The Effects of Entrepreneurial Leadership on Job Performance: The Mediating Effect of Opportunity Exploitation and the Moderated Mediated Effect of a Proactive Climate

Entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial orientation are important factors in organizational success and growth. Previous research on entrepreneurship has focused on organizational and strategic factors. However, there has been a lack of analysis on the efficacy of entrepreneurship, particularly on entrepreneurship from an organizational behavior perspective. Thus, this study examined the efficacy of entrepreneurial leadership at the individual level. We further analyzed the effects of entrepreneurial leadership on employee job performance. Specifically, this study tested the mediating effect of opportunity exploitation in the above relationship. In addition, we explored the moderating and moderated mediating effects of a proactive climate in those relationships. Based on survey data collected from 445 employees working for Korean firms, we tested direct, mediating, and moderating effects using hierarchical regression analysis. In addition, using the Hayes (2013) PROCESS macro, the moderated mediated effect of a proactive climate was analyzed. The results of the empirical analysis showed that entrepreneurial leadership was positively related to job performance. We also found that opportunity exploitation positively mediated the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and job performance. While there was a positive moderating effect from a proactive climate on the relationship between opportunity exploitation and job performance, the moderated mediating role of the proactive climate was also proven. These findings highlight the pivotal role of entrepreneurial leadership in enhancing job performance. In particular, uncovering the mediating role of opportunity exploitation and the moderated mediating role of a proactive climate can provide theoretical and practical implications to managers who want to increase the positive impacts of entrepreneurial leadership in the organization.