Employee/organization relationship in collective entrepreneurship: An overview

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to add new theoretical insights on the employee/organization relationship (EOR) in the context of corporate entrepreneurship (CE), specifically in collective entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a brief overview of the content of each of the articles included in this special issue. Findings – In the last decades, the study of the EOR has become an integral part of the literature as an approach aimed to provide the theoretical foundations to understanding the employee and employer perspectives to the exchange. Also, the greater complex environment and the higher level of innovativeness have pushed firms to become more entrepreneurial in order to identify new opportunities for sustained superior performance. In this context, emerges CE and involves not only formal activities to enhance product innovation, risk taking and a proactive response to environmental forces, but also organizational learning, driven by collaboration, and commitment. Specifically, different EORs and specific human resources management practices are required in the light of collective entrepreneurship, understood as work among entrepreneurial teams within the organizations and collaboration among employees. Originality/value – The paper provides an overview of the EOR in collective entrepreneurship. © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited