Abstract We apply a key construct from the entre- 1 Introduction
preneurship field, entrepreneurial orientation (EO), in
thecontextoflong-lived family firms.Our qualitative Awidestreamofcorporateentrepreneurshipliterature
in-depth case studies show that a permanently high proposes that entrepreneurial attitudes and behav-
level of the five EO dimensions is not a necessary ior are crucial antecedents for a company’s short- and
condition for long-term success, as traditional entre- long-term success (e.g., Dess et al. 2003; Zahra and
preneurship and EO literature implicitly suggest. Covin 1995; 科研大厦中央空调系统论文+设计图纸+负荷计算 Zahra et al. 2000). Effective corporate
Rather, we claim that the level of EO is dynamically entrepreneurship allows a firm to exploit its current
adapted over time and that the original EO scales competitive advantage while also exploring future
(autonomy,innovativeness,risktaking,proactiveness, opportunities and required competencies (Covin and
and competitive aggressiveness) do not sufficiently Miles 1999; Kuratko et al. 2005; Schendel and Hitt
capture the full extent of entrepreneurial behaviors in 2007). In an environment of rapid change and short-
long-livedfamilyfirms.Basedontheseconsiderations ened product and business model life cycles, future
wesuggestextendingtheexistingEOscalestoprovide profit streams from existing operations are uncertain,
a more fine-grained depiction of firm-level corporate requiring businesses to constantly seek new opportu-
entrepreneurship in long-lived family firms. nities. Therefore, firms may benefit from adopting
corporate entrepreneurship (Rauch et al. 2009).
Keywords Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurial Partly incontrasttothese claimsofthepivotal role
orientation Family firm Firm survival of corporate entrepreneurship for organizational suc-
cess, research on entrepreneurship in family firms本文来自优.文~论^文·网原文请找腾讯32,49114
JEL Classifications L21 L25 L26 that have survived and prospered for long periods of
time is divided as to whether these organizations
represent a context where entrepreneurship flourishes
or is hampered (e.g., Naldi et al. 2007). Scholars
argue that the particular culture and power structure
found in many family firms may considerably influ-
T. Zellweger (&) P. Sieger
ence the extent to which entrepreneurial activities are
Center for Family Business, University of St. Gallen,
encouraged or hindered (Hall et al. 2001; Salvato
Dufourstrasse 40a, 9000 St. Gallen, Switzerland
e-mail: 2004; Schein 1983; Zahra et al. 2004). Some propose
that family firms present unique settings for entre-
P. Siegere-mail: preneurship to flourish, for example, stewardship2417