Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the mediating role of entrepreneurial alertness in the relationship between entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial orientation (EO). Design/methodology/approach This is a quantitative study using a self-report survey for information gathering. The hypotheses are tested with a sample of 112 entrepreneurs from technology-based firms in Mexico using hierarchical regression analysis. The study follows procedural and statistical recommendations from previous studies in order to strengthen the results. Findings The results demonstrate a significant and positive relationship between entrepreneurial passion and EO, and this relationship is mediated for each dimension of entrepreneurial alertness. Research limitations/implications Although there are interesting results in the study, some limitations should be recognized. First, it is important to consider the stage in which the firm is operating because it influences the firm’s behavior. Second, the generalization of the results should be validated in non-technology-based firms that operate in different contexts and conditions. The study’s findings have implications for small business support programs and entrepreneurs. Originality/value The study contributes to the emerging research of entrepreneurial passion in the field of entrepreneurship and to the scarce empirical research on entrepreneurial alertness. Both constructs are related to one of the most representative topics in the field, as is EO.

Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) has received substantial conceptual and empirical attention, representing one of the few areas in entrepreneurship research in which a cumulative body of knowledge is developing. Nonetheless, an important message from past research is that simply examining the direct effect of EO on firm performance provides an incomplete picture, especially in the case of new ventures. This study examined the influence of Dominant Logic (DL) on the relationship between EO and firm performance. Results based on a sample of 149 new manufacturing ventures indicated that DL mediates the EO-performance relationship, and risk taking, aggressiveness and innovativeness had the highest correlations with the internal and external conceptualization of DL. The empirical evidence suggests that new ventures must foster DL implementing appropriate strategic processes in order to maximize the effect of EO on performance.

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to investigate creativity as an intermediate variable existing within the relationship between entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial alertness.Design/methodology/approach -This is a quantitative research using a moderated mediation model. A questionnaire is used and the analyses are performed with the answers from 244 people with at least 3 years of professional experience and graduate business studies. The discriminant validity of the variables is revised and a hierarchical regression analysis is performed for the hypotheses test.Findings -Significant relations are obtained with which a positive relationship between entrepreneurial passion and creativity can be confirmed, as well as a positive relationship between creativity and entrepreneurial alertness. However, the results also reported that creativity partially mediates the relationship between entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial alertness.Originality/value -The contribution of this research lies on showing empirical evidence of the link between entrepreneurial passion, creativity, and entrepreneurial alertness through the use of measurement scales recently developed. It also presents creativity as an intermediate variable in the entrepreneurial passion-alertness relationship.

A study of the competitive advantage in successful New Technology Based Firms found that their technology strategy played a key role for making these companies improve their competitive advantage. We appealed to the grounded theory as a qualitative strategy to build theory, and to the exploratory case-study methodology to effectively understand this phenomenon in specific contexts as the one represented by small entrepreneurial firms in comparison with large established firms. A suitable comprehension of the different contexts required of a view of technology strategy that is more dynamic than those typically available. We build an explanatory model which integrates and groups the propositions previously developed. We view the study as exploratory to a class of studies aimed at understanding the technology strategy process in new ventures.

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