Social intrapreneurship: the foundation of CSR practices

Abstract

Despite the acknowledged importance of social intrapreneurs for the implementation of corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies, the literature on social intrapreneurship (SI) is still limited and weakly integrated. Furthermore, regardless of the growing imperative for companies operating in the Asia-Pacific region to become more socially and environmentally responsible, studies on SI have rarely addressed this part of the world from the cultural perspective. The aim of the current paper is to address this gap by developing a multi-level analytical framework to understand whether SI practices have been promoted and integrated into Australian firms' strategies. Through several in-depth semi-structured interviews, the study reveals new and important antecedents for SI, such as organisational climate (financial and non-financial rewards and targeted training sessions) and individual background (family of origin). By drawing a clear and comprehensive multi-level framework, our study informs both researchers and practitioners on how to manage SI, and consequently, benefit CSR practices.