Entrepreneurial Competencies and Business Sustainability: A Systematic Review of the Mediating Role of Innovation
https://doi.org/10.56225/ijassh.v4i3.465
Keywords:
Entrepreneurial competencies, Innovation, Business sustainability, Systematic Literature Review, Qualitative synthesisAbstract
Research on entrepreneurial competencies and business sustainability has grown rapidly, yet existing insights remain scattered and lack an integrated perspective. This study addresses that gap by conducting a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) to examine how entrepreneurial competencies influence business sustainability through the mediating role of innovation. Using a transparent, replicable protocol, 171 Scopus-indexed publications were screened, resulting in 15 eligible studies published between 2022 and 2025. A thematic synthesis approach was applied to compare and integrate recurring concepts across the selected literature. The review reveals that entrepreneurial competencies, particularly opportunity recognition, creativity, strategic decision-making, and resilience, primarily influence sustainability outcomes through innovation pathways. Innovation acts as a key mechanism that converts these competencies into sustainable practices, such as product and process improvements or environmentally oriented initiatives. The synthesis also highlights theoretical linkages grounded in dynamic capabilities, the resource-based view, and competence-based perspectives. The findings demonstrate that competencies alone are insufficient unless supported by innovation processes that operationalize them into tangible sustainability performance. The review provides theoretical clarification of the nexus between competency innovation and sustainability, and offers practical guidance for entrepreneurs, educators, and policymakers seeking to strengthen sustainability through competency development and innovation capability building.
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