Corporate Entrepreneurship: A Literature Review and Future Research Perspectives

Abstract

Background. Nowadays, corporate entrepreneurship (CE) is perceived as an essential approach to boost the innovation and creativity within existing organizations for achieving higher opportunities in the market. This paper examines this concept, which has been largely discussed in the Anglo-Saxon world over the last thirty years. Like for many other phenomena, also in case of CE, this discussion has provided numerous conceptualizations, and consequently, there is not one unique definition of CE. In this respect, the search for an appropriate basis for understanding and describing the phenomenon of CE engenders a challenging issue for entrepreneurship researchers.

Research aims. This paper aims at creating a large platform for understanding the concept of CE by means of a clarification effort through the review of the most important papers in this field and identification of the existing research gaps.

Methodology. Systematic literature survey is the applied methodology. EBSCO and Taylor & Francis database were used as a source for the sampling process.

Key findings. The analysis does acknowledge the need for more qualitative and rigorous research in this field and brings several recommendations for the future studies. The main conclusions also do urge for a more diversified research in terms of the sectors discussed, as the biggest gap identified is in the services sector. There is also a need for a more structured classification of the measures, depending on the real research focus: CE antecedents or outcomes.

JEL Codes: o31, o32