Abstract
This research concerned corporate entrepreneurship which Chapter 1 argued results from subordinates' idea implementations and the nature of the relationship with their leader - a relationship which has experienced a paucity of prior research. Chapter 2 reviewed research philosophies and concluded that mixed methods should be utilised and thus three studies were undertaken in a complementary research strategy. Study I (Chapter 3) via the development and testing of hypotheses, demonstrated support for the relationship between transformational leader behaviour, leader-member exchange, autonomy, risk propensity, creativity and idea implementation. Study II (Chapter 4) via focus group meetings, demonstrated support for Study I results together with two models which purport to describe the interrelationship between leader behaviour and subordinates' idea implementation. Study III (Chapter 5) via a longitudinal autoethnography created by the researcher whilst embedded in the research subject Group* described an environment in which poor leader behaviour precipitated poor leader-subordinate relationships and a reduced willingness to implement ideas, whilst good leader behaviour was associated with more positive attitudes by subordinates and a willingness to take risks and implement ideas. The summary research findings, implications for practitioners and recommendations for future research are contained in Chapter 6. The researcher was motivated to conduct this research based on his MBA dissertation (1999) which investigated the phenomenon of an organisation regaining market leadership which the researcher has subsequently recognised referenced the concept of corporate entrepreneurship and which left unanswered questions as to its antecedents. Further, with a background of thirty-three years as a practitioner with most being spent in increasing senior leadership positions, the researcher has long-been of the view that the subtleties and nuances of leader behaviour are crucial to organisational performance with that performance needing to be measured by the delivery of actions rather than by ideas which are generated but never realised. * A major Anglo-American cultured assembly of strategically independent companies that form a publicly quoted Group on the London Stock Exchange and with a £1 billion market capitalisation.