed and redefined in the social enterprise context. New, additional EO dimensions are compiled and discussed: cooperation capacity, agility, and persistence. In the light of anecdotal, empirical efforts on EO construct and relationship to performance among social enterprises, it seems that EO needs more revision and theoretical discussion, combined with inductive and qualitative studies. This change can provide more insights into the nature of individual dimensions and their relevance for social and business performance of social enterprises. It also poses the question whether EO dimensions should go beyond the split between what is commercial and social in social enterprises, and encompass both or whether focus separately on each of the two.