| Summary: | Entrepreneurial orientation (EO) is associated with superior performance, although the mechanisms through which EO translates into an advantageous market position are still poorly understood. Drawing on EO and resource-based theory (RBT) literature, this study highlights the role of a systemic bundle of firms' capabilities in channelling the effect of EO on performance. The components of EO – innovativeness, risk-taking, and proactiveness – are analysed hierarchically to better understand how the entrepreneurial process builds within the firm and facilitates the development of idiosyncratic capabilities. The results, based on a sample of firms operating in rapidly evolving markets, suggest that innovativeness, as part of the organizational culture, contributes to risk-taking and proactiveness. Proactiveness enables firms to seize new market opportunities and foster innovation capability, directly and indirectly, through networking and market learning. Innovation capability is the ultimate driver of a firm's performance, in terms of enhancing its customer equity and business growth.
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