ENTREPRENEURIAL ORIENTATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIOR: AN EXPLANATION FROM THE VALUES OF ECOCENTRISM AND CONFORMITY OF MEXICAN ARTISANS

Abstract

We studied individual psychological characteristics such as conformity and ecocentrism in Mexican artisans, and the effect these characteristics have on entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and environmental behavior (EB) in artisan family businesses in Oaxaca and Guanajuato, Mexico. The research model is empirically validated by partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). We found that conformity is a value that positively affects EO and EB. In contrast, ecocentrism has a positive effect on EB, but not on EO. Our study highlights the importance of focusing on conformity as a characteristic of survival ventures. On the other hand, it is imperative to carry out research that incorporates the environmental dimension to characterize the sustainability aspect in survival ventures.