Drivers of intrapreneurship: An affective events theory viewpoint

Purpose: This study tests the underlying assumptions of affective events theory concerning the impact of job satisfaction and job insecurity driven by incivility on intrapreneurial behaviour. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected with a sample of 510 employees from five organisations. All hypotheses were tested via SmartPLS3. Additionally, a distinction between formative and reflective measures was performed. Findings: Findings revealed that incivility decreases intrapreneurial behaviour, mediated by job satisfaction and job insecurity. Additionally, the results show that the relationship between job satisfaction, job insecurity, and intrapreneurial behaviour distinguishes unionised employees from employees who are not unionised. Research limitations/implications: The cross-sectional nature of the data precluded definitive statements about causality. Further studies should increase the sample size and include an international perspective to ensure the overall generalisability of the results. Practical implications: Findings point to the need for organisational management to better understand underlying employees' perceptions and their antecedents and consequences. Originality/value: The study contributes to the literature by testing the core assumptions of affective events theory and by extending the AET model, incorporating contextual influences on the relationship between attitudes and behaviours. It is the first to show that incivility can be directly—rather than only indirectly—linked to emotional-based responses, but not to those driven by cognitive appraisals. The study also addresses the formative versus reflective measurement model question for the first time relating to incivility and intrapreneurial behaviour.