Despite its importance to business performance, the role of Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) in multinational corporations (MNCs) is under-researched. This study investigates the drivers of EO and its performance outcome in the context of large MNCs. The authors theorize that an MNC’s organizational characteristics drive the formation of its EO and an MNC’s EO affects its performance in the global market under certain contingency conditions. Based on a survey of large MNCs, the authors find that an MNC’s EO is positively affected by its technological flexibility and subsidiary cooperation, and negatively influenced by centralization of its organizational structure. In addition, EO’s positive effect on an MNC’s performance is weakened by its international experience. This study advances the literature by developing and empirically supporting a theory of EO in large MNCs. The results also have significant implications for MNCs that consider adopting EO to improve their performance in the global market.

中文翻译：

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跨国公司的创业导向：前因与影响

尽管它对业务绩效很重要，但是对创业导向（EO）在跨国公司（MNCs）中的作用进行了研究。这项研究调查了大型跨国公司背景下EO的驱动因素及其绩效结果。作者认为，跨国公司的组织特征驱动其EO的形成，而MNC的EO在某些偶然条件下会影响其在全球市场上的表现。根据对大型跨国公司的调查，作者发现，跨国公司的EO受其技术灵活性和辅助合作的积极影响，而受其组织结构集中化的不利影响。此外，EO对跨国公司业绩的积极影响也因其国际经验而受到削弱。这项研究通过发展和经验支持大型跨国公司的EO理论来推动文献发展。该结果对于考虑采用EO来提高其在全球市场上的绩效的跨国公司也具有重大意义。