CORPORATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN ORGANISATIONAL LIFE-CYCLE

Abstract

The paper deals with the development of corporate entrepreneurship in different stages of organisational life-cycle. The research presents a model for the evaluation of corporate entrepreneurship and systemises relevant theoretical and empirical research in the field of entrepreneurship and corporate entrepreneurship. Moreover, it describes the development of corporate entrepreneurship in the entire organisational life-cycle since most of researchers who discuss the topics of corporate entrepreneurship and organisational life-cycle, focus on the establishment and growth of organisations. Thus, there are only some research works that analyse corporate entrepreneurship in further stages of organisational life-cycle.

The theoretical background of the research is based on Schumpeter's (1942) approach to entrepreneurship, transformed into organisational level and developed by Pinchot and Pinchot (1994), and Miller and Friesen's (1984) five stage life-cycle model. The research methodology derives from the quantitative approach that was applied in 77 Lithuanian organisations. The research model and questionnaires are developed and adapted from Wickham's (2004) model of entrepreneurship by means of updating three characteristics of entrepreneurship, i.e. innovations, strategic objectives and potential for growth, to the relevant and appropriate for quantitative research content of corporate entrepreneurship. The stages of organisational life-cycle are tested according the methodology of Lester et al. (2003).

The research results disclose differences of the development of corporate entrepreneurship during organisational life-cycle and might draw the attention of practitioners to the value of innovations for successful organisational development stages, i.e. from maturity to renewal rather than that of decline. Moreover, the findings of the research demonstrate that the strategic objectives for the renewal stage are less entrepreneurial than the potential for growth. This, in turn, as a possibility could be further explored by organisations.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.em.18.3.5027