Antecedents of entrepreneurial orientation in Russian high-tech companies

Abstract

Current Master’s Thesis addresses the demand for a qualitative study about the antecedents of entrepreneurial orientation in Russian high-tech companies. The goal of the study is to find out how is entrepreneurial orientation formed in Russian high-tech companies and why some high-tech companies are more entrepreneurially oriented than others. This study uses case study as a research strategy. The empirical part of the thesis is based on the case study of four Russian high-tech firms. As a result of empirical study a theoretical model of antecedents of entrepreneurial orientation in Russian high-tech firms is proposed. From the academic standpoint, this study fills the research gap on the subject of antecedents of entrepreneurial orientation in the emerging markets (and Russia in particular). From the managerial standpoint this study provides top-management of high-tech companies with useful insights on what drives entrepreneurial orientation in the first place. In addition to that, governmental institutions may use the knowledge about antecedents of entrepreneurial orientation in order to stimulate entrepreneurial orientation at the environmental level and thus stimulate innovative business activities.