Social innovation in Saudi Arabia: The role of entrepreneurs’ spirituality, ego resilience and alertness

Abstract

Using upper echelons and the entrepreneurship event model as theoretical umbrellas, we develop a model suggesting that, under munificent but resistant contexts, the interaction between entrepreneurs’ vertical and horizontal spirituality and their ego resilience and alertness prompt social innovation – as inclusiveness, frugality, and flexibility – at their firms. Using a sample of 85 Saudi entrepreneurs, we find that the interaction between entrepreneurs’ ego resilience and vertical and horizontal spirituality drive innovation inclusiveness. Also, we find that while the interaction between entrepreneurs’ alertness and vertical and horizontal spirituality drive innovation frugality, the interaction between entrepreneurs’ alertness and horizontal spirituality drive innovation flexibility. Lastly, data reveal that when entrepreneurs have low levels of vertical spirituality and alertness, their high levels of resilience drive the highest level of innovation frugality. We highlight the importance that entrepreneurs’ mindsets as values and beliefs, personality, and cognitive schema have in social entrepreneurial activity at their firms.