Intrapreneurship, Innovation, and Competitiveness in Organization

Abstract

To ensure survival, seize opportunities, and resist threats in the unpredictable business scenario, companies increasingly adopt practices that enable intra-entrepreneur behavior. This behavior is characterized by the alignment of company members in search of innovative solutions for the development of the organization and building a competitive advantage. The current study reflects on the importance of intra-entrepreneurship and innovation for the competitiveness of the organization. This article discusses the development of intra-entrepreneurship, its characteristics, the factors that precede it, and also reflects on the relationship between intra-entrepreneurship, innovation, and competitiveness of organizations. The methodological approach consisted of a systematic descriptive-discursive review of the academic literature with research in databases (CAPES Journal Portal, EBSCO HOST, and Web of Science). The keywords used were: corporate entrepreneurship, intra-entrepreneurship, innovation, competitiveness, and competitive advantage (in Portuguese and English). The research found that intra-entrepreneurship and innovation go hand in hand. Together, they constitute dynamic and holistic processes in which employee behavior, combined with favorable organizational factors, affect the development of organizations and the possibility of developing a competitive advantage, not limited to new companies. This article contributes to the literature on intra-entrepreneurship, reinforcing its importance, along with innovation for organizational development. As a practical implication, the current work demonstrated the need to increase attention and appreciation of human capital as a strategic factor for achieving competitive advantage in organizations. For future research, we suggest seeking quantitative research that confirms the relationship between intra-entrepreneurship, innovation, and organizational performance.