Intrapreneurship and organizational quality: A systematic literature review

Abstract

Intrapreneurship has become established as an essential element for innovation and the continuous improvement of quality in organizations, promoting, through employees’ initiative, the creation of new products, processes, and services. In this way, it contributes to strengthening organizational competitiveness, adaptability, and sustainability. However, despite the growing relevance of the topic, the literature on the relationship between intrapreneurship and organizational quality is scattered, justifying the need for a systematic literature review (SLR) to consolidate existing knowledge and identify research trends. In this context, the present study aims to review the existing literature on the relationship between intrapreneurship and organizational quality, as well as to identify the main research streams in this field. To this end, the methodology was based on the PRISMA method for the rigorous selection of studies. The Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases were used, applying inclusion and exclusion criteria to ensure the relevance of the analyzed articles. The results revealed the existence of two main clusters: (1) Sustainability and Organizational Performance, highlighting how intrapreneurship influences organizational efficiency and sustainability, and (2) Creativity and Innovation, demonstrating that intrapreneurial practices drive organizational transformation and competitiveness. Finally, a gap in the literature was identified regarding the relationship between intrapreneurship and quality in the healthcare sector, suggesting the need for future research in this area. Additionally, the analysis of management models that foster an intrapreneurial culture and their influence on organizational quality is proposed.