Entrepreneurial Orientation Versus Entrepreneurial Leadership: Which Behavior Drives Asean Sme Performance During Environmental Turbulence?

We examine the interaction between entrepreneurial leadership and entrepreneurial orientation in turbulent environments to determine their effect on the performance of ASEAN small and medium enterprises. By combining resource-based and leadership perspectives, we advance the study of entrepreneurship and demonstrate how these elements interact differently in unstable emerging markets. According to our research, entrepreneurial leadership has a positive effect on performance through creativity and adaptability, whereas entrepreneurial orientation has a negative effect on performance because of resource misalignment risks. The critical adaptive role of leadership is highlighted by the fact that environmental turbulence selectively increases the effect of entrepreneurial leadership without mitigating the effects of entrepreneurial orientation. Using a sample of 200 small and medium-sized businesses, a dynamic interaction is found between entrepreneurial leadership and entrepreneurial orientation. Entrepreneurial leadership strengthens the application of entrepreneurial orientation by building resilience, while entrepreneurial orientation encourages adaptive leadership behaviors. It is concluded that, in resource-constrained environments, both entrepreneurship behavioral constructs have a greater effect on performance outcomes than either one alone. Implications are drawn for theory, managerial practice and policy development. The results highlight the importance of matching resource availability and leadership development in emerging markets with entrepreneurial strategies.