Unfolding international entrepreneurial orientation : mitigating the negative effects of entrepreneur’s general experience through international entrepreneurial experience

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify antecedent of international entrepreneurial orientation (IEO). International entrepreneurial orientation is crucial to internationalization of firm. Yet, there is no scholarships which identifies determinant of IEO. Taking microfoundation perspective into consideration, the study hypothesizes that like entrepreneurial orientation, IEO is also conditioned by entrepreneur’s prior experience. This thesis also partakes to examine the differential impact of different types of entrepreneurial experience such as general entrepreneurial experience and international entrepreneurial experience on the development of IEO. Quantitative research was conducted based on primary data of 248 internationally operating firms in multiple industries of Bangladesh to test the hypothesis. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS both descriptively and explanatorily.

This empirical study reveals that IEO is negatively influenced by entrepreneur’s general entrepreneurial experience and international entrepreneurial experience mitigates this negative relationship between general entrepreneurial experience and IEO such that general entrepreneurial experience is positively related to IEO when general entrepreneurial experience is interacted with international entrepreneurial experience. Possible findings and limitations have also been put forward. This study contributes to both IE scholars and practitioners by demonstrating the usefulness of entrepreneur’s international experience in IEO development.