Entrepreneurial orientation as a mediator of ADHD–Performance relationship: A staged quasi-replication study

The entrepreneurship literature has suggested the criticality of replicating findings along with the potential for nuance when examining relationships within emerging market contexts. In this study, we seek to reproduce the findings of Yu et al. (2021) concerning entrepreneurial orientation (EO), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and firm performance using a sample of Russian SMEs. We conduct a quasi-replication study, systematically changing the data, measures, and construct within our empirical models. The results of our study are partly in line with the original study's findings: we did not find a significant relationship between hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms and EO. However, when we considered different sub-dimensions of EO (innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking), managers with hyperactivity/impulsivity ADHD symptoms exhibited greater innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking, while managers with inattention ADHD symptoms exhibited opposite effects. We discuss the extent to which the effects of ADHD on firm performance in developed economies, as mediated by EO, are generalizable within an emerging economy.