"The Role of Entrepreneurial Intensity in Enhancing Business Resilience of Manufacturing Companies Producing Construction Materials: Evidence from Kurdistan Region – Iraq": The Role of Entrepreneurial Intensity in Enhancing Business Resilience of Manufacturing Companies Producing Construction Materials

Shahlaa Yaseen  Mohammad-Saleh; Alvin Aldawod

doi:10.63841/iue31679

Authors

Shahlaa Yaseen Mohammad-Saleh Business Management Department, Faculty of Law, Political Science and Management, Soran University, 44008, Soran, Kurdistan Region, IRAQ Author https://orcid.org/0009-0006-7341-795X
Alvin Aldawod Business Administration Department, University of Duhok, Zakho Street 38 AJ Duhok, Kurdistan Region, IRAQ Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7770-9515

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63841/iue31679

Keywords:

Entrepreneurial Intensity, Business Resilience, Manufacturing Companies Producing Construction Materials in Kurdistan Region

Abstract

This study examines the role of entrepreneurial intensity on business resilience amongst manufacturing firms producing construction materials within the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Using a deductive, quantitative, and survey strategy, information was collected through a questionnaire from 553 managers of the companies mentioned above; 416 questionnaires were deemed valid for analysis, indicating a response rate of 84.9%. These responses were analyzed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Entrepreneurial intensity was assessed through two dimensions: the degree of entrepreneurship (innovativeness, risk-taking, and proactiveness) and the frequency of entrepreneurship. business resilience was measured by organizational robustness, readiness, response, and recovery. Results provide a strong positive relationship between entrepreneurial intensity and business resilience, with proactiveness and innovativeness showing the strongest effects. This study contributes theoretically by conceptualizing entrepreneurial intensity as a multidimensional construct and practical implications for managers to strengthen resilience. Limitations include geographic scope, reliance on self-reported data, and the cross-sectional design. Future research should explore broader industry applications and longitudinal data.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Shahlaa Yaseen Mohammad-Saleh, Business Management Department, Faculty of Law, Political Science and Management, Soran University, 44008, Soran, Kurdistan Region, IRAQ

Shahla is a Master's Student at the Department of Business Management, Faculty of Law, Political Science and Management, Soran University. She got a B.Sc. in Business Administration from Salahuddin University-Erbil in 2011. She is a member of the Soran University Steering Committee for Institutional Effectiveness (SCIE), and she attended several academic seminars and workshops.
Alvin Aldawod, Business Administration Department, University of Duhok, Zakho Street 38 AJ Duhok, Kurdistan Region, IRAQ

Dr. Alvin Aldawod is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Business Administration, College of Administration and Economics, University of Duhok. He got the B.Sc. degree in Business Administration from the University of Duhok, the MBA from the University of Duhok and the Ph.D. degree in Business Studies from the Huddersfield University. His research interests are in Entrepreneurship and Strategic Management. Dr. Alvin is a member of the Council of the College of Administration and Economics at the University of Duhok , attended 15 national and international conferences, and published 30 papers.

References

S. Chhabra, R. Raghunathan, and N. M. Rao, "The antecedents of entrepreneurial intention among women entrepreneurs in India," Asia Pacific Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 76-92, 2020.

T. Iakovleva and J. Kickul, "Beyond social capital: the role of perceived legitimacy and entrepreneurial intensity in achieving funding success and superior venture performance in women-led Russian SMEs," International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 13-38, 2011.

S. Sumiati, "Integrating entrepreneurial intensity and adaptive strategic planning in enhancing innovation and business performance in Indonesian SMEs," Management Science Letters, vol. 10, no. 16, pp. 3941-3948, 2020.

Z. B. Didekemie and B. C. Onuoha, "Entrepreneurial Intensity and Corporate Robustness of Small and Medium Enterprises in Port Harcourt, Rivers State," 2024.

S. B. Muhammad, R. A. Al-Obaidi, and M. A. K. Al-Rawi, "A Study of the Perspectives of Iraqi Managers on the Impact of Intelligent Leadership on Achieving Entrepreneurial Orientation in Developmental Industrial Projects," Kurdish Studies, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 3664-3675, 2024.

C. J. Selig, T. Gasser, and G. H. Baltes, "Effects of internal corporate venturing on the transformation of established companies: tackling the digitalization challenge," Digital entrepreneurship: Interfaces between digital technologies and entrepreneurship, pp. 159-183, 2019.

O. Kapepa and J. van Vuuren, "The importance of tolerance for failure and risk-taking among insurance firms in hyperinflationary Zimbabwe," The Southern African Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 1-15, 2019.

J. Wu, P. J. Murphy, J. J. Chen, and M. D. Bunn, "Institutional forces and knowledge search strategies as predictors of entrepreneurial venture performance," Journal of Small Business Management, vol. 61, no. 4, pp. 2160-2188, 2023.

B. G. Ngomane, "Measuring Entrepreneurial Intensity in the Automotive Industry in the Gauteng Province," University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, 2018.

S. Hadi, "New perspective on the resilience of SMEs proactive, adaptive, reactive from business turbulence: A systematic review," J. Xi’an Univ. Arch. Technol, vol. 12, pp. 1265-1275, 2020.

H. Goromaru, T. Kokogawa, Y. Ueda, and S. Fukaya, "Study of new normal business continuity to improve resilience against uncertain threat," Journal of Disaster Research, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 31-39, 2021.

R. Fernando and R. R. Masman, "The Influence of Sustainable Leadership and Business Risk Management on Business Performance Mediated by Business Resilience in Restaurant Businesses in Medan," Indonesian Interdisciplinary Journal of Sharia Economics (IIJSE), vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 6597-6621, 2024.

C. J. Nosike, O. S. N. Ojobor, and C. U. Nosike, "Enhancing business resilience: Innovation and adaptation during and after the global pandemic," International Journal of Financial, Accounting, and Management, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 217-229, 2024.

J. Adekola and D. Clelland, "Two sides of the same coin: Business resilience and community resilience," Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 50-60, 2020.

E. Astuty, I. D. Sudirman, and R. Aryanto, "Sustainable resilience strategy: unleash the micro-businesses’s potential in the digitalization and sustainability era," Cogent Business & Management, vol. 11, no. 1, p. 2313672, 2024.

H. Hokmabadi, S. M. Rezvani, and C. A. de Matos, "Business Resilience for Small and Medium Enterprises and Startups by Digital Transformation and the Role of Marketing Capabilities—A Systematic Review," Systems, vol. 12, no. 6, p. 220, 2024.

N. Beech, D. Devins, J. Gold, and S. Beech, "In the family way: an exploration of family business resilience," International Journal of Organizational Analysis, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 160-182, 2020.

V. Bienose, A. Egwakhe, D. Adefulu, and I. Akande, "Business resilience dimensions and revenue generation: option for family business sustainability," Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review (Kuwait Chapter), vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 71-77, 2022.

A. Salamzadeh, S. Mortazavi, M. Hadizadeh, and V. Braga, "Examining the effect of business model innovation on crisis management: the mediating role of entrepreneurial capability, resilience and business performance," Innovation & Management Review, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 132-146, 2023.

K. H. Y. Al-Naser and R. Mohamed, "The integration between strategic cost management techniques to improve the performance of Iraqi manufacturing companies," Asian Journal of Finance & Accounting, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 210-223, 2017.

K. M. Mousa, K. A. A. Ali, and S. Gurler, "Strategic Planning and Organizational Performance: An Empirical Study on the Manufacturing Sector," Sustainability, vol. 16, no. 15, p. 6690, 2024.

A. A. Sultan, S. A. Alfaiza, and H. A. Riyadh, "Impact of mass collaboration on knowledge sharing process using mediating role of innovation capability," International journal of organizational analysis, vol. 30, no. 5, pp. 1085-1099, 2022.

M. A. Mahmood, N. M. Hamawandy, and A. Sedeeq, "Perceived Effect Of Internal Control On The Financial Performance Of Manufacturing Firms In Kurdistan Regional Governmient Of Iraq," Journal of Critical Reviews, vol. 7, no. 15, pp. 4599-4614, 2020.

S. Neamat and I. Yitmen, "Factors affecting the innovation and competitiveness in Kurdistan Region of Iraq Construction Industry," International Journal of Advanced Engineering Research and Science, vol. 4, no. 2, p. 237057, 2017.

M. Al-Mhdawi, M. Brito, B. Onggo, A. Qazi, and A. O'Connor, "COVID-19 emerging risk assessment for the construction industry of developing countries: evidence from Iraq," International journal of construction management, vol. 24, no. 7, pp. 693-706, 2024.

P. N. H. Wicaksono, M. Mardi, and D. K. Respati, "The Influence of Entrepreneurial Motives, Family Environment and Financial Literacy on Entrepreneurial Intentions," Jurnal Ilmiah Manajemen Kesatuan, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 43-56, 2024.

M. Murad, C. Li, H. Javed, H. Hassan, and M. U. Islam, "Unraveling the relationship between entrepreneurial networks and entrepreneurial ambidexterity: A mediation-moderation model," Heliyon, 2024.

T. A. Arshi, "Entrepreneurial orientation and its impact on innovation intensity in the Omani corporate sector," 2016.

S. Amin, I. SOMC, V. Bharti, and R. Chauhan, "Exploring Business Resilience and Effective Organizational Strategies," 2024

G. Buzzao and F. Rizzi, "The role of dynamic capabilities for resilience in pursuing business continuity: an empirical study," Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, vol. 34, no. 11-12, pp. 1353-1385, 2023.

S. Zighan, M. Abualqumboz, N. Dwaikat, and Z. Alkalha, "The role of entrepreneurial orientation in developing SMEs resilience capabilities throughout COVID-19," The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, vol. 23, no. 4, pp. 227-239, 2022.

J. Wiklund and D. Shepherd, "Entrepreneurial orientation and small business performance: a configurational approach," Journal of business venturing, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 71-91, 2005.

S. Duchek, "Organizational resilience: a capability-based conceptualization," Business research, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 215-246, 2020.

M. H. Morris and D. L. Sexton, "The concept of entrepreneurial intensity: Implications for company performance," Journal of business research, vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 5-13, 1996.

D. F. Kuratko, "Corporate entrepreneurship & innovation: Today's leadership challenge," The Wiley handbook of entrepreneurship, pp. 293-311, 2017.

S. Heilbrunn, "The impact of organizational change on entrepreneurship in community settings," Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 422-436, 2005.

M.-S. Castaño-Martínez, M. Á. Galindo Martín, M.-T. Méndez-Picazo, and D. Palacios-Marqués, "Relationship between ambidexterity and entrepreneurial intensity," Economic research-Ekonomska istraživanja, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 2410-2426, 2020.

X.-m. Dong, "The linkage between entrepreneurial intensity and firm performance: The evidence from China's SMEs," in 2009 International Conference on Industrial Mechatronics and Automation, 2009: IEEE, pp. 176-179.

Y. J. Kim, S. Song, V. Sambamurthy, and Y. L. Lee, "Entrepreneurship, knowledge integration capability, and firm performance: An empirical study," Information Systems Frontiers, vol. 14, pp. 1047-1060, 2012.

R. Rostamzadeh, K. Ismail, and H. Bodaghi Khajeh Noubar, "An application of a hybrid MCDM method for the evaluation of entrepreneurial intensity among the SMEs: a case study," The Scientific World Journal, vol. 2014, no. 1, p. 703650, 2014.

B. Urban and M. R. Sefalafala, "The influence of entrepreneurial intensity and capabilities on internationalisation and firm performance," South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 260-276, 2015.

B. Urban and J. Mgwenya, "State-Owned Entities in an African Emerging Market Context: The Role of Entrepreneurial Intensity and Capabilities in Performance," Managing Global Transitions, vol. 22, no. 1, 2024.

M. A. Ammeer, M. Y. Haddoud, and A.-K. E. Onjewu, "A personal values view of international entrepreneurial intention," International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 577-601, 2021.

J. Liao, P. J. Murphy, and H. Welsch, "Developing and validating a construct of entrepreneurial intensity," New England Journal of Entrepreneurship, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 31-38, 2005.

D. F. Kuratko, J. S. Hornsby, and M. G. Goldsby, "The relationship of stakeholder salience, organizational posture, and entrepreneurial intensity to corporate entrepreneurship," Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 56-72, 2007.

T. L. H. Nguyen, N. T. PHAM, V. P. L. DAO, T. T. T. NGO, and T. T. B. LE, "Critical factors affecting the innovation activities of businesses: Evidence from Binh Dinh Province, Vietnam," The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, vol. 7, no. 7, pp. 425-438, 2020.

J. Zhang and Y. Duan, "The impact of different types of market orientation on product innovation performance: Evidence from Chinese manufacturers," Management decision, vol. 48, no. 6, pp. 849-867, 2010.

S. I. Krauss, M. Frese, C. Friedrich, and J. M. Unger, "Entrepreneurial orientation: A psychological model of success among southern African small business owners," European journal of work and organizational psychology, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 315-344, 2005.

M.-Á. Galindo and M. T. Méndez, "Entrepreneurship, economic growth, and innovation: Are feedback effects at work?," Journal of business research, vol. 67, no. 5, pp. 825-829, 2014.

İ. Trang and C. M. O. Mıntardjo, "Entrepreneurial attitude, entrepreneurial social environment and the entrepreneurial ability to entrepreneurial intensity to be young entrepreneur on kabupaten minahasa induk," Journal of Awareness, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 39-50, 2018.

J. Weiss, T. Anisimova, and G. Shirokova, "The translation of entrepreneurial intention into start-up behaviour: The moderating role of regional social capital," International Small Business Journal, vol. 37, no. 5, pp. 473-501, 2019.

D. Nondumo, "The empirical relationship between Entrepreneurial Intensity and market share concentration in the South African Life Insurance Industry," 2018.

M. J. Scheepers, J. Hough, and J. Bloom, "Entrepreneurial intensity: A comparative analysis of established companies in South Africa," South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 238-255, 2007.

P. Erasmus and R. Scheepers, "The relationship between entrepreneurial intensity and shareholder value creation," Managing Global Transitions, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 229-256, 2008.

J. Oshi, P. Ule, and J. Ogah, "Entrepreneurial intensity and corporate sustainability in the Nigerian extractive industry," Account and Financial Management Journal, vol. 2, no. 12, pp. 1218-1225, 2017.

L. N. Okeke, "ENTREPRENEURSHIP INTENSITY AND INTERNAL BUSINESS PROCESSES OF SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE ENTREPRISES IN ANAMBRA STATE," African Banking and Finance Review Journal, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 127-140, 2023.

S. Heilbrunn, "Factors influencing entrepreneurial intensity in communities," Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 37-51, 2008.

N. Garousi Mokhtarzadedeh, I. Jafarpanah, and A. Zamani Babgohari, "Knowledge management capability, entrepreneurial creativity, entrepreneurial intensity and firm performance: the mediating role of ambidexterity," British Food Journal, vol. 124, no. 7, pp. 2179-2208, 2022.

S. Vargas and H. A. Rivera, "Business resilience a dynamic capability to overcome extreme adversity," Revista Espacios, vol. 40, no. 06, 2019.

M. K. Linnenluecke, "Resilience in business and management research: A review of influential publications and a research agenda," International journal of management reviews, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 4-30, 2017.

E. Martinelli, F. Dallanoce, and G. Carozza, "Business resilience and risk management during the Covid-19 pandemic: the Amadori case-study," Sinergie, vol. 39, no. 3, pp. 123-139, 2021.

Z. Sadeqi-Arani and E. Alidoust Ghahfarokhi, "Sports business resilience in the COVID-19 crisis: The Delphi qualitative approach," Interdisciplinary Journal of Management Studies (Formerly known as Iranian Journal of Management Studies), vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 69-84, 2022.

P. Kotsios, "Business resilience skills for SMEs," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, vol. 12, no. 1, p. 37, 2023.

E. D. Lestari, N. Abd Hamid, R. Shamsuddin, F. Kurniasari, and Z. Yaacob, "Investigating the factors of SMEs’ business resilience in the post-pandemic crisis of COVID-19 with technology adoption as a quasi-moderator: a multigroup analysis of Indonesian and Malaysian SMEs," Cogent Business & Management, vol. 11, no. 1, p. 2301135, 2024.

J. Winnard, A. Adcroft, J. Lee, and D. Skipp, "Surviving or flourishing? Integrating business resilience and sustainability," Journal of strategy and management, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 303-315, 2014.

A. D. Prawestri, W. D. Silviani, and Y. Astuti, "The Role of Financial Knowledge and Behaviour to Sustain Future Business Resilience," in Annual International Conference on Islamic Economics and Business (AICIEB), 2022, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 212-223.

H. Dahles and T. P. Susilowati, "Business resilience in times of growth and crisis," Annals of Tourism Research, vol. 51, pp. 34-50, 2015.

I. S.-M. Sin, N. A. Musa, and K. Y.-N. Ng, "Building business resilience through incident management body of knowledge (IMBOKTM): the amalgamated framework for total resilient capability," Global Business & Finance Review (GBFR), vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 38-50, 2017.

S. Korber and R. B. McNaughton, "Resilience and entrepreneurship: a systematic literature review," International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, vol. 24, no. 7, pp. 1129-1154, 2018.

G. Mangalaraj, S. Nerur, and R. Dwivedi, "Digital transformation for agility and resilience: an exploratory study," Journal of Computer Information Systems, vol. 63, no. 1, pp. 11-23, 2023.

N. K. Bachtiar, A. Setiawan, G. A. Prastyan, and P. Kijkasiwat, "Business resilience and growth strategy transformation post crisis," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, vol. 12, no. 1, p. 77, 2023.

B. Sundarakani and O. P. Onyia, "Fast, furious and focused approach to Covid-19 response: an examination of the financial and business resilience of the UAE logistics industry," Journal of Financial Services Marketing, vol. 26, no. 4, p. 237, 2021.

S. McManus, E. Seville, J. Vargo, and D. Brunsdon, "Facilitated process for improving organizational resilience," Natural hazards review, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 81-90, 2008.

S. S. Rai, S. Rai, and N. K. Singh, "Organizational resilience and social-economic sustainability: COVID-19 perspective," Environment, Development and Sustainability, vol. 23, pp. 12006-12023, 2021.

N. M. Zayed, F. O. Edeh, K. M. A. Islam, V. Nitsenko, O. Polova, and O. Khaietska, "Utilization of Knowledge Management as Business Resilience Strategy for Microentrepreneurs in Post-COVID-19 Economy," Sustainability, vol. 14, no. 23, p. 15789, 2022.

J. A. Putritamara, B. Hartono, H. Toiba, H. N. Utami, M. S. Rahman, and D. Masyithoh, "Do dynamic capabilities and digital transformation improve business resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic? Insights from beekeeping MSMEs in Indonesia," Sustainability, vol. 15, no. 3, p. 1760, 2023.

M. J. Scheepers, "Entrepreneurial intensity: The influence of antecedents to corporate entrepreneurship in firms operating in South Africa," Stellenbosch: University of Stellenbosch, 2007.

U. Suryani and I. P. Dwiputra, "The Impact of Organizational Innovation Capability, Organizational Agility, and Digital Strategy on Business Resilience in Food and Beverage SMES: The Mediating Role of Adaptability and the Moderating Role of Transformational Leadership," Indonesian Interdisciplinary Journal of Sharia Economics (IIJSE), vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 2941-2964, 2025.

R. Abdesselam, J. Bonnet, P. Renou-Maissant, and M. Aubry, "Entrepreneurship, economic development, and institutional environment: evidence from OECD countries," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, vol. 16, pp. 504-546, 2018.

T. Riso and C. Morrone, "To align technological advancement and ethical conduct: an analysis of the relationship between digital technologies and sustainable decision-making processes," Sustainability, vol. 15, no. 3, p. 1911, 2023.

H. F. Thousani and M. H. Edy, "The Networks in Encouraging Women to Start and Sustain Businesses: Systematic Literature Review," International Journal of Health, Economics, and Social Sciences (IJHESS), vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 494~ 517-494~ 517, 2023.

A. Zaenuri, E. N. Hidayat, and E. Sholihah, "IMPLICATION OF ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET IN BUILDING PSYCHOLOGICAL CAPITAL REVIEWED FROM THE INTENTION BECOME AN ENTREPRENEUR," Ekonomi dan Bisnis, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 01-16, 2023.

O. Ukabuduzhiimkpa and B. C. Onuoha, "Competitive Intelligence and Organisational Resilience of Food and Beverages Firm in Rivers State," 2023.

O. R. Verkhovskaya, K. А. Bogatyreva, P. S. Borovitskaya, and E. M. Quansah, "Determinants of entrepreneurial intention towards digital adoption during crisis," Управленец, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 2-15, 2024.

M. Saunders, P. Lewis, A. Thornhill, and A. Bristow, "Research Methods for Business Students" Chapter 4: Understanding research philosophy and approaches to theory development," Research methods for business students, pp. 128-171, 2019.

J. F. Hair, J. J. Risher, M. Sarstedt, and C. M. Ringle, "When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM," European business review, vol. 31, no. 1, pp. 2-24, 2019.

M. Sarstedt, J. F. Hair Jr, J.-H. Cheah, J.-M. Becker, and C. M. Ringle, "How to specify, estimate, and validate higher-order constructs in PLS-SEM," Australasian marketing journal, vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 197-211, 2019.

J. F. Hair, A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). sage, 2014.

J. Hair, G. T. M. Hult, C. Ringle, and M. Sarstedt, A Primer on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). 2022.

C. Fornell and D. F. Larcker, "Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error," Journal of marketing research, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 39-50, 1981.

J. Henseler, C. M. Ringle, and M. Sarstedt, "A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling," Journal of the academy of marketing science, vol. 43, no. 1, pp. 115-135, 2015.

"The Role of Entrepreneurial Intensity in Enhancing Business Resilience of Manufacturing Companies Producing Construction Materials: Evidence from Kurdistan Region – Iraq"