An assessment of corporate entrepreneurship in ABSA Group Retail Bank Gauteng Province

Abstract

Intrapreneurship or corporate entrepreneurship describes the practice of entrepreneurship within organisations. Due to the dynamic nature of modern organisations, it is extremely important for organisations and their managers to remain receptive to new ideas, approaches and attitudes. It is therefore the belief that effective entrepreneurial innovation is the primary source of establishing and sustaining a lasting competitive advantage. Organisations have to create and foster an entrepreneurial climate whereby employees can live out their entrepreneurial characteristics in order for the organisation to be competitive in the local and global markets. In the turbulent and dynamic economic environment of the twenty first century, as well as constant changes within large and established organisations, it is imperative for these organisations to establish and maintain a competitive advantage. Literature has proved that large and established organisations can only do this by being entrepreneurial in all spheres of the organisation. The catalyst to evoke entrepreneurial behaviour as well as the fostering of an entrepreneurial climate in the organisation is the middle manager. The purpose of this mini dissertation is to assess corporate entrepreneurship within middle management of Absa Group Retail Bank Gauteng Province. Based on literature study and instruments developed to measure the entrepreneurial climate in organisations, thirteen constructs related to an entrepreneurial climate were identified and measured as well as the middle managers' perceptions of their own and their superiors' entrepreneurial characteristics. The results obtained from the empirical study enabled recommendations and if implemented, could make it possible for Absa Group Retail Bank Gauteng Province to improve the entrepreneurial climate as well as the entrepreneurial behaviour of the middle managers, thus supporting Absa in becoming the pre-eminent bank of choice.