Three stages of entrepreneurial orientation: the founder’s role

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand the development of the five dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) over time by taking a founder’s perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on an in-depth single-case study. It combines semi-structured interviews in the company with archival data, such as annual reports, press clips and interviews in business magazines.

Findings

The results indicate that the EO dimensions change from being personalized and directly solution-oriented to being intangible value-creation-oriented.

Originality/value

By suggesting ownership-based EO configurations, this study contributes insights into how different ownership forms propel EO. These configurations – that is, personal, administrative based and intangible focused – show the impact of the EO dimensions and provide a systematic and theoretical understanding of EO change over time.

Citation

Ljungkvist, T., Boers, B. and Samuelsson, J. (2020), "Three stages of entrepreneurial orientation: the founder’s role", International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, Vol. 26 No. 2, pp. 285-306. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-10-2018-0630