Corporate Entrepreneurship Assessment Instrument (English shop)

Welche Hierarchiestufe beeinflusst die Mitarbeiter?

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Entrepreneurial behavior is intensively discussed in both research and management practice. Previous approaches have largely been confined to examining the organization or the top management levels. Based on an induced top-down approach, this work complements existing research through the exploratory analysis of different hierarchical levels and their influence on employees without managerial responsibilities (front-liners). The dissertation builds on research into the Corporate Entrepreneurship Assessment Instrument (CEAI) and empirically examines the influence of managers at different hierarchical levels on the entrepreneurial behavior of front-liners.

An empirical study analyzes the perception of the entrepreneurial environment among 156 front-liners in 29 companies. Within a phenomenon-based approach, it is shown that superiors can influence the entrepreneurial behavior of front-liners. Top management achieves this by way of the front-liners’ direct superiors (supervisors), who act as mediators vis-à-vis the front-liners. The effect of senior managers thus takes the form of a cascade via the supervisors. Only one of four hypotheses shows partial mediation. Consequently, a bypass effect—in which top managers exert a direct downward influence without middle management—appears unlikely. An additional analysis shows that this mode of action applies both to shaping the entrepreneurial environment and to employees’ explorative (idea-generating) and exploitative (optimizing) behavior. The work thereby contributes to research on corporate entrepreneurship at the employee level and to the discussion of the CEAI scales.

Social Learning and Social Exchange theory are outlined as theoretical complements to the CEAI in order to establish it as an explanatory model in the future. On the basis of these two theories, an analysis identifies three explanatory approaches. In addition, adjustments to the CEAI questionnaire are presented. The recommendation for corporate practice is to critically question the direct influencing of front-liners by the CEO and to devote more time resources to middle management. Without negating the influence of the CEO, top management is advised to be aware of the limited direct effect of its own actions on the entrepreneurial behavior of front-liners. Finally, a process for initiating entrepreneurial behavior is outlined.