Assessing the five antecedents of corporate entrepreneurship within medium-sized construction companies in the Western Cape, South Africa

Abstract

Particularly in the construction sector, corporate entrepreneurship (CE) is essential for fostering innovation and preserving an organization's competitiveness. Currently, expansion, innovation, and competitive positioning pose major issues for medium-sized construction enterprises in the Western Cape, South Africa. It has been shown that while CE is a critical element in promoting innovation, medium-sized construction enterprises frequently find it difficult to implement CE practices (Staniewski, Nowack, & Awruk, 2016; van Wyk, Kajimo-Shakantu, & Opawole, 2021). This study seeks to assess the presence and extent of CE capabilities—including management support, work discretion, rewards and reinforcement, time or resource availability, and organizational boundaries—within these companies. Guided by a positivist research philosophy, this study utilizes a deductive approach, survey, and structured close-ended questionnaires to systematically collect quantitative data from grade 8 and 9 middle managers in the Western Cape. The data, analysed using IBM SPSS software and exploratory factor analysis, revealed a varied adoption of CE capabilities across companies. Findings indicate moderate levels of management support and autonomy, but significant challenges related to time constraints, resource allocation, and reward systems. These insights underscore the need for strategic enhancements in CE capabilities to foster greater innovation and competitiveness in medium-sized construction companies in the Western Cape.