The impact of entrepreneurial cognitive styles and entrepreneurial orientation on innovation performance of organizations in northern India

Abstract

PurposeThe study explores the relationship between entrepreneurial cognitive styles, entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and innovation performance (IP) of organizations in northern India. It also investigates how the cognitive styles of entrepreneurs impact their orientation and influence their innovative performance.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative research design validates the proposed hypotheses. A survey was conducted using simple random and snowball sampling to gain responses from 150 entrepreneurs based in northern India. The structural relationships in the study were examined using ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) which is a statistical method used to assess whether there are significant differences in means amongst groups by comparing the variance.FindingsData analysis revealed that entrepreneurial cognitive styles significantly and positively impact EO. The innovativeness and proactiveness dimensions of EO affect IP.Originality/valuePrevious researchers have worked independently on cognitive style and EO. The present paper combines the impact of cognitive style and EO on IP to identify the missing links between the three constructs, which need to be added to the existing literature. The authors' findings are valuable for entrepreneurs seeking to identify the key factors contributing to developing effective strategies at the firm level, thereby driving IP. Furthermore, the authors' insights would assist potential entrepreneurs in distinguishing between the different cognitive characteristics that differentiate entrepreneurs from non-entrepreneurs and how they strategically decide based on market situations to enhance IP.