Linking Two Worlds? Entrepreneurial Orientation in Public Enterprises: A Systematic Review and Research Agenda

Abstract

Contemporary public enterprises differ from their forebears. Today, they are more similar to private enterprises, receiving far more attention than previously, when privatization processes all over the world were in the spotlight. Furthermore, the broad research stream of entrepreneurship has so far neglected the consideration of public enterprises. To set a future research agenda, the author examines the dispersed literature using an integrative and organizing framework to identify major topics and research findings. This paper reviews articles that investigate the entrepreneurship in contemporary public enterprises. Despite the growing scholarly interest globally, this systematic literature review indicates there is no more than a loose connection between the literature streams of public entrepreneurship and corporate entrepreneurship. Specifically, the review shows that the multidimensional concept of entrepreneurial orientation has thus far been ignored, although autonomy plays a significant role in the literature review, namely in the context of the interference of the public owner. It also reveals other essential research gaps, such as the development of a modern theory of public enterprises. The linked research stream of public‐sector corporate entrepreneurship offers a broad area of scholarly research and should encourage further investigation.

Positive Deviance as a Mediator in the Relationship Between High Performance Indicators and Entrepreneurial Orientation

“…The results contribute especially to research on cognition and behaviours related to entrepreneurial orientation (Palmié et al, 2019) by pointing to some effects of positively deviant cognitive and behavioural processes on entrepreneurial orientation. Furthermore, the present study is relevant for the configuration of high performance features and entrepreneurial orientation in some specific types of organisations, such as public enterprises (Tremml, 2019). The results of the study are especially relevant for developing and transition economies (Luu & Ngo, 2019).…”

“…Also Luu and Ngo (2019) found the entrepreneurial construct to be applicable in various cultural contexts, especially in transition economies. Moreover, EO has been successfully applied in various types of organisations, including public enterprises (Tremml, 2019) and also at an individual level (Kollmann, Stöckmann, Meves, & Kensbock, 2017).…”

Rapid validity testing at the front end of innovation

“…Especially managers in large established organizations often find themselves in a context which tends to rely more on well‐known routines and technologies rather than entrepreneurial opportunity seeking and new technology exploration, and thereby struggle to realize innovation and renewal (Ganco & Agarwal, 2009; O'Connor & DeMartino, 2006; Sandberg & Aarikka‐Stenroos, 2014). This should speak especially to managers in risk‐averse sectors like utilities (Kearney et al, 2009; Tremml, 2019), including firms in the electricity, water, sewage service, and natural gas business. RVT can be seen and should be framed as an approach in the FEI to identify and actually overcome such problems: Applying RVT as a concept to reflect on the firm's position toward risk offers a valuable opportunity to assess which of its elements can be strategically deployed to reduce uncertainty and thus address risk‐avoidant attitudes in innovation programs.…”

“…Furthermore, adopting and deploying RVT might provide an avenue for risk‐averse organizations to establish an innovation‐friendly culture by legitimating flexibility‐related practices through their application and validation (Elsbach & Stigliani, 2018). This potential of RVT to support cultural changes is particularly relevant for contexts in which risk‐aversity seems to impede exploiting the competence of organizations in the core businesses (Tremml, 2019).…”

Corporate governance in state-owned enterprises. A systematic literature review: an international perspective

“…Their research provides an overview of literature in the various aspects of the activities of state-owned enterprises. Examples of research include challenges related to self-regulatory techniques in the context of contemporary changes (Ciolomic & Beleiu, 2020), orientation of public enterprises toward entrepreneurship (Tremml, 2019), the role of state enterprises as instruments of innovation policy (Tõnurist & Karo, 2016), and comparison of performance between state and private companies (Varcholova & Beslerova, 2013).…”