The dynamics between entrepreneurial orientation, transformational leadership, and intrapreneurial intention in Iranian R&D sector

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and intrapreneurial intentions among knowledge workers in the Iranian R&D sector using transformational leadership (TL) as a moderator and to also investigate the extent of the knowledge workers’ intrapreneurial intentions. Design/methodology/approach The research was tested as a cross-sectional survey of knowledge workers involved in the R&D centers in Iran under the Society of the Centers for Research. The sampling method in this study was based on simple random sampling. Finally, 380 valid questionnaires were collected from 48 R&D centers of different industries. Findings The findings of this study reveal that except for the “need for achievement (NFA),” other variables such as “innovativeness,” “proactiveness,” “risk taking,” and “networking” had a significant and positive relationship toward “intrapreneurial intention.” Moreover, it was found that “TL” had a moderating role in the relations between innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk taking with intrapreneurial intention; however, TL did not have a moderating role in the relations between NFA and networking with intrapreneurial intention. Research limitations/implications Reliance on cross-sectional questionnaires instead of an experimental design imposes caution about the relationships between the predictors and intrapreneurial intention. Originality/value This paper is one of the few studies on the EO at the individual level with new dimensions on the intrapreneurial intention, which examined moderating role of TL at this relationship, which took place in Iranian R&D sector.