Employees’ entrepreneurial orientation in response to exogenous crises: the contingent role of entrepreneurial exposure

Employees’ entrepreneurial orientation represents a powerful bottom–up force for building organizations that are more resilient to exogenous crises. However, limited empirical knowledge exists regarding how exogenous crises may affect employees’ entrepreneurial orientation in the first place. To address this gap, we draw on threat-rigidity theory and exploit the COVID-19 pandemic as a valuable test bed. Using a survey administered to employees of a system integrator firm pre- and post-COVID-19, we find that the crisis negatively impacted employees’ entrepreneurial orientation. However, entrepreneurial exposure mitigates this effect, ultimately enhancing employees’ entrepreneurial orientation in response to exogenous crises. Our findings deepen the understanding of employees’ entrepreneurial orientation dynamics and the role of entrepreneurial exposure in established firms.