The dynamics between entrepreneurial orientation, transformational leadership, and intrapreneurial intention in Iranian R&D sector

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and intrapreneurial intentions among knowledge workers in the Iranian R&D sector using transformational leadership (TL) as a moderator and to also investigate the extent of the knowledge workers’ intrapreneurial intentions. Design/methodology/approach The research was tested as a cross-sectional survey of knowledge workers involved in the R&D centers in Iran under the Society of the Centers for Research. The sampling method in this study was based on simple random sampling. Finally, 380 valid questionnaires were collected from 48 R&D centers of different industries. Findings The findings of this study reveal that except for the “need for achievement (NFA),” other variables such as “innovativeness,” “proactiveness,” “risk taking,” and “networking” had a significant and positive relationship toward “intrapreneurial intention.” Moreover, it was found that “TL” had a moderating role in the relations between innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk taking with intrapreneurial intention; however, TL did not have a moderating role in the relations between NFA and networking with intrapreneurial intention. Research limitations/implications Reliance on cross-sectional questionnaires instead of an experimental design imposes caution about the relationships between the predictors and intrapreneurial intention. Originality/value This paper is one of the few studies on the EO at the individual level with new dimensions on the intrapreneurial intention, which examined moderating role of TL at this relationship, which took place in Iranian R&D sector.

The intrapreneurial employee: toward an integrated model of intrapreneurship and research agenda

“…For instance, Maritz (2010) found that there is a significant relationship between networking with other research organizations and the level of entrepreneurship of a university. Razavi and Ab Aziz (2017) also indicated that networking, in addition to innovativeness, proactiveness and risk-taking, is an important factor in the intention to be intrapreneurial. Networking seems to be an important factor distinguishing intrapreneurs from entrepreneurs, in that intrapreneurs must act within an organization with a certain climate and political field (Smith et al 2016).…”

The Effect of Corporate — Start-Up Collaborations on Corporate Entrepreneurship

“…Time availability fosters entrepreneurial activity by proving employees with the necessary time to explore new ideas and to work on pet projects (Hornsby et al 2002). Finally, organizational boundaries should be flexible enough to stimulate information exchange between departments and with external partners, but certain enough to coordinate entrepreneurial behavior across the organization (Hornsby et al 2002;Bjornali and Støren 2012;Kuratko et al 2014;Razavi and Ab Aziz 2017).…”

Adding the entrepreneurial orientation among the theoretical perspectives to analyse the development of research-based spin-offs

“…By leveraging innovation, risk, competitive aggressiveness and proactiveness, universities have been creating an increasing number of entrepreneurs (Clarysse and Moray, 2004; Martens et al, 2016; O’Shea et al, 2005; Razavi and Ab Aziz, 2017; Walter et al, 2006). Universities aim to spur the development of spin-offs to enhance innovation efficiency (Libaers and Wang, 2012) to improve the local economy (Marion et al, 2012; Mian, 1997).…”