This study presents and validates a theoretical model linking individual characteristics of the founding or lead innovative entrepreneur of a start-up venture – the entrepreneur's values, entrepreneurial attitudes and entrepreneurial self-efficacy – to the firm's entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and market orientation (MO) and, ultimately, to firm performance.,We conducted a survey on a stratified random sample of founders of early-stage South Australian micro- and small enterprises with a response rate of 24% (N = 204). Structural equation modelling was used to evaluate the model.,The study found that there is a significant relationship between the individual lead entrepreneur and firm strategies developed in early-stage firms in explaining firm performance. It also found that internal values are positively related to entrepreneurial attitude. Entrepreneurial attitude is positively related to entrepreneurial self-efficacy and EO innovativeness. In turn, entrepreneurial self-efficacy is related to innovativeness, proactiveness and risk-taking. The proactiveness dimension of EO and entrepreneurial attitude is related to MO. Entrepreneurial self-efficacy, innovativeness and MO are related to firm performance.,This research was limited to entrepreneurial ventures in South Australia and may lack generalisability in other states and countries.,The research contributes to the understanding of the heterogeneity within self-employed individuals, in particular among innovative entrepreneurs, by expanding insights regarding antecedents and consequences of the entrepreneurial process. It develops insights into the links of individual-level constructs with firm-level constructs to develop a more meaningful understanding of new venture creation and performance. It enhances our knowledge of the heterogeneity within the group of self-employed by exploring the individual entrepreneurial antecedents of performance in early-stage firms.

中文翻译：

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了解早期公司绩效：个人和公司水平因素的解释作用

这项研究提出并验证了一种理论模型，该模型将初创企业的创立者或主要创新企业家的个人特征（企业家的价值观，企业家的态度和企业家的自我效能感）与企业的企业家取向（EO）和市场取向（MO）联系起来），最终是对公司绩效的影响。我们对分层的随机样本进行了调查，该样本是早期南澳大利亚州微型和小型企业创始人的回应率，为24％（N = 204）。研究使用结构方程模型对模型进行评估。研究发现，在解释公司绩效时，个人主要企业家与早期公司制定的公司策略之间存在显着关系。研究还发现，内部价值观与创业态度正相关。创业态度与企业家自我效能感和EO创新性正相关。反过来，企业家的自我效能感与创新性，积极性和冒险精神有关。EO的积极性维度和企业家态度与MO有关。企业家的自我效能感，创新性和经营绩效与公司绩效有关。该研究仅限于南澳大利亚州的创业企业，在其他州和国家可能缺乏普遍性。该研究有助于了解个体经营者内的异质性，尤其是在创新型企业家中，通过扩大对创业过程的前因和后果的见解。它深入了解了个人层面的结构与公司层面的结构之间的联系，从而对新企业的创建和绩效有了更有意义的理解。通过探索早期公司绩效中的个体企业家先行条件，它增强了我们对自营职业群体内异质性的认识。