Perceived Environmental Unpredictability and Strategic Flexibility among Entrepreneurs: A Cross-sectional Correlational Study
Contributors
- Sumayya Shakir Lecturer, Department of Psychology, Lahore Garrison University, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
- Qurat ul Ain Aslam Khan Lecturer, Department of Business Administration, Fazaia Bilquis College of Education for Women, PAF Nur Khan (Affiliated with Air University), Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan.
- Farhia Jabbar Researcher, Greater Manchester Business School, University of Greater Manchester, England, United Kingdom.
Abstract
The study aimed to examine the relationship between perceived environmental unpredictability and strategic flexibility among entrepreneurs in Pakistan, addressing a gap in the existing literature within the Pakistani cultural context. Data were collected from Lahore, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi, with inclusion criteria of a minimum age of 25 years and at least one year of business experience. The study utilized standardized questionnaires to measure the variables. The correlational analysis revealed a significant positive association between perceived environmental unpredictability and strategic flexibility. The independent-samples t-test for gender revealed no significant mean difference in perceived environmental unpredictability, whereas women scored significantly higher on strategic flexibility than men. The findings suggest that strategic flexibility is associated with entrepreneurs’ perceptions of environmental unpredictability and may be relevant to their responses to changing business conditions. The study recommends collecting data from other cities in Pakistan, such as Karachi, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Quetta, and Multan, and using a stratified sampling technique to improve the generalizability of the findings.
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Corresponding Author
Sumayya Shakir
Lecturer, Department of Psychology, Lahore Garrison University, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Corresponding Author: [email protected]
