Abstract:

The aim of the paper is to contribute to the research on entrepreneurial orientation through calling for a micro-foundational perspective of the phenomenon. The aim has been realized by answering the following research question: How might the micro- foundations concept in strategic management develop the understanding of the entrepreneurial orientation?

The method that has been used is a systematic and critical literature review of the entrepreneurial orientation concept as well as a critical literature review on the micro- foundations concept.

The overarching findings are as follows. Firstly, the micro-foundational perspective significantly complements both OMT and the strategic management field. Secondly, considering the entrepreneurial orientation under a constructivist perspective enables to implement the micro- foundational programme in this field. Moreover, incorporating multi-level conceptualizations and multi-level methodology as well as the micro-foundational programme it might be possible to examine the following linkages: an individual entrepreneurial attitude determines individual entrepreneurial behaviour which as such influences organizational entrepreneurial orientation, which, as a result, has impact on organizational performance and growth.

The findings fill the research gap in the strategic management field concerning a lack of specific micro-foundations of the entrepreneurial orientation as an organizational (macro) phenomenon and revise the current knowledge in this realm.