AN INTEGRATIVE MODEL OF CORPORATE ENTREPRENEURIAL BEHAVIOR1

Based on extensive literature review and empirical validation this paper aims to develop and test an integrative model of corporate entrepreneurial behavior. Indeed, how much do we know about the tactics that corporate entrepreneurs employ to promote entrepreneurial projects? Entrepreneurial behavior is generally defined as the discovery, evaluation, and exploitation of entrepreneurial opportunities. Still, more investigation is needed to understand the specific actions behind the words discover, evaluate, or exploit, especially in the context of an existing corporation. First, the paper accumulates and confronts findings from research on corporate entrepreneurship and venturing, independent entrepreneurship and specific relevant organizational behaviors. Second, as a result, it offers an integrative four-category model that allows a systematical consideration of corporate entrepreneurial behavior. Third, the proposed model is enriched and challenged by an analysis of case studies used for the purposes of teaching corporate entrepreneurship in top business schools. The analysis provided evidence that most of the activities corporate entrepreneurs engage in could be assigned to one of the four dominating activities which are discovery, evaluation, enrolment and exploitation and that a four-category integrative model might be used for a systematic analysis of corporate entrepreneurial practices. On top, the paper offeres several insights into the strategies intrapreneurs employ to develop their projects. Keywords