Integrating Corporate Entrepreneurship and Intrapreneurship. A strategic framework for innovation.

The terms corporate entrepreneurship (CE) and intrapreneurship are often used interchangeably, creating confusion in both academic and managerial contexts. While their distinctions are well documented, it is equally important to understand how they complement one another within an organization’s entrepreneurial orientation (EO).
Although CE and intrapreneurship describe different but related dynamics, they
are fundamentally interdependent in driving innovation and strategic renewal. Recent literature emphasizes that these concepts should be viewed not as opposing approaches but as mutually reinforcing. Building on this insight, this chapter introduces an integrative framework based on Ramoglou and McMullen’s (2024) ABC model. It highlights the essential interplay between CE, which establishes strategic and structural support, and intrapreneurship, which transforms ideas into action. The core idea is that CE must enable individual entrepreneurial intiatives, while intrapreneurs need supportive environments that connect their innovations to broader strategic goals.
This dual perspective strengthens both theory and practice by helping organizations
cultivate innovation through the coordination of top-down intent and bottom-up initiative.