Enabling intrapreneurship: the case of a knowledge‐intensive industrial company

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of the paper is to provide an understanding of the various factors that enable intrapreneurship in established firms. The paper reports on a case study of intrapreneurship in a large knowledge‐intensive industrial firm.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the existing literature, it is suggested that the use of different factors can either enable or inhibit intrapreneurship and five enabling factors that are identified. Based on interviews, on‐site observations and documents and reports the five factors with a potential influence on intrapreneurship are examined and alternative factors considered.

Findings

The five enabling factors that are identified in the literature are not sufficient to enable intrapreneurship in knowledge‐intensive companies, and it is concluded that three additional factors enabling intrapreneurship in established firms should also be taken into account.

Practical implications

The knowledge of what makes factors either enablers or inhibitors are incomplete and to enhance the intrapreneurial ability of an organisation, managers must learn which factors to use in different situations.

Originality/value

Only very few papers have studied intrapreneurship in specific organisations. This paper contributes with a synthesis of the literature in the area and with a suggestion of a model that is used in the empirical analysis and augmented based on that. The paper furthermore contributes to the body of literature on the factors enabling intrapreneurship in general.

Citation

Skovvang Christensen, K. (2005), "Enabling intrapreneurship: the case of a knowledge‐intensive industrial company", European Journal of Innovation Management, Vol. 8 No. 3, pp. 305-322. https://doi.org/10.1108/14601060510610171