IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v10y2018i2p314-d128820.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

An Empirical Study on Entrepreneurial Orientation, Absorptive Capacity, and SMEs’ Innovation Performance: A Sustainable Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Yu-Ming Zhai

    (School of Economics and Management, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 201418, China
    Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China)

  • Wan-Qin Sun

    (School of Economics and Management, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 201418, China)

  • Sang-Bing Tsai

    (Zhongshan Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Zhongshan 528402, China)

  • Zhen Wang

    (School of Economics and Management, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 201418, China)

  • Yu Zhao

    (School of Economics and Management, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 201418, China)

  • Quan Chen

    (Zhongshan Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Zhongshan 528402, China)

Abstract

Using a survey of 324 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of the Yangtze River Delta in China, this study discusses the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation, absorptive capacity, environmental dynamism, and corporate technological innovation performance. The results based on a moderated moderation model show that the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and innovation performance is significantly positive. The absorptive capacity can positively moderate this relationship. When the external environment is in high dynamism, the moderating effect of absorptive capacity will be stronger than when the environment is in low dynamism.

Suggested Citation

  • Yu-Ming Zhai & Wan-Qin Sun & Sang-Bing Tsai & Zhen Wang & Yu Zhao & Quan Chen, 2018. "An Empirical Study on Entrepreneurial Orientation, Absorptive Capacity, and SMEs’ Innovation Performance: A Sustainable Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-14, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:2:p:314-:d:128820
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/2/314/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/2/314/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lai, Wen-Hsiang & Chang, Pao-Long, 2010. "Corporate motivation and performance in R&D alliances," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 63(5), pages 490-496, May.
    2. Hong, Jin & Feng, Bing & Wu, Yanrui & Wang, Liangbing, 2016. "Do government grants promote innovation efficiency in China's high-tech industries?," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 57, pages 4-13.
    3. Walter, Achim & Auer, Michael & Ritter, Thomas, 2006. "The impact of network capabilities and entrepreneurial orientation on university spin-off performance," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 21(4), pages 541-567, July.
    4. Snyder, Hannah & Witell, Lars & Gustafsson, Anders & Fombelle, Paul & Kristensson, Per, 2016. "Identifying categories of service innovation: A review and synthesis of the literature," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(7), pages 2401-2408.
    5. Li, Xibao, 2011. "Sources of External Technology, Absorptive Capacity, and Innovation Capability in Chinese State-Owned High-Tech Enterprises," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(7), pages 1240-1248, July.
    6. 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.
    7. Lin, Han & Zeng, Saixing & Liu, Haijian & Li, Chao, 2016. "How do intermediaries drive corporate innovation? A moderated mediating examination," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(11), pages 4831-4836.
    8. Surroca Aguilar, Jorge & Tribo Gine, José Antonio & Berrone, Pascual Alberto, 2005. "The influence of blockholders on R and D investments intensity : evidence from Spain," DEE - Working Papers. Business Economics. WB wb054611, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Departamento de Economía de la Empresa.
    9. Roy L. Simerly & Mingfang Li, 2000. "Environmental dynamism, capital structure and performance: a theoretical integration and an empirical test," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(1), pages 31-49, January.
    10. Danny Miller, 1987. "The structural and environmental correlates of business strategy," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 8(1), pages 55-76, January.
    11. 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.
    12. Engelen, Andreas & Kube, Harald & Schmidt, Susanne & Flatten, Tessa Christina, 2014. "Entrepreneurial orientation in turbulent environments: The moderating role of absorptive capacity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(8), pages 1353-1369.
    13. Keh, Hean Tat & Nguyen, Thi Tuyet Mai & Ng, Hwei Ping, 2007. "The effects of entrepreneurial orientation and marketing information on the performance of SMEs," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 592-611, July.
    14. Matthew Murphy & François Perrot & Miguel Rivera-Santos, 2012. "New perspectives on learning and innovation in cross-sector collaborations," Post-Print hal-02313075, HAL.
    15. Bharat N. Anand & Tarun Khanna, 2000. "Do firms learn to create value? The case of alliances," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(3), pages 295-315, March.
    16. 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.
    17. Wu, Jianfeng & Tu, Rungting, 2007. "CEO stock option pay and R&D spending: a behavioral agency explanation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 60(5), pages 482-492, May.
    18. Dimitratos, Pavlos & Lioukas, Spyros & Carter, Sara, 2004. "The relationship between entrepreneurship and international performance: the importance of domestic environment," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 19-41, February.
    19. Danny Miller, 1983. "The Correlates of Entrepreneurship in Three Types of Firms," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(7), pages 770-791, July.
    20. 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.
    21. Scott Shane, 2000. "Prior Knowledge and the Discovery of Entrepreneurial Opportunities," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 11(4), pages 448-469, August.
    22. Hagedoorn, John & Cloodt, Myriam, 2003. "Measuring innovative performance: is there an advantage in using multiple indicators?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(8), pages 1365-1379, September.
    23. Arundel, Anthony, 2001. "The relative effectiveness of patents and secrecy for appropriation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 611-624, April.
    24. Wiklund, Johan & Shepherd, Dean, 2005. "Entrepreneurial orientation and small business performance: a configurational approach," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 20(1), pages 71-91, January.
    25. Kim, Youngok & Lui, Steven S., 2015. "The impacts of external network and business group on innovation: Do the types of innovation matter?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(9), pages 1964-1973.
    26. Slater, Stanley F. & Narver, John C., 1994. "Market orientation, customer value, and superior performance," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 22-28.
    27. Yan Ling & Zeki Simsek & Michael Lubatkin & John F. Velga, 2008. "Transformational Leadership's Role in Promoting Corporate Entrepreneurship : Examining the CEO - TMT Interface," Post-Print hal-02276697, HAL.
    28. 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.
    29. Ana M. Moreno & José C. Casillas, 2008. "Entrepreneurial Orientation and Growth of SMEs: A Causal Model," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 32(3), pages 507-528, May.
    30. Frank T. Rothaermel & Maria Tereza Alexandre, 2009. "Ambidexterity in Technology Sourcing: The Moderating Role of Absorptive Capacity," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 20(4), pages 759-780, August.
    31. Shaker A. Zahra & Harry J. Sapienza & Per Davidsson, 2006. "Entrepreneurship and Dynamic Capabilities: A Review, Model and Research Agenda," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(4), pages 917-955, June.
    32. Jian-Wen Fang & Yung-ho Chiu, 2017. "Research on Innovation Efficiency and Technology Gap in China Economic Development," Asia-Pacific Journal of Operational Research (APJOR), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 34(02), pages 1-22, April.
    33. Murphy, Matthew & Perrot, Francois & Rivera-Santos, Miguel, 2012. "New perspectives on learning and innovation in cross-sector collaborations," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 65(12), pages 1700-1709.
    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. Engelen, Andreas & Kube, Harald & Schmidt, Susanne & Flatten, Tessa Christina, 2014. "Entrepreneurial orientation in turbulent environments: The moderating role of absorptive capacity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(8), pages 1353-1369.
    2. Samuel Adomako, 2018. "The Moderating Effects Of Adaptive And Intellectual Resource Capabilities On The Relationship Between Entrepreneurial Orientation And Financial Performance," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 22(03), pages 1-35, April.
    3. Jörg Freiling & Christoph Lütke Schelhowe, 2014. "The Impact of Entrepreneurial Orientation on the Performance and Speed of Internationalization," Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, Fundacja Upowszechniająca Wiedzę i Naukę "Cognitione", vol. 10(4), pages 169-199.
    4. D’Angelo, Alfredo & Presutti, Manuela, 2019. "SMEs international growth: The moderating role of experience on entrepreneurial and learning orientations," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 613-624.
    5. Nida Nazar & Sara Ravan Ramzani & Temoor Anjum & Imran Ahmed Shahzad, 2018. "Impact of Entrepreneurial Orientation of Bank Performance in Pakistan," Business Management and Strategy, Macrothink Institute, vol. 9(1), pages 290-309, December.
    6. Rodrigo-Alarcón, Job & García-Villaverde, Pedro M. & Ruiz-Ortega, María J. & Parra-Requena, Gloria, 2018. "From social capital to entrepreneurial orientation: The mediating role of dynamic capabilities," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 195-209.
    7. García-Villaverde, Pedro M. & Ruiz-Ortega, María J. & Ignacio Canales, J., 2013. "Entrepreneurial orientation and the threat of imitation: The influence of upstream and downstream capabilities," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 263-277.
    8. Jintong Tang & Zhi Tang & Birton J. Cowden, 2017. "Exploring the Relationship between Entrepreneurial Orientation, CEO Dual Values, and SME Performance in State–Owned vs. Nonstate–Owned Enterprises in China," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 41(6), pages 883-908, November.
    9. Tânia Gonçalves & Mário Sérgio Teixeira & José G. Dias & Sofia Gouveia & Ricardo Jorge Correia, 2021. "Commitment to exporting as an antecedent of organizational skills and firm performance," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 91(7), pages 1063-1084, September.
    10. 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.
    11. Elena Patricia Mojica-Carrillo & Gonzalo Maldonado-Guzmán & Sandra Yesenia Pinzón-Castro & Angie Lorena Riaño-Castillo, 2021. "Effects of Entrepreneurial Orientation on Performance and Growth: Are Microenterprises and Small Firms Equal?," Advances in Management and Applied Economics, SCIENPRESS Ltd, vol. 11(4), pages 1-2.
    12. Katharina Fellnhofer, 2019. "The Complementary Effects Of Firms’ And Team Leaders’ Entrepreneurial Orientation On Innovation Success And Performance," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 23(05), pages 1-32, June.
    13. Tobias Kollmann & Christoph Stöckmann, 2014. "Filling the Entrepreneurial Orientation–Performance Gap: The Mediating Effects of Exploratory and Exploitative Innovations," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 38(5), pages 1001-1026, September.
    14. Martin, Silvia L. & Javalgi, Rajshekhar (Raj) G., 2016. "Entrepreneurial orientation, marketing capabilities and performance: The Moderating role of Competitive Intensity on Latin American International New Ventures," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(6), pages 2040-2051.
    15. 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.
    16. Izaias Martins, 2016. "Network Usage, Entrepreneurial Orientation and Their Effectiveness on SMEs Growth," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 25(1), pages 18-41, March.
    17. Farhad Uddin Ahmed & Louis Brennan, 2019. "Performance determinants of early internationalizing firms: The role of international entrepreneurial orientation," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 17(3), pages 389-424, September.
    18. Danny Miller, 2011. "Miller (1983) Revisited: A Reflection on EO Research and Some Suggestions for the Future," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 35(5), pages 873-894, September.
    19. Soininen, Juha & Martikainen, Minna & Puumalainen, Kaisu & Kyläheiko, Kalevi, 2012. "Entrepreneurial orientation: Growth and profitability of Finnish small- and medium-sized enterprises," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(2), pages 614-621.
    20. Jiang, Xu & Liu, Heng & Fey, Carl & Jiang, Feifei, 2018. "Entrepreneurial orientation, network resource acquisition, and firm performance: A network approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 46-57.

    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:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:2:p:314-:d:128820. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.