Matching intrepreneurs, culture and HR practices in entrepreneurial organisations: a key to building intrepreneurial human capital

There much been much research into the characteristics of entrepreneurs and the commonality of the findings suggests these people are definitely different from the general population. There are many instruments for measuring the entrepreneurial profile or tendencies of individuals. This paper will examine the characteristics of students enrolled in a post graduate qualification in innovation and entrepreneurship using Team Management Profile Quotient (TMPQ) developed by Margersion and McCann. While many entrepreneurs establish new firms in order to commercialise an idea or innovation, there are those who conduct the entrepreneurial process within an existing organisation, and often called intrapreneurs. Such individuals are likely to thrive in some organisations, but not in others. The entrepreneurial human capital in a firm is better likely to be developed when the intrapreneur operates within an organisational culture that is supportive of his/her entrepreneurial aspirations and where the cultural characteristics bear some similarity to the profile of the individual themselves. Culture tacitly guides the thinking, feelings perceptions and behaviours of many organisational members in similar ways. Organisational culture has long been reported as being a critical factor in promoting innovation within organisations, a prerequisite to supporting an entrepreneurial economy. High levels of innovation are often associated with a change promoting culture. Three cultural typologies will be explored that enable a firm to be profiled in a manner that highlights characteristics associated with innovative behaviour of entrepreneurs. Organisations with an established entrepreneurial orientation are likely to have HR policies and practices that support innovative and entrepreneurial activity and in particular enhancing the performance of the entrepreneurs themselves.