Social capital and individual entrepreneurial orientation: innovativeness, proactivity, and risk-taking in an emerging economy

Abstract

PurposeThis paper investigates if and how entrepreneurs' social capital influences their individual entrepreneurial orientation attributes (innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking).Design/methodology/approachThe research method adopted is an exploratory multiple case study. The case chosen is that of an emerging and under-examined entrepreneur, the religious entrepreneur. The study investigates 20 pastors responsible for small enterprise-churches in Brazil.FindingsSocial capital influences individual entrepreneurial orientation, being characterized by a relative paradox. The networks must be dense enough to stimulate entrepreneurs' individual entrepreneurial orientation but not be so dense as to harm innovativeness, proactivity and risk-taking. Further, data show that individual entrepreneurial orientation influences social capital.Research limitations/implicationsOne limitation relates to the semi-structured interviews' restricted use. A second limitation is associated with the recognition of churches only as productive enterprises.Practical implicationsThis article suggests the significance of incorporating both themes in entrepreneurial education and training programs. It also stresses the appropriateness of religious entrepreneurship as an empirical research field for business scholars.Originality/valueThe contributions are fivefold. First, the authors build exploratory theoretical propositions on the influence of social capital on individual entrepreneurial orientation. Second, they highlight the significance of dense networks for individual entrepreneurial orientation, expanding the literature that supports the relevance of cohesive networks solely to the construct's organizational dimension. Third, the authors suggest that a relative paradox may characterize individual entrepreneurial orientation. Fourth, the authors suggest the existence of recursion between both constructs. Finally, this study is one of the first to examine social capital and individual entrepreneurial orientation, considering innovativeness, proactivity, and risk-taking, which represents a neglected field in benchmarking studies.

Entrepreneurial orientation far beyond opportunity: the influence of the necessity for innovativeness, proactiveness and risk-taking

“…, 2021a). In the second, Corrêa et al. (2021b) qualitatively investigated the influence of social capital on neo-Pentecostal evangelical pastors' EO in Brazil, concluding that “networks must be dense enough to stimulate religious entrepreneurs' individual EO but not so dense as to harm innovativeness, proactivity, and risk-taking; relative social network equilibrium is necessary” (p. 2294).…”

“…These authors defended the importance of incorporating relational dimensions into the EO construct: entrepreneurs can influence their networks' structure by appropriating EO attributes and vice-versa (Corrêa et al, 2021a). In the second, Corrêa et al (2021b) qualitatively investigated the influence of social capital on neo-Pentecostal evangelical pastors' EO in Brazil, concluding that "networks must be dense enough to stimulate religious entrepreneurs' individual EO but not so dense as to harm innovativeness, proactivity, and risk-taking; relative social network equilibrium is necessary" (p. 2294). Although recent studies have used EO to study entrepreneurship in religious institutions, including neo-Pentecostal churches in Brazil, no work has sought to investigate the factors driving the EO's attributes, as proposed here.…”

“…(2013, p. 371) pointed out how “EO remains virtually unexamined in several strategically important countries such as Brazil.” This gap has been highlighted more recently; Singh and Gaur (2018) highlighted the scarcity of studies that associate entrepreneurship and innovation in such contexts. Further, Chakrabarti and Mondal (2018) and Corrêa et al. (2021b) stressed the absence of EO studies in a developing-country context, such as Brazil, while Moretti et al.…”

“…One such approach relates to entrepreneurial orientation (EO) (Adel and Habib, 2018; Corrêa et al. , 2021b; Covin et al.…”

“…More recently, other scholars have focused on entrepreneurship manifested in the religious context (Corrêa et al. , 2021a, b; Kaszowska-Mojsa, 2020; Pearce et al. , 2010; Wulandari, 2019).…”