Notes on Corporate Entrepreneurship and the pursuit of Competitive Advantage — Covin, Miles, 1999

Jeffrey G. Covin and Morgan P. Miles

Innovation underlies all forms of corporate entrepreneurship. However, corporate entrepreneurship is reserved for those who redefine their markets and competitive arenas.

No consensus on what it means for a firm to be entrepreneurial.

Corporate entrepreneurship — established organisation enters a new business (corporate venturing), individuals champion new product ideas (intrapreneurship) or an entrepreneurial philosophy exists (entrepreneurial management). Also, risk-taking behaviour, but overall, there is a difference in opinion.

Lumpkin and Dess identified five dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation — autonomy, innovativeness, risk taking, proactiveness and competitive aggressiveness.

This article believes corporate entrepreneurship requires the presence of the objective of sustaining high performance or improving competitive standing through actions that radically energize organisations.