IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jbrese/v129y2021icp169-182.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Effectuation and causation, firm performance, and the impact of institutions: A multi-country moderation analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Shirokova, Galina
  • Morris, Michael H.
  • Laskovaia, Anastasiia
  • Micelotta, Evelyn

Abstract

Entrepreneurs employ various behavioral logics in the venture creation process, including effectuation and causation. Where prior studies suggest that both causal and effectual approaches are positively related to firm performance, the extant literature has not examined how the institutional context influences this relationship. This study explores how country-level institutions moderate the link between causal and effectual behaviors and firm performance. Using survey data collected from a large crosssectional sample of new ventures from 24 countries, the findings indicate that the effectiveness of causation and effectuation logics is influenced by the level of development of regulatory, normative, and cultural-cognitive institutions. The theoretical benefits of better understanding the context of entrepreneurial decision-making are highlighted.

Suggested Citation

  • Shirokova, Galina & Morris, Michael H. & Laskovaia, Anastasiia & Micelotta, Evelyn, 2021. "Effectuation and causation, firm performance, and the impact of institutions: A multi-country moderation analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 169-182.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:129:y:2021:i:c:p:169-182
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.02.045
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296321001351
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.02.045?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Andrei Shleifer & Florencio Lopez-de-Silanes & Rafael La Porta, 2008. "The Economic Consequences of Legal Origins," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 46(2), pages 285-332, June.
    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. Andrea M. Herrmann, 2019. "A plea for varieties of entrepreneurship," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 52(2), pages 331-343, February.
    4. André Stel & David Storey & A. Thurik, 2007. "The Effect of Business Regulations on Nascent and Young Business Entrepreneurship," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 28(2), pages 171-186, March.
    5. Katrin M. Smolka & Ingrid Verheul & Katrin Burmeister–Lamp & Pursey P.M.A.R. Heugens, 2018. "Get it Together! Synergistic Effects of Causal and Effectual Decision–Making Logics on Venture Performance," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 42(4), pages 571-604, July.
    6. Read, Stuart & Song, Michael & Smit, Willem, 2009. "A meta-analytic review of effectuation and venture performance," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 24(6), pages 573-587, November.
    7. Erkko Autio & Saurav Pathak & Karl Wennberg, 2013. "Consequences of cultural practices for entrepreneurial behaviors," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 44(4), pages 334-362, May.
    8. Anastasiia Laskovaia & Galina Shirokova & Michael H. Morris, 2017. "Erratum to: National culture, effectuation, and new venture performance: global evidence from student entrepreneurs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 49(3), pages 711-715, October.
    9. Walter, Sascha G. & Block, Jörn H., 2016. "Outcomes of entrepreneurship education: An institutional perspective," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 216-233.
    10. Friederike Welter, 2011. "Contextualizing Entrepreneurship—Conceptual Challenges and Ways Forward," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 35(1), pages 165-184, January.
    11. Spencer, Jennifer W. & Gomez, Carolina, 2004. "The relationship among national institutional structures, economic factors, and domestic entrepreneurial activity: a multicountry study," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 57(10), pages 1098-1107, October.
    12. Anastasiia Laskovaia & Galina Shirokova & Michael H. Morris, 2017. "National culture, effectuation, and new venture performance: global evidence from student entrepreneurs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 49(3), pages 687-709, October.
    13. David Urbano & Claudia Alvarez, 2014. "Institutional dimensions and entrepreneurial activity: an international study," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 42(4), pages 703-716, April.
    14. Delmar, Frederic & Shane, Scott, 2004. "Legitimating first: organizing activities and the survival of new ventures," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 19(3), pages 385-410, May.
    15. Dominic S.K. Lim & Eric A. Morse & Ronald K. Mitchell & Kristie K. Seawright, 2010. "Institutional Environment and Entrepreneurial Cognitions: A Comparative Business Systems Perspective," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 34(3), pages 491-516, May.
    16. Brettel, Malte & Mauer, René & Engelen, Andreas & Küpper, Daniel, 2012. "Corporate effectuation: Entrepreneurial action and its impact on R&D project performance," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 167-184.
    17. Harry P Bowen & Dirk De Clercq, 2008. "Institutional context and the allocation of entrepreneurial effort," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 39(4), pages 747-767, June.
    18. Daniel Appelhoff & René Mauer & Veroniek Collewaert & Malte Brettel, 2016. "The conflict potential of the entrepreneur’s decision-making style in the entrepreneur-investor relationship," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 12(2), pages 601-623, June.
    19. Yu, Xiaoyu & Tao, Yida & Tao, Xiangming & Xia, Fan & Li, Yajie, 2018. "Managing uncertainty in emerging economies: The interaction effects between causation and effectuation on firm performance," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 121-131.
    20. Chandler, Gaylen N. & DeTienne, Dawn R. & McKelvie, Alexander & Mumford, Troy V., 2011. "Causation and effectuation processes: A validation study," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 26(3), pages 375-390, May.
    21. Erkko Autio & Kun Fu, 2015. "Economic and political institutions and entry into formal and informal entrepreneurship," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 32(1), pages 67-94, March.
    22. Rajshree Agarwal & Martin Ganco & Rosemarie H. Ziedonis, 2009. "Reputations for toughness in patent enforcement: implications for knowledge spillovers via inventor mobility," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(13), pages 1349-1374, December.
    23. Friederike Welter & Ted Baker & Katharine Wirsching, 2019. "Three waves and counting: the rising tide of contextualization in entrepreneurship research," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 52(2), pages 319-330, February.
    24. Chandler, Gaylen N. & Hanks, Steven H., 1993. "Measuring the performance of emerging businesses: A validation study," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 8(5), pages 391-408, September.
    25. Baumol, William J., 1996. "Entrepreneurship: Productive, unproductive, and destructive," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 3-22, January.
    26. Patrick M. Kreiser & Louis D. Marino & Pat Dickson & K. Mark Weaver, 2010. "Cultural Influences on Entrepreneurial Orientation: The Impact of National Culture on Risk Taking and Proactiveness in SMEs," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 34(5), pages 959-984, September.
    27. Frédéric Delmar & Scott Shane, 2003. "Does business planning facilitate the development of new ventures?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(12), pages 1165-1185, December.
    28. Xiaoyu Yu & Yida Tao & Xiangming Tao & Fan Xia & Yajie Li, 2018. "Managing uncertainty in emerging economies: The interaction effects between causation and effectuation on firm performance," Post-Print hal-01989673, HAL.
    29. Deniz Ucbasaran & Paul Westhead & Mike Wright, 2008. "Opportunity Identification and Pursuit: Does an Entrepreneur’s Human Capital Matter?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 30(2), pages 153-173, February.
    30. Brinckmann, Jan & Grichnik, Dietmar & Kapsa, Diana, 2010. "Should entrepreneurs plan or just storm the castle? A meta-analysis on contextual factors impacting the business planning-performance relationship in small firms," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 24-40, January.
    31. Villani, Elisa & Linder, Christian & Grimaldi, Rosa, 2018. "Effectuation and causation in science-based new venture creation: A configurational approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 173-185.
    32. Ioanna Deligianni & Irini Voudouris & Spyros Lioukas, 2017. "Do Effectuation Processes Shape the Relationship between Product Diversification and Performance in New Ventures?," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 41(3), pages 349-377, May.
    33. David J. Teece & Gary Pisano & Amy Shuen, 1997. "Dynamic capabilities and strategic management," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(7), pages 509-533, August.
    34. N. Venkatraman & John E. Prescott, 1990. "Environment‐strategy coalignment: An empirical test of its performance implications," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(1), pages 1-23, January.
    35. Martin, Bruce C. & McNally, Jeffrey J. & Kay, Michael J., 2013. "Examining the formation of human capital in entrepreneurship: A meta-analysis of entrepreneurship education outcomes," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 211-224.
    36. Niels Bosma & Jeroen Content & Mark Sanders & Erik Stam, 2018. "Institutions, entrepreneurship, and economic growth in Europe," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 51(2), pages 483-499, August.
    37. Jiang, Yi & Tornikoski, Erno T., 2019. "Perceived uncertainty and behavioral logic: Temporality and unanticipated consequences in the new venture creation process," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 23-40.
    38. David Urbano & Sebastian Aparicio & David Audretsch, 2019. "Twenty-five years of research on institutions, entrepreneurship, and economic growth: what has been learned?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 53(1), pages 21-49, June.
    39. Zoltán J. Ács & László Szerb & Erkko Autio, 2013. "Global Entrepreneurship and Development Index 2013," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 14236.
    40. Greg Fisher, 2012. "Effectuation, Causation, and Bricolage: A Behavioral Comparison of Emerging Theories in Entrepreneurship Research," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 36(5), pages 1019-1051, September.
    41. Anastasiia Laskovaia & Louis Marino & Galina Shirokova & William Wales, 2019. "Expect the unexpected: examining the shaping role of entrepreneurial orientation on causal and effectual decision-making logic during economic crisis," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(5-6), pages 456-475, May.
    42. Elaine Mosakowski, 1997. "Strategy Making Under Causal Ambiguity: Conceptual Issues and Empirical Evidence," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 8(4), pages 414-442, August.
    43. Jonathan Levie & Erkko Autio, 2008. "A theoretical grounding and test of the GEM model," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 31(3), pages 235-263, October.
    44. Maria Minniti, 2008. "The Role of Government Policy on Entrepreneurial Activity: Productive, Unproductive, or Destructive?," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 32(5), pages 779-790, September.
    45. De Clercq, Dirk & Dimov, Dimo & Thongpapanl, Narongsak (Tek), 2010. "The moderating impact of internal social exchange processes on the entrepreneurial orientation-performance relationship," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 87-103, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Chang, Chong-Chuo, 2023. "The impact of quality of institutions on firm performance: A global analysis," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 694-716.
    2. Vuorio, Anna & Torkkeli, Lasse, 2023. "Dynamic managerial capability portfolios in early internationalising firms," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(1).
    3. Park, Sang-June & Yi, Youjae, 2023. "Decomposing main effects in moderated regression models," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    4. Amir Emami & Dianne H. B. Welsh & Ali Davari & Arash Rezazadeh, 2022. "Examining the relationship between strategic alliances and the performance of small entrepreneurial firms in telecommunications," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 637-662, June.
    5. Cowden, Birton & Karami, Masoud & Tang, Jintong & Ye, Wenping & Adomako, Samuel, 2023. "The gendered effects of effectuation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 155(PB).
    6. Matthew P. Johnson & Jacob Hörisch, 2022. "Reinforcing or counterproductive behaviors for sustainable entrepreneurship? The influence of causation and effectuation on sustainability orientation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(3), pages 908-920, March.
    7. Christopher Idemudia EBEGBETALE & Abdul-Hameed Adeola SULAIMON & Simeon Emezana IFERE, 2024. "Impact of Causation and Effectuation on Competitiveness among Nano Businesses in Nigeria," Management and Economics Review, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 9(1), pages 91-103, February.

    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. Jessica Alzamora-Ruiz & María Fuentes-Fuentes & Myriam Martinez-Fiestas, 2021. "Together or separately? Direct and synergistic effects of Effectuation and Causation on innovation in technology-based SMEs," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 1917-1943, December.
    2. Jenny María Ruiz-Jiménez & Matilde Ruiz-Arroyo & María Mar Fuentes-Fuentes, 2021. "The impact of effectuation, causation, and resources on new venture performance: novice versus expert entrepreneurs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 1761-1781, December.
    3. Peng, Xue Bing & Liu, Yue Ling & Jiao, Qi Qi & Feng, Xiao Bin & Zheng, Bei, 2020. "The nonlinear effect of effectuation and causation on new venture performance: The moderating effect of environmental uncertainty," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 112-123.
    4. Alexander McKelvie & Gaylen N. Chandler & Dawn R. DeTienne & Anette Johansson, 2020. "The measurement of effectuation: highlighting research tensions and opportunities for the future," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 54(3), pages 689-720, March.
    5. Fischer, Denise & Greven, Andrea & Tornow, Mark & Brettel, Malte, 2021. "On the value of effectuation processes for R&D alliances and the moderating role of R&D alliance experience," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 606-619.
    6. Anastasiia Laskovaia & Galina Shirokova & Michael H. Morris, 2017. "National culture, effectuation, and new venture performance: global evidence from student entrepreneurs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 49(3), pages 687-709, October.
    7. Katrin M. Smolka & Ingrid Verheul & Katrin Burmeister–Lamp & Pursey P.M.A.R. Heugens, 2018. "Get it Together! Synergistic Effects of Causal and Effectual Decision–Making Logics on Venture Performance," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 42(4), pages 571-604, July.
    8. Yanxia Li & Bo Zou & Feng Guo & Jinyu Guo, 2022. "Academic entrepreneurs’ effectuation logic, role innovation, and academic entrepreneurship performance: an empirical study," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 49-72, March.
    9. Ratan J. S. Dheer, 2017. "Cross-national differences in entrepreneurial activity: role of culture and institutional factors," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 48(4), pages 813-842, April.
    10. Tobias Frese & Ingmar Geiger & Florian Dost, 2020. "An empirical investigation of determinants of effectual and causal decision logics in online and high-tech start-up firms," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 54(3), pages 641-664, March.
    11. Saras D. Sarasvathy, 2021. "The Middle Class of Business: Endurance as a Dependent Variable in Entrepreneurship," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 45(5), pages 1054-1082, September.
    12. Mumford, Jonathan Van & Zettinig, Peter, 2022. "Co-creation in effectuation processes: A stakeholder perspective on commitment reasoning," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 37(4).
    13. Ioanna Deligianni & Irini Voudouris & Spyros Lioukas, 2017. "Do Effectuation Processes Shape the Relationship between Product Diversification and Performance in New Ventures?," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 41(3), pages 349-377, May.
    14. Elaine Laing & André Stel & David J. Storey, 2022. "Formal and informal entrepreneurship: a cross-country policy perspective," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 59(3), pages 807-826, October.
    15. Walter, Sascha G. & Block, Jörn H., 2016. "Outcomes of entrepreneurship education: An institutional perspective," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 216-233.
    16. Dirk De Clercq & Dominic S.K. Lim & Chang Hoon Oh, 2013. "Individual–Level Resources and New Business Activity: The Contingent Role of Institutional Context," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 37(2), pages 303-330, March.
    17. David Urbano & David Audretsch & Sebastian Aparicio & Maria Noguera, 2020. "Does entrepreneurial activity matter for economic growth in developing countries? The role of the institutional environment," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 16(3), pages 1065-1099, September.
    18. Dan Long & Houhong Wang & Peili Wang, 2021. "Built to Sustain: The Effect of Entrepreneurial Decision-Making Logic on New Venture Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-20, February.
    19. David Urbano & Sebastian Aparicio & David Audretsch, 2019. "Twenty-five years of research on institutions, entrepreneurship, and economic growth: what has been learned?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 53(1), pages 21-49, June.
    20. Rakesh Sambharya & Martina Musteen, 2014. "Institutional environment and entrepreneurship: An empirical study across countries," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 12(4), pages 314-330, December.

    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:eee:jbrese:v:129:y:2021:i:c:p:169-182. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jbusres .

    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.