JultikaUniversity of Oulu repository

Abstract

The study of employee engagement has become a prominent topic in scientific research and modern-day business world. Organizations that aim to describe their employees as dedicated, vigorous, and absorbed in their work, are stating that they value employee engagement as a critical aspect of their operations. However, knowledge on the drivers of employee engagement is fragmented, and various suggestions have emerged from current research, which this thesis aims to contribute to.

Corporate entrepreneurship has attracted interest among both academics and practitioners since the turn of the millennium. Organizations are increasingly seeking to create an environment of corporate entrepreneurship to foster innovation, proactivity and risk-taking. The academic literature regarding antecedents of corporate entrepreneurship highlights five antecedents, namely rewards and reinforcements, management support, work discretion and autonomy, time availability, and organizational boundaries.

The focus of this thesis is to investigate whether these five antecedents, which create an environment of innovation, proactiveness, and risk-taking, could also serve as antecedents for fostering employee engagement. The research methodology employed is qualitative in nature, and the central question of the study is to understand the relationship between the antecedents of corporate entrepreneurship and employee engagement within the Finnish office of a multinational IT company.

Through an in-depth analysis of the interview data, this study identifies new dimensions of rewards and reinforcements, management support, work discretion and autonomy, time availability, and organizational boundaries that are critical to understanding the complexities of employee engagement. The revised framework offers a more nuanced understanding of the factors that drive employee engagement and will serve as a useful guide for practitioners seeking to enhance engagement within their organizations. Additionally, this thesis contributes to the research of employee engagement by enhancing our understanding of the connection between the antecedents of corporate entrepreneurship and employee engagement.