Entrepreneurial Orientation and Business Performance: Navigating Innovation, Risk, and Proactivity in the Digital Age

Entrepreneurial Orientation is a key driver of firm performance across financial, non-financial, and sustainability outcomes. This meta-analysis of 28 studies involving 10,084 firms worldwide reveals a positive inclusive effect size of 0.27, affirming Entrepreneurial impact on growth, innovation, brand equity, customer satisfaction, and ESG compliance. The performance association is moderated by contextual factors such as industry type, digital maturity, and sustainability combination, which influence its efficiency. The measurement methods differ widely, from complete multidimensional scales to context-explicit adaptations reflecting digital and sustainability priorities, emphasising the need for standardised EO metrics. Firms should pursue digitally adaptive and sustainability-aligned EO plans that balance innovation with responsible governance. The findings provide valuable insights and limitations, including studying heterogeneity and fast technological evolution, which calls for careful interpretation. This synthesis contributes to advancing understanding of the growing role of EO in driving business success in the complex digital economy.