Abstract

The underlying premise of this study is that the individual-level characteristics of the CEO can influence the overall strategy of the firm. Looking at this premise in the context of entrepreneurship, we argue that CEOs that are high in entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial alertness positively influence the entrepreneurial orientation of the firm. This paper adopts Covin & Wales’ (2012) model of entrepreneurial orientation which divides the construct into three dimensions: innovativeness, risk-taking and proactiveness. We further posit that the organizational commitment of the CEO moderates this relationship. Drawing from Meyer and Allen’s (1997) model, we contend that each of affective commitment and normative commitment positively moderate the relationship between both entrepreneurial self-efficacy and alertness on one hand, and entrepreneurial orientation on the other hand, while continuance commitment negatively moderates the aforementioned relationships. Using data we gathered from 33 CEOs and top executives mainly from small family firms in various industries in Lebanon, we find evidence that entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial alertness are positively related to entrepreneurial orientation. We further find that normative commitment positively and significantly moderates the relationship between entrepreneurial alertness and entrepreneurial orientation. We also find that affective commitment negatively moderates the aforementioned relationship. Finally, the three organizational commitment types do not significantly moderate the relationship between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial orientation, neither does continuance commitment on the relationship between entrepreneurial alertness and entrepreneurial orientation. From a practical standpoint, the results of this can provide organizations with valuable insights that could be helpful in the CEO selection and training process. The limitations of the study, as well as future directions are discussed.