Entrepreneurial Performance Structure And Performance Of The Formation Mechanism Study

Entrepreneurship performance structure (EPS) received researchers' attention for decades because of practical and theoretical importance. In empirical studies, EPS remained one of major dependent variables and served as criteria for testing entrepreneurship theories. An ambiguous EPS structure with low inner consistency created trouble in explaining entrepreneurship activities and events, building competition models, and developing entrepreneurship constructs. In practice, accurate measurement and prompt control of performance are vital to the success of new ventures or small enterprises. Well-designed EPS can be used to determine the utility of entrepreneurial practices and guide entrepreneurs' decision-making. This paper explores the concept of EPS and its dimensional construct, weight distribution, performance mechanism, mediation effects, framing effects and performance efficiency. This study included four sub-studies.Study 1 is an exploratory study through semi-structured interviews that collected entrepreneurship-related critical incidents. Entrepreneurial performance cases were coded and analyzed using content analysis. Entrepreneurship performance (EP) was found to have four aspects: firm growth, firm survival, employee commitment and customer trust. The agility of reacting to customer need and competitor's behaviors had significant influences on EP which mediated other elements such as product technique, benefaction, trust and learning.In study 2, EPS's dimension structure was empirically tested together with performance mechanism using structural equation modeling (SEM) and hierarchical regression analysis. Through Literature review and case study interview, we designed the entrepreneurial performance survey. Sampling in entrepreneurial firms was conducted with a sample size of 206 firms. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a two-level and four-dimension construct (including firm growth, firm survival, employee commitment and customer trust) fits data best with robust convergences validity and discrimination validity. EP had no significant difference cross multiple firm ownership, shareholder structure, and industrial category and venture size. Firms with different degree of innovation reveal significant EP gap. The higher value a new venture is, the higher scores EP got in dimensions of employee commitment, customer trust and firm growth. Little difference was, however, shown on the dimension of firm survival. Besides, EP exhibited very similar profile in all four dimensions cross enterprise development stages. Furthermore, the entrepreneur competent feature was found to consist of ability, benevolence, trust and learning. Market agility mediated...