Corporate entrepreneurship development in public sector organizations in Tanzania

Abstract

Despite the perceived benefits of corporate entrepreneurship for organisational development, its development is often constrained by internal organisational factors, particularly in public sector contexts. This dissertation empirically examined the internal factors influencing corporate entrepreneurship development in Tanzania using 120 public servants from the Moshi University College of Co-operative and Business Studies (MUCCoBS) as a case study. Specifically, the study identified the internal organizational factors influencing corporate entrepreneurial behaviour among public employees, examined the influence of internal organizational factors on public servants’ entrepreneurial behaviour, and measured the influence of socio-demographic factors on public servants’ perceptions of internal organizational factors influencing corporate entrepreneurship development. The collected data were analysed using descriptive and inferential analysis using independent sample t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The study identified work discretion and autonomy, rewards and reinforcements and organizational boundaries as major internal organizational factors influencing public servants’ corporate entrepreneurial behaviours. Moreover, the study found that rewards and reinforcements, work discretion and autonomy, and organisational boundarieshad a statistically significant influence on public servants’ corporate entrepreneurial behaviours. However, management support and time availability did not significantly influence public servants’ corporate entrepreneurial behaviour. Lastly, the study found that work experience significantly affected public servants’ perception of internal organizational factors influencing corporate entrepreneurship development. However, newly recruited and midexperienced employees perceived that the university management support was not conducive to public servants exhibiting corporate entrepreneurial behaviours. The study concludes that universities as public sector organizations should struggle to create conducive environments for public servants behave and practice corporate entrepreneurial behaviour that can be modelled to other public sector institutions in Tanzania. This could create public servants with creativity and innovation and improve the performance of public sector organizations.