The impact of entrepreneurial resilience on product innovation: the broaden-and-build perspective

Purpose This study aims to examine how entrepreneurial resilience drives product innovation, a critical market-facing outcome in entrepreneurial marketing – under conditions of technological disruption and environmental uncertainty. Understanding this relationship is essential for firms seeking to maintain competitiveness through continuous innovation. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on broaden-and-build theory, this study employs a quantitative-dominant design, supplemented by illustrative qualitative insights. Quantitative data were collected from 252 Chinese entrepreneurs, and qualitative insights were obtained through in-depth interviews. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the proposed framework. Findings The results support a sequential mediation model in which challenge stressors and taking charge behavior translate entrepreneurial resilience into product innovation. Moreover, self-transcendence values positively moderate this process. Research limitations/implications This study is based on cross-sectional data from a single-country context, which may limit generalizability. Future research could adopt longitudinal or cross-cultural designs to further validate the findings. Practical implications Entrepreneurial firms should foster resilience and create environments that promote positive stress framing and proactive behaviors. Aligning innovation strategies with founders' value systems can further enhance innovation performance. Originality/value This study identifies a psychological pathway through which resilience contributes to market-oriented innovation, deepening understanding of how psychological capabilities shape entrepreneurial innovation under uncertainty.