Understanding employees’ intrapreneurial behavior: a case study
ISSN: 0048-3486
Article publication date: 2 January 2020
Issue publication date: 10 October 2020
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a deeper insight into the organizational factors and personal motivations of intrapreneurs that may foster intrapreneurial behaviors of employees in a new technology-based firm (NTBF).
Design/methodology/approach
The paper takes a qualitative approach to explore organizational and individual antecedents of employees’ intrapreneurial behavior. A single case study was conducted on the basis of semi-structured interviews with the founders and top managers of the firm and with intrapreneurial employees.
Findings
Results show that intrapreneurial projects may arise in firms whose top managers support corporate entrepreneurship (CE) in a non-active manner. Intrapreneurial behaviors of employees can emerge despite the lack of time and limited resources available for undertaking projects. Moreover, work discretion and mutual confidence and the quality of the relationship between employees and top managers are the most valued factors for intrapreneurs.
Practical implications
Based on the intrapreneurial projects studied, this paper helps to contextualize intrapreneurs’ perception of organizational support and the personal motivations for leading projects within an NTBF.
Originality/value
Traditionally, the literature has mainly focused on the top-down implementation of entrepreneurial projects within large firms. This paper contributes to the understanding of the combination of firm- and individual-level factors that facilitate intrapreneurial behaviors of employees. It also illustrates the contextual conditions and the firms’ orientation on CE within an NTBF.
Keywords
Citation
Badoiu, G.-A., Segarra-Ciprés, M. and Escrig-Tena, A.B. (2020), "Understanding employees’ intrapreneurial behavior: a case study", Personnel Review, Vol. 49 No. 8, pp. 1677-1694. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-04-2019-0201
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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