Extended Abstract
Background: Innovation and adaptation are increasingly recognized as vital sources of competitive advantage for organizations in today's rapidly changing environment. In this context, entrepreneurial orientation plays a critical role in enhancing employee job performance and ensuring sustainable growth. Organizations can secure a sustainable competitive advantage by actively seeking new opportunities through innovative activities, adopting a risk-taking entrepreneurial orientation, and continuing to evolve in this era of change. Consequently, there is a growing theoretical and practical interest in entrepreneurial orientation as a key factor in improving organizational performance and pursuing growth. Therefore, the aim of the current research is to determine the effect of entrepreneurial orientation on the job performance of employees at the Mazandaran Agricultural Jahad Organization, considering the mediating role of innovative behavior.
Methods: This research is applied in nature and employs a descriptive approach, classified as a field study. It is causal in terms of the relationships between research variables. The statistical population consists of 440 employees of the Mazandaran Agricultural Jahad Organization. A sample of 214 individuals was selected using the simple random sampling method, guided by the Krejcie-Morgan table. Data were collected through standardized questionnaires. To assess the validity of the questionnaire, both "content validity" and "construct validity" were evaluated by a group of experts. The reliability of the instruments was confirmed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, which yielded values of 0.875 for entrepreneurial orientation, 0.899 for innovative behavior, and 0.876 for job performance.
Results: The results of structural equation modeling indicated that entrepreneurial orientation has a direct and significant effect on both job performance and innovative behavior. Additionally, a positive and significant effect of innovative behavior on job performance was confirmed. Furthermore, the mediating role of innovative behavior in the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and job performance was established.
Conclusion: Based on the findings of this research, implementing measures to enhance the innovative behavior and entrepreneurial activities of employees at the Mazandaran Agricultural Jahad Organization can lead to improved job performance within the organization. By fostering an environment that encourages innovation and entrepreneurship, the organization can significantly boost employee effectiveness and contribute to its overall success.
