Intrapreneurship and dynamic capabilities interplay: Insights of a diamond mine

Abstract

Orientation: When an organisation fails to innovate, it becomes obsolete, and the mining industry is a laggard in the adoption of change.

Research purpose: Intrapreneurs are independent strategic partners within an organisation who aim to exploit existing opportunities by leveraging on available resources. Conversely, dynamic capabilities are essential in understanding the firm’s activities. Innovation as an outcome of intrapreneurship through reconfiguration needs exploration. Dynamic capabilities as drivers of intrapreneurship within the mining industry need to be studied.

Motivation for the study: Expanding on the key role played by intrapreneurs in propelling innovation is key. The study builds on existing knowledge by closing the gap on how intrapreneurs innovate by identifying the competencies of an organisation and reconfiguring them for continuous improvement. Reconfiguration takes priority as it becomes the driver of innovation.

Research design approach and method: Qualitative research method using interviews and observations was employed to collect data. There were 43 interviews from intrapreneurs. The data obtained were analysed using the Atlas.ti software. The article follows a qualitative research method where data was collected through interviews and observations.

Main findings: There is an interconnection between intrapreneurship and dynamic capabilities through continuous reconfiguration propagated by innovation.

Practical/managerial implications: Successful innovation can be achieved by identifying an organisation’s internal capabilities, which the intrapreneurs will reconfigure to help position themselves. Additionally, this study is imperative to the mining industry in highlighting the importance of innovation, as it is characterised as a laggard to change.

Contribution/value-add: The dynamic capabilities as drivers of innovation and the unique fusion of the reconfiguration pillar in achieving competitive advantage spearheaded by intrapreneurs is important.