@phdthesis{LeueBensch2020,
  author    = {Leue-Bensch, Carina},
  title     = {Supporting the expression of entrepreneurial potential},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {XII, 127, XVIII},
  year      = {2020},
  abstract  = {The ability of a company to innovate and to launch innovation is a critical competitive edge to remain competitive in the 21st century. Large organizations therefore increasingly recognize employees as a significant factor and critical source of innovation. Several studies assert the fact that every employee has to offer certain skills and knowledge and can contribute to innovation. Hence, every employee has a certain 'entrepreneurial potential'. This potential can be expressed in the form of entrepreneurial behaviour and can occur in many ways, from monopersonal innovation championing to several small scale contributions, where several individuals team up for innovation. To support entrepreneurial behaviour of their employees, large organizations increasingly rely on Corporate Entrepreneurship. They set up organizational structures and venturing units, offer vehicles and tools to their employees to be more entrepreneurial. The evolvement of new tools and technologies thereby allow for new ways of employee involvement, also allowing for more radical innovation to be developed collaboratively. Yet, many of such offerings fail to achieve the desired outcome. While some employees immediately opt-in for innovation, others do not and their entrepreneurial potential remains untapped. This research explores how large organizations can better support their employees to express their entrepreneurial potential, thus moving from non-entrepreneurial behaviour or not wanting to be involved, to actually expressing entrepreneurial behaviour. The underlying research therefore is two-fold. While focusing on the individual level and the entrepreneurial behaviour of employees, this research also takes the organizational perspective into account in order to identify how non-entrepreneurial behaviour can be stimulated towards entrepreneurial behaviour. Using an empirical qualitative research design based on pragmatism and abduction, data is collected by means of qualitative interviews as well as a longitudinal use case setting. Grounded theory is then applied for analysis and sense making. The main outcome is a theoretical model of why employees are expressing or not expressing their entrepreneurial potential and how non-expression can potentially be triggered towards entrepreneurial behaviour. The results indicate that there is no one-size-fits all model of Corporate Entrepreneurship. This research therefore argues that organizations can achieve higher levels of entrepreneurial behaviour when addressing employees differently. By developing a theoretical model as well as suggestions of how this model can be applied in practice, this research contributes to theory and practice alike. This document closes suggesting future research areas around supporting employees to express their entrepreneurial potential.},
  language  = {en}
}