Re-thinking corporate entrepreneurship and venturing: a case study in the Italian food industry

The study of Corporate Entrepreneurship (CE) is gaining increasing interest within the field of Entrepreneurship. Much research has been carried out, mainly focusing on identifying determinants and outcomes of CE. Scholars suggest that the term 'corporate entrepreneurship' encompasses two types of phenomena: corporate venturing (CV) and strategic renewal. CV is seen as a way in which firm-level entrepreneurship is expressed. Nevertheless, a combination of empirical observation and theoretical reflections has led us to reconsider the phenomenon of CV. We carried out a case study analysis of a well known Italian company operating in the food industry: Riso Gallo. Past research on the organizational determinants of firm-level entrepreneurship investigated only those factors strictly related to the internal environment of the company, overlooking those organizational aspects that go beyond the current firm boundaries. The case study suggests that CV can be seen not only as an effect of CE but also as an organizational arrangement that enhances entrepreneurship in companies.