IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/entthe/v16y1991i1p7-26.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Conceptual Model of Entrepreneurship as Firm Behavior

Author

Listed:
  • Jeffrey G. Covin
  • Dennis P. Slevin

Abstract

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 behavior among larger, established firms, but may also be applicable in varying degrees to many smaller firms. Entrepreneurship is described as a dimension of strategic posture represented by a firm's risk-taking propensity, tendency to act in competitively aggressive, proactive manners, and reliance on frequent and extensive product innovation. The proposed model delineates the antecedents and consequences of an entrepreneurial posture as well as the variables that moderate the relationship between entrepreneurial posture and firm performance. The advantages of a firm-behavior perspective on entrepreneurship are discussed, as are the theoretical and managerial implications of such a perspective.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeffrey G. Covin & Dennis P. Slevin, 1991. "A Conceptual Model of Entrepreneurship as Firm Behavior," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 16(1), pages 7-26, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:entthe:v:16:y:1991:i:1:p:7-26
    DOI: 10.1177/104225879101600102
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/104225879101600102
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/104225879101600102?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sandberg, William R. & Hofer, Charles W., 1987. "Improving new venture performance: The role of strategy, industry structure, and the entrepreneur," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 2(1), pages 5-28.
    2. Danny Miller & Peter H. Friesen, 1983. "Strategy‐making and environment: The third link," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 4(3), pages 221-235, July.
    3. Danny Miller & Peter H. Friesen, 1982. "Innovation in conservative and entrepreneurial firms: Two models of strategic momentum," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 3(1), pages 1-25, January.
    4. MacMillan, Ian C. & Day, Diana L., 1987. "Corporate ventures into industrial markets: Dynamics of aggressive entry," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 2(1), pages 29-39.
    5. Covin, Jeffrey G. & Slevin, Dennis P., 1990. "New venture strategic posture, structure, and performance: An industry life cycle analysis," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 5(2), pages 123-135, March.
    6. Miller, Alex & Camp, Bill, 1985. "Exploring determinants of success in corporate ventures," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 87-105.
    7. Danny Miller, 1983. "The Correlates of Entrepreneurship in Three Types of Firms," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(7), pages 770-791, July.
    8. Jeffrey G. Covin & Dennis P. Slevin, 1989. "Strategic management of small firms in hostile and benign environments," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(1), pages 75-87, January.
    9. Robinson, Richard Jr. & Pearce, John II, 1986. "Product life-cycle considerations and the nature of strategic activities in entrepreneurial firms," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 1(2), pages 207-224.
    10. Jeffrey G. Covin & Dennis P. Slevin, 1988. "The Influence Of Organization Structure On The Utility Of An Entrepreneurial Top Management Style," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(3), pages 217-234, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Denis A. Grégoire & Martin X. Noël & Richard Déry & Jean–Pierre Béchard, 2006. "Is There Conceptual Convergence in Entrepreneurship Research? A Co–Citation Analysis of Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research, 1981–2004," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 30(3), pages 333-373, May.
    2. Bradley A. George & Louis Marino, 2011. "The Epistemology of Entrepreneurial Orientation: Conceptual Formation, Modeling, and Operationalization," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 35(5), pages 989-1024, September.
    3. William Wales & Erik Monsen & Alexander McKelvie, 2011. "The Organizational Pervasiveness of Entrepreneurial Orientation," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 35(5), pages 895-923, September.
    4. Anis Khedhaouria & Călin Gurău & Olivier Torrès, 2015. "Creativity, self-efficacy, and small-firm performance: the mediating role of entrepreneurial orientation," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 44(3), pages 485-504, March.
    5. Patrick M. Kreiser & Louis D. Marino & K. Mark Weaver, 2002. "Assessing the Psychometric Properties of the Entrepreneurial Orientation Scale: A Multi-Country Analysis," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 26(4), pages 71-93, July.
    6. Zahra, Shaker A. & Covin, Jeffrey G., 1995. "Contextual influences on the corporate entrepreneurship-performance relationship: A longitudinal analysis," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 10(1), pages 43-58, January.
    7. Lumpkin, G. T. & Dess, Gregory G., 2001. "Linking two dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation to firm performance: The moderating role of environment and industry life cycle," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 16(5), pages 429-451, September.
    8. Shaker A. Zahra & Daniel F. Jennings & Donald F. Kuratko, 1999. "The Antecedents and Consequences of Firm-Level Entrepreneurship: The State of the Field," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 24(2), pages 45-65, December.
    9. Krzysztof Borodako & Jadwiga Berbeka & Michał Rudnicki, 2021. "Innovation Orientation in Business Services," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 19897.
    10. Jeffrey G. Covin & Kimberly M. Green & Dennis P. Slevin, 2006. "Strategic Process Effects on the Entrepreneurial Orientation–Sales Growth Rate Relationship," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 30(1), pages 57-81, January.
    11. Daniel R. Clark & Robert J. Pidduck & G. T. Lumpkin & Jeffrey G. Covin, 2024. "Is It Okay to Study Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) at the Individual Level? Yes!," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 48(1), pages 349-391, January.
    12. Andreas Rauch & Johan Wiklund & G.T. Lumpkin & Michael Frese, 2009. "Entrepreneurial Orientation and Business Performance: An Assessment of past Research and Suggestions for the Future," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 33(3), pages 761-787, May.
    13. Shaker A. Zahra, 1993. "A Conceptual Model of Entrepreneurship as Firm Behavior: A Critique and Extension," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 17(4), pages 5-21, July.
    14. Hilton Barrett & Art Weinstein, 1998. "The Effect of Market Orientation and Organizational Flexibility on Corporate Entrepreneurship," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 23(1), pages 57-70, October.
    15. Zahra, Shaker A., 1996. "Technology strategy and new venture performance: A study of corporate-sponsored and independent biotechnology ventures," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 11(4), pages 289-321, July.
    16. Imran Hameed, 2011. "Impact of Entrepreneurial Orientation, Entrepreneurial Management and Environmental Dynamism on Firm’s Financial Performance," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 3(2), pages 101-114.
    17. James J. Chrisman & Alan Bauerschmidt & Charles W. Hofer, 1998. "The Determinants of New Venture Performance: An Extended Model," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 23(1), pages 5-29, October.
    18. Gartner, William B. & Starr, Jennifer A. & Bhat, Subodh, 1999. "Predicting new venture survival: An analysis of "anatomy of a start-up." cases from Inc. Magazine," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 14(2), pages 215-232, March.
    19. Seungku Ahn & Juil Kim, 2019. "The Effect of Managerial Characteristics on the Performance of Technology-Based Start-ups in Korea," International Journal of Global Business and Competitiveness, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 11-23, December.
    20. Obey Dzomonda & Olawale Fatoki & Olabanji Oni, 2017. "The Impact of Leadership Styles on the Entrepreneurial Orientation of Small and Medium Enterprises in South Africa," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 9(2), pages 104-113.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:entthe:v:16:y:1991:i:1:p:7-26. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.