Routines do matter: role of internal communication in firm-level entrepreneurship

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between routine communication practices and corporate entrepreneurship (CE). Drawing upon CE theory and neo-bureaucratic theory, the paper provides insight into all the directions of routine corporate communication and their potential influence on CE. Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews past and current literature from which hypothesis are developed. Applying the competing values framework and data from 64 Polish manufacturing firms, we used multiple power regression to test the hypothesized relationships. Findings – The study provides evidence for a positive relationship between routine communication practices and CE. The analysis reveals different levels of influence of various communication aspects on CE. Practical implications – Many organizations’ common objective of their redesign efforts is to get rid of the bureaucratic features of the organization. This study suggests that the challenge is to reconfigure certain routine processes and formal requirements within the organization to better suit CE purposes. The paper specifies which routine communication practices can significantly impact CE. Originality/value – Very few prior voices articulate the need of routine practices study in CE research. This paper extends CE theory by providing a new perspective on CE factors and opening new avenues for further research.