Environmental Uncertainty, the Entrepreneurial Orientation of Business Ventures and Performance

Business ventures fuel economic growth and national prosperity. Yet, these ventures face increasing environmental uncertainty. This paper, using data from the Arabian Gulf Sultanate of Oman, tests the notion that firms need and will respond to uncertain situations with greater entrepreneurship. Doing so will improve the performance level of such firms. The conclusions reached in the paper affirm the relationship among uncertainty, entrepreneurial orientation and performance. However, there is some variation among industries. Manufacturing organizations have responded with greater entrepreneurial intensity in the face of uncertainty and attained higher performance levels than commercial enterprises.