Antecedents and Performance Implications of a Sales Department's Learning and Entrepreneurial Orientation in SMEs

Abstract

Existing research on entrepreneurial orientation (EO) has concentrated on the organizational level but neglected the analysis of more fine‐grained effects of in organizations. This study applies the concept of to the departmental level and investigates the sales department's entrepreneurial orientation (SDEO) and salespeople's learning orientation (SDEO) and these orientations' impact on sales performance. Using a survey of 268 small and medium‐sized enterprises, the authors find that is a key performance lever, whereas only indirectly fosters sales performance through driving . Furthermore, informal controls and technological turbulence are found to be important drivers of SDEO and SLO.

Notes

11. We included the construct “influence of the sales department” adapted from Verhoef and Leeflang (2009) as marker variable because it showed only a significant correlation with one variable (professional control, p < .05) and is also theoretically unrelated (Lindell and Whitney 2001).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Susanne Birgit Spillecke

Susanne Birgit Spillecke is postdoctoral student at the chair of Business Administration and Sciences for Engineers and Scientists at RWTH Aachen University.

Malte Brettel

Malte Brettel is university professor for Business Administration and Sciences for Engineers and Scientists at RWTH Aachen University.