Investigation of entrepreneurial orientation development with airline employees: Moderating roles of a cooperation-competition mechanism

Entrepreneurial orientation (EO) represents a powerful predictor of firm performance, and the cooperation-competition mechanism is gaining importance in entrepreneurial development. In this study, we propose three research paths: (1) exploring how knowledge sharing influences EO; (2) exploring how knowledge sharing correlates with EO as a mediator of motivation, creativity, and human capital; and (3) exploring how cooperation, climate and competitive intensity as critical moderators affect motivation and creativity. We tested our hypotheses using data collected from 505 airline employees from airline organizations. The following findings were identified: (1) knowledge sharing is positively and directly correlated with EO; (2) knowledge sharing affects EO through motivation, creativity, and human capital but creativity does not indicate mediation effects between motivation and human capital; (3) both cooperative climate and competition intensity are positively affected by motivation and creativity; and (4) competition intensity positively affects knowledge sharing and motivation. To address the theoretical and managerial contribution of this study, a robustness examination was conducted to generalize the findings. Furthermore, this study further enriches the creativity and EO theory of uniqueness and identification. More importantly, this study provides effective and appropriate methods for airline organization management by guiding their employees to conduct entrepreneurial orientation in a cooperative circumstance successfully, and it especially emphasizes the role of knowledge sharing in facilitating motivation, creativity and human capital. Lastly, limitations and suggestions for future research are also discussed. •This study attempts to exploring how knowledge sharing influences EO.•This study employing 505 airline employees from airline organizations.•This study has discovered mediator of motivation, creativity, and human capital.•Knowledge sharing affects EO through motivation, creativity, and human capital.•Competition intensity positively affects knowledge sharing and motivation.