The Role of Entrepreneurial Orientation and Market Orientation

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Much research shows that entrepreneurial universities contribute to economic development. While most of this research focused on the technical university faculties (e.g., engineering, computer sciences etc.,), very few studies examined university’s more diversified non-technical fields of study. Utilizing tools developed in Entrepreneurial Orientation and Market Orientation literature, this paper applies content analysis to in-depth interviews of 35 faculty members from the fields of English, History, Political Studies, Psychology and Sociology. This study purports that the internal orientation may be a significant stumbling block for non-technical fields to be relevant, to function above the "silo" mentality, and be actively involved with their external stakeholders. 

To gain better clarity, study results were analyzed using both the Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) and the related Market Orientation (MO) constructs. Findings shows that faculty in non-technical fields show evidence of little awareness of the outside environment (apart from expressed emphasis on Industry Collaboration) and have no clear view of who their customer or competitors are. Further, when it comes to the EO dimensions of Research Mobilization and Unconventionality, faculty view demonstrated extreme internal orientation – that is as it pertained to the Internal University Environment. This study purports that the internal orientation may be a significant stumbling block for non-technical fields to be relevant, to function above the "silo" mentality, and be actively involved with their external stakeholders. Following, the literature review is presented, which is followed by the method section. Next findings and conclusions are presented, which are wrapped up with conclusionary remarks.