Multi-level corporate entrepreneurship in SMEs: an intra-metropolitan analysis

The dynamic business environment requires continuous innovative adaptations by the organisation to sustain itself and grow. Thus, corporate entrepreneurship acquires particular importance. This study uses the Multi-Level Perspective to compare the transitions and links that lead to the development of entrepreneurial activity in the organisation. For this purpose, a survey was carried out among the managers of 233 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Madrid. The study uses the crisp set Qualitative Comparative Analysis, making it possible to explore the interdependence between conditions. For the analysis we have considered the niche (individual), the regime (organisation) and the landscape (the environment) levels. Especially, in the landscape level: resident population, population growth rate, and the number of existing productive units. At the regime level, creative strategies and proactivity in the organisation are considered, and at the niche level, the variables considered are training received linked to agile methodologies, leadership and innovation. Results show that the landscape conditions are not necessary for entrepreneurial development in the organisation, and intra-entrepreneurial activity can occur independently; the regime conditions analysed are not sufficient and need to be linked to the niche variables. Our results also suggest that the organisation must strategically manage these variables for corporate entrepreneurial growth.