Understanding the Manifestation of Entrepreneurial Orientation in the Nonprofit Context

The nonprofit sector serves an increasingly important entrepreneurial role in the economy. Scholars have taken an interest in entrepreneurship in nonprofits and have drawn upon entrepreneurial orientation (EO) as a methodological tool to advance knowledge in this domain. However, the nonprofit context differs from the for–profit context for which the EO scale was developed, particularly with regard to motivations, processes, and outcomes. We propose a new approach for capturing the manifestation of EO in the nonprofit context. A typology is presented to highlight the multiple facets of EO in the nonprofit context. We conclude with implications for scholars and practitioners.