Contextualizing corporate entrepreneurship theory: the historical case of the Spanish engineering consulting firm TYPSA (1966-2000)

Abstract

Drawing on the corporate entrepreneurship (CE) theory, this article examines the rise of the Spanish engineering consulting firm Técnica y Proyectos SA (TYPSA), from its foundation, in 1966, as a project office within a larger national-based construction fgroup, until its consolidation as a family multinational in the 2000s. Our research shows how contextual and intra-organizational changes affect the CE drivers identified by entrepreneurship theory, and highlights resilience as a new element reinforcing entrepreneurial orientation over time. The study also enriches the Chandlerian-biased historical debate by focusing on project-based professional services and assessing the role of decentralization and managerial leadership in corporate entrepreneurship.