Effectuation and entrepreneurial orientation in high-technology firms.

Effectuation provides an explanation of the behaviour of entrepreneurial firms in transforming environments. This article empirically investigates the influence of effectuation on entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and firm performance, while considering environmental uncertainty as a moderating influence. A survey is administered to a sample of high-technology firms and hypotheses are tested using correlational and regression analysis. A positive relationship between effectuation and the firm's level of EO is established, where this effectuation moderates the relationship between EO and firm performance. However, the interaction effect between effectuation and environmental dynamism and hostility proves to be non-significant. By applying an empirical lens this study increases the relevance and generalisability of effectuation theory by expanding it from mostly a descriptive nature to a theory that accounts for moderators in the EO–performance relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]