Corporate Entrepreneurship Strategy Research Articles

The influence of corporate entrepreneurship strategy on SMEs’ internationalization: proposing and testing a model

Purpose This paper aims to propose and test a corporate entrepreneurship strategy (CES) model in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with international activity located in Andalusia (Spain) – a peripheral region with high levels of inequality in the European Union (EU). Design/methodology/approach A quantitative analysis has been carried out with data from 101 SMEs to contrast and analyze the proposed CES model. The sample data were obtained through questionnaire-guided interviews with chief executive officers. Data processing has been done using partial least squares-path modeling, a variance-based technique for structural equation modeling. Findings The results of this study show the positive effect of environmental conditions on the development of CES actions in Andalusian SMEs (Spain) and the positive influence of CES on the results of SMEs’ international activity. In turn, environmental conditions do not directly affect the international activity. Originality/value Although previous works address the relationship between corporate entrepreneurship (CE) and international enterprise activity, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this work is original in testing a CES model (including CE and the entrepreneurial strategic vision) in SMEs in a region that has one of the lowest levels of development in the EU. The results have important implications for SMEs and policymakers and could be extrapolated to other emerging economies.

Corporate entrepreneurship strategy in universities: emerging leadership in austerity time

AbstractPublic organizations have widely adopted corporate entrepreneurial strategy. The complex and financially constrained context in which public organizations operate calls for the implementation of entrepreneurial actions. Our study validates the theoretical framework of Kearney and Meynhardt (Int Public Manage J 19(4):543–572, 2016), which recognizes strategic vision and organizational factors as the main components of corporate entrepreneurial strategy and theorize its main antecedents and outcomes. Thus, by analyzing the public University of Bergamo as a single case study, we demonstrate that entrepreneurial orientation is beneficial for public organizations such as universities. Specifically, the entrepreneurial leadership was able to recognize opportunities in the unsupportive political external environment characterizing the entire Italian public sector during the period 2009-2015. The austerity policy known as the Gelmini reform was designed to make public organizations more efficient and transparent, by cutting personnel costs, by explicitly accounting for university budgets, and introducing external controls on university governance and performance. Despite the climate of general austerity, the entrepreneurial leadership succeeded in engaging several stakeholders and grounding an entrepreneurial strategy at the university. This has significantly changed the image of this public organization.

Understanding corporate entrepreneurship in the digital age: a review and research agenda

AbstractIn a digital world increasingly characterized by new business opportunities and challenges driven by the proliferation of pervasive digital technologies, companies are more than ever called to act entrepreneurially. This scenario has raised important questions at the intersection of corporate entrepreneurship (CE) and digital technologies, as we currently lack a comprehensive understanding on the implications of digital technologies in CE strategy, related antecedents, processes, and outcomes. To fill this gap, our study takes stock of the extant literature on CE in the digital age. Through a review of 54 studies, we craft an integrative framework of CE in the digital age, articulated across six building blocks. Building on the proposed framework, we elaborate a research agenda for future research.

Alternative corporate entrepreneurship strategies for improving firm performance using the analytical hierarchy process

Alternative corporate entrepreneurship strategies for improving firm performance using the analytical hierarchy process

4차산업 기술 중소기업의 비즈니스모델혁신

This study aims to examine the causal link among three constructs of corporate entrepreneurship strategy - an entrepreneurial strategic vision, organizational architecture, and entrepreneurial orientation -, business model innovation, and performance, with a focus on the moderating effect of environmental munificence. Building on literature review regarding key constructs, hypotheses are developed and tested using data collected from 301 small and medium sized venture firms. The data are based on the 2022 Factual Survey of Entrepreneurship (Firm level) conducted by Korea Entrepreneurship Foundation. Results show that the three constructs of corporate entrepreneurship strategy are found to have a significantly positive effect on business model innovation, which sequentially affects the outcome. The environmental munificence has a significantly negative moderating effect on the association between both the strategic vision and entrepreneurial orientation and business model innovation, while having a non-significant impact on the link between organizational architecture and the innovation. These results indicate that the corporate entrepreneurship strategy can serve as a useful means which contributes to the performance-oriented business model innovation. The findings imply that, in a fast-changing business environment by the 4th industrial revolution, resource-constrained small and medium-sized firms should focus on a strategic vision and entrepreneurial orientation to have the innovative business model.

Political connections and green innovation: The role of a corporate entrepreneurship strategy in state-owned enterprises

A growing body of literature recognizes the critical impact of political connections on enterprises’ green innovation. This study enriches the literature by arguing that a corporate entrepreneurship strategy could plausibly have an unexamined mediating role between political connection and green innovation. By regressing the data of Chinese pollution-intensive companies from 2011 to 2019, the empirical results support this argument but only for state-owned enterprises. Politically connected SOEs promoted green patent authorizations through corporate entrepreneurship strategies. Furthermore, the results remained robust after a battery of checks. Notably, the higher the political connection level is, the more significant is the role. Political connections increased entrepreneurship investments in research and development and organizational capital, promoting green innovation in SOEs; therefore, policymakers could leverage the entrepreneurship investment effects of political connections to encourage SOEs’ green innovation.

The Individual Agency of Corporate Entrepreneurship

Corporate entrepreneurship (CE) is often understood to be a firm-based process, with little (or no) acknowledgment of the individual agency of the employee-entrepreneur. Understanding individual agency, however, is crucial to properly implementing a successful corporate entrepreneurship strategy, because individuals may opt to become independent entrepreneurs rather than corporate entrepreneurs. We help solve this puzzle by expanding the integrative model of corporate entrepreneurship, as suggested by Ireland (Ireland et. al. 2009). We use game theory to analyze the employee-entrepreneur trade-offs involved in the CE process and to model theoretical propositions. The game theory model allows us to evaluate the different paths and provide a formal way of analyzing the cooperative or competitive interactions between the firm and individuals. Our study contributes to the development of formal hypotheses that are supported by game-theory propositions, where equilibrium is reached when, due to asymmetric information, the employee engages in independent entrepreneurship and the firm interacts afterwards by way of marketing.

Corporate Entrepreneurship and Family Business: Learning Across Domains

AbstractResearch at the interface of corporate entrepreneurship (CE) and family firms’ domains has grown steadily based on the premise that family firms’ specific elements uniquely affect CE antecedents, strategies, and outcomes. However, much remains to be uncovered. In this article, we offer a theoretical advancement of a corporate entrepreneurship process model for the case of family firms organized around the categories of ontology (i.e., domain redefinition), epiphany (i.e., new components and mechanisms), and heterogeneity (i.e., family firm variety and contingencies). This development paves the way for an agenda for future research and for possible generalizations to non‐family firms.

Corporate entrepreneurship, product innovation, and knowledge conversion: the role of digital platforms

In recent years, research on corporate entrepreneurship (CE) has expanded and aroused an increasing amount of attention. Although the importance of CE, innovation, and knowledge conversion within organizations is recognized, the link between them is still theoretically and empirically little understood. Thus, it seems important to support knowledge sharing (KS) within organizations through the implementation of digital platforms (DP), in order to enrich the existing knowledge about CE strategy and product innovation (PI). Indeed, the rise of Internet and ICTs, alongside the development of the sharing economy, has enabled organizations to be connected with suppliers and consumers and other actors through DPs. The current paper therefore aims to understand and contribute to the literature about how CE, through the implementation of DPs, enhances product innovation. This is done using an exploratory longitudinal study, drawing on multiple case studies. Specifically, a variety of data sources collected within three Tunisian SMEs operating in the sector of dairy products are analyzed. The findings indicate the significance of DPs as a motivation, opportunity, and ability (MOA) framework. This enables a CE process and promotes a favorable climate wherein knowledge can be freely exchanged and captured, the process of organizational learning (OL) is well established, and the absorptive capacity of the company is optimized. Results indicate that CE affects product innovation and several conditions are recommended to ensure success.

Focusing on internal stakeholders to enable the implementation of organizational change towards corporate entrepreneurship: A case study from France

Although previous studies have highlighted the importance of implementing corporate entrepreneurship to foster innovation within organizations, little emphasis has been placed on examining the concept from a change management perspective. In an attempt to bridge this gap, the current study aims at understanding the mechanisms and tools that top managers can use in order to involve internal stakeholders in driving a change process to adopt a corporate entrepreneurship strategy. The paper discusses the findings that emerged from an exploratory study carried out within “Poult”, a French biscuit manufacturer, which has embarked on an organization-wide effort to instil a culture of corporate entrepreneurship. The findings are examined in the context of stakeholder theory and Kotter's (1996) change model with a focus on the importance of internal marketing strategy during the change process. The contribution of managerial and organizational mechanisms towards fostering corporate entrepreneurship are highlighted.

Corporate entrepreneurship strategy: extending our knowledge boundaries through configuration theory

Corporate entrepreneurship strategy (CES) represents a firm’s coordinated efforts towards entrepreneurship and is an over-arching strategic approach that may be suitable for diverse types of organizations and industries. Yet, it remains on the knowledge frontier because the actual implementation of this strategy remains a challenge for many organizations. CES is built upon three internal elements: an entrepreneurial strategic vision, a pro-entrepreneurship organizational architecture, and entrepreneurial processes and behaviors. We integrate CES with the precepts of configuration theory to extend our knowledge boundaries in order to suggest a proper alignment of these elements for successful CES implementation. By examining the relationship between external CES fit (conceptualized and operationalized as ‘matched’ linkages between the external environment and the internal elements of CES) and internal CES fit (conceptualized and operationalized as aligning the internal elements of CES in a manner consistent with a specified ‘ideal’ profile), as well as the relationship between internal CES fit and firm performance, our results suggest that the fit of these elements is associated with greater financial performance.

How Does Corporate Entrepreneurship Strategy Influence Organisational Performance of the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in the Southernmost Region of Thailand?: Through the Lens of the Balanced Scorecard

How Does Corporate Entrepreneurship Strategy Influence Organisational Performance of the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in the Southernmost Region of Thailand?: Through the Lens of the Balanced Scorecard

Corporate entrepreneurship strategy: an analysis of top management teams in SMEs

PurposeIn order to learn more about the antecedents of strategy at the top management team’s (TMT) level, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of TMT cultural intelligence on corporate entrepreneurship strategy. Then, the authors examine how TMT’s ambiguity tolerance mediates this relationship.Design/methodology/approachThe authors tested the hypothesis by collecting survey data from 41 TMTs of small- and medium-sized enterprises in the south-east of Iran.FindingsThe survey results confirm that a high level of cultural intelligence in TMTs is conducive to corporate entrepreneurship. Furthermore, the result shows that higher levels of cultural intelligence in TMTs relate to a higher level of ambiguity tolerance, which, in turn, enhances the possibility of pursuing corporate entrepreneurship strategy by SMEs.Research limitations/implicationsThe data for this study were obtained from 41 TMTs in the south-east of Iran, which increases the probability that the results may not be directly transferable to certain companies in Western countries. Future research might attempt to test the ideas developed in this paper across different settings and samples.Originality/valueSeveral theoretical and empirical studies have explored possible antecedents of corporate entrepreneurship. But a few papers investigated the role of TMT dispositions on corporate entrepreneurship strategy. By addressing the prominent role of TMT psychological dispositions on corporate entrepreneurship strategy, this paper attempts to fill this gap.

Presenting a model of corporate entrepreneurship with corporate governance approach

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to design a model of corporate entrepreneurship (CE) considering corporate governance in the brokerage industry.Design/methodology/approachThe research method is qualitative using grounded theory as the method for research operation. The qualitative data were collected using an in-depth interview technique. Using snowball sampling method, 18 chief executive officers of Iranian brokerage listed in Iran’s Securities and Exchange organization were selected for the current study.FindingsThe findings of the study showed that CE at inbound, outbound and composition is defined as strategies that enhance corporate governance. Research findings also recommend that by using CE strategies corporate governance will be enhanced in the brokerage industry.Research limitations/implicationsPossibility of proper applying, deploying and implementing CE and its various methods will require the necessary fields and infrastructures in the considered organization. On the other hand, according to the research results, at inbound, outbound and composition levels, CE is defined as a practice or strategy that enhances corporate governance.Practical implicationsThis study established that corporate governance in the Iranian brokerage firms is weak. The aforementioned firms do not have particular units to deal with stock market risks. The findings explain why some Iranian brokerage firms either collapsed or were facing financial distress. The research therefore recommends that Iranian brokerage firms should strengthen their governance structure and risk mitigation mechanisms. Therefore, CE practice facilitates the development of appropriate strategic actions for brokerage corporate success.Originality/valueThis study has been conducted due to the lack of theoretical literature in CE to deal with the ultimate goals of corporate governance in the brokerage industry.

Complexity absorption: a processual strategic approach to corporate entrepreneurship strategy

In contrast to traditional strategic approaches that are based on complexity reduction, this paper aims to develop an alternative way of understanding entrepreneurial strategy and managing complexity from a processual perspective. The new perspective is developed from a processual perspective integrating insights from an understanding of complexity to engage with philosophical accounts of Chinese processual thought particularly as it is applied to entrepreneurial strategy. The new theoretical framework is empirically investigated through case studies of 30 entrepreneurial organizations in China. The findings confirm that timing and action, context/situation, and efficacy are the three key components in complexity absorption as preferred entrepreneurial strategic approaches.

Two-Way Streets: The Role of Institutions and Technology Policy in Firms’ Corporate Entrepreneurship and Political Strategies

Technology policy influences the incentives and opportunities firms have to innovate and adapt to changing environments and thus has important implications for strategy and entrepreneurship. However, to date, strategy and entrepreneurship scholars have paid insufficient attention to technology policy. We underscore the importance of two dimensions of technology policy: (1) state funding for research and (2) state protection of intellectual property (IP). We then illustrate how interactions between these two dimensions of technology policy influence (1) the corporate entrepreneurship (CE) strategies through which firms innovate and adapt and (2) the political strategies through which they attempt to influence and secure the benefits of technology policy. Given differences in the goals, incentives, capabilities, and relative power among the various players affected by technology policy, our discussion contributes to a more thorough understanding of the dynamic interplay between government institutions and firms, the potential complementarity (and substitutions) between firms’ CE and political strategies, and interdependent effects of state funding for research and IP protection across different international environments.

CREATING A CORPORATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP STRATEGY FOR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

Current competitive environment is rapidly changing. In today’s business environment, organizations are having an increasingly difficult time in creating competitive advantages. The main reason for this is the ease in contemporary business life for organizations to reach the same or very similar resources. Firms need innovation to create and sustain success and effectiveness. In such a highly competitive business life, the importance of creating competitive advantages for organizations based on unique resources is increasing. Corporate entrepreneurship strategy is essential and vital for achieving strategic goals of firms. Thus, organizations can form competitive advantages by taking advantage of their employees’ intrapreneurship skills. A competitive advantage based on corporate entrepreneurship strategy will benefit the organization in a not easy to imitate form. In this study, we discuss corporate entrepreneurship as a key tool of competition. Corporate entrepreneurship, which is becoming ever more important, is aimed to transform into a strategy for fostering competitive advantage. Through the novel model presented, the antecedents, the process, and the consequences of corporate entrepreneurship strategy are highlighted and the impacts of such a strategy on competitive advantage are discussed.

Directing Corporate Entrepreneurship Strategy in the Public Sector to Public Value: Antecedents, Components, and Outcomes

ABSTRACTOver the last three decades, organizations worldwide have used corporate entrepreneurship (CE) as a means of building new competencies, revitalizing operations, achieving renewal, and/or creating value for stakeholders. However, little is understood about factors triggering corporate entrepreneurship strategy (CES) within organizations not driven by profit motives. The purpose of this article is to conceptualize CES in the public sector in order to synthesize, integrate, and link the key concepts within the CE domain, thereby creating new public value and generating new economic activity for the benefit of multiple stakeholders. The public sector CES model includes (1) the antecedents of public sector CES (external environmental conditions that generate entrepreneurial activity); (2) the key components of CES (entrepreneurial strategic vision, organizational conditions that support entrepreneurial processes and behavior, entrepreneurial orientation (EO) that reflects the overall level of such processes and behavior, and individual levels of entrepreneurial behavior); and (3) outcomes of CES within the public sector (organizational outcomes resulting from entrepreneurial actions, including the development of venturing and renewal that, in turn, leads to enhanced public value). We discuss how our model contributes to the CE literature, followed by implications for scholars and practice and future research directions.

Corporate entrepreneurship strategy: extending the integrative framework through the lens of complexity science

Whereas our understanding of corporate entrepreneurship (CE) and corporate entrepreneurship strategy (CES) continues to expand, there has been little theoretical development to support the most extensive framework to date: the integrative model of CES as proposed by Ireland et al. (Entrep Theory Pract 33(1):19–46, 2009). According to the model, CES is built upon the “three foundational elements of an entrepreneurial strategic vision, a pro-entrepreneurship organizational architecture, and entrepreneurial processes and behaviors as exhibited throughout the organization” (Ireland et al. 2009, p. 38). The purpose of this study is to present a broad, overarching theory—complexity science—to examine the key elements and propositions of the CES model. Complexity science—founded on assumptions of interdependent heterogeneous agents and nonlinear interactions, as well as non-deterministic and potentially extreme outcomes—offers established multi-level concepts, theoretical boundary conditions, and methodological guidance for scholars to build and test future studies on CE and CES. Though our complexity perspective draws extensively from conceptual work on complex adaptive systems and agent-based models, we ground our arguments on the empirical ubiquity of power law distributions in all constructs and levels of analysis within the CES model. We conclude with a detailed research agenda, as well as a prescriptive discussion related to theory development, quantitative analysis, and practical applications to guide future studies on CE.

Corporate Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Renewable Energy Field

Abstract In the context of depleting natural resources, climatic changes and consequently worldwide interest to generate energy from renewable sources, energy and non-energy companies have diversified their portfolio by investing in renewable energy. This has developed a growing interest in finding out what supports the corporate entrepreneurial behavior in the renewable energy field. With the improvement of renewable energy technologies and changes of the financial support systems, the further development of the renewable energy business strongly relies on innovation, in terms of technology and business models. The present article aims at assessing the innovation characteristics of companies that have broadened their domain of activity by investing in renewable energy, as well as to identify which organizational support factors would influence these characteristics the most. The analysis is based on a study of 30 companies that have invested in renewable energy following a corporate entrepreneurship strategy. Results suggest that management support for corporate entrepreneurship and work autonomy are the organizational factors that would support innovation in these diversifying companies the most.