UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA
College of Economic and Management Sciences
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
MNE3702: Corporate Entrepreneurship
Assignment 02 — Semester 01, 2026
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
MNE3702
Module Code:
Corporate Entrepreneurship
Module Name:
Can ShopriteX Sustain Corporate En-
Case Study:
trepreneurship?
02
Assignment Number:
2026
Due Date:
40
Total Marks:
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for MNE3702 — UNISA 2026
, UNISA | MNE3702 Assignment 2 — Corporate Entrepreneurship
Question 1: Entrepreneurial Intensity at Shoprite Group [12 marks]
Entrepreneurial intensity (EI) captures both the frequency and the degree to which innova-
tive, proactive, and risk-taking behaviour occurs within an organisation (Morris and Sexton,
1996:6). Unlike entrepreneurial orientation, which only measures the extent of entrepreneurial
character in a firm, EI goes a step further by asking how often and how boldly entrepreneurial
actions are taken. Morris, Kuratko, and Covin (2011) describe EI through three core dimen-
sions: innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking, and they present these through what
they call the entrepreneurial grid, a tool that maps the combination of degree and frequency
to describe an organisation’s overall entrepreneurial posture. The higher the degree and the
greater the frequency, the more entrepreneurial the organisation (Morris and Sexton, 1996:7).
The Three Dimensions of EI
Innovativeness refers to a firm’s commitment to generating new ideas, experimenting with
processes, and creating novel products or services. Proactiveness means taking initiative
and shaping the competitive environment rather than simply reacting to it. Risk-taking re-
flects a willingness to commit significant resources to initiatives whose returns are uncertain
(Kuratko, Morris, and Covin, 2011:69). Together, these three dimensions determine whether
a firm’s entrepreneurial activities are deep and transformative or superficial and routine. At
Shoprite Group, all three dimensions are evident and operate at a sustained high level.
Pieter Engelbrecht and Entrepreneurial Intensity
Engelbrecht’s contribution to EI at Shoprite begins with the strategic decision to establish
ShopriteX as a dedicated innovation and technology division. Rather than limiting digital
transformation to incremental IT upgrades, he recognised that sustainable competitiveness
required structural renewal. This reflects a high degree of innovativeness, since the creation
of a semi-autonomous internal venture goes far beyond routine process improvement.
Engelbrecht also demonstrated significant risk-taking when he approved substantial capi-
tal expenditure for the Sixty60 on-demand delivery platform despite uncertain returns. This
was a calculated bet made in the face of genuine financial uncertainty, which is precisely
what Morris and Sexton (1996:9) describe as the distinguishing mark of high-degree en-
trepreneurial behaviour. In frequency terms, Engelbrecht’s support for open innovation part-
Page 2 of 13
College of Economic and Management Sciences
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
MNE3702: Corporate Entrepreneurship
Assignment 02 — Semester 01, 2026
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
MNE3702
Module Code:
Corporate Entrepreneurship
Module Name:
Can ShopriteX Sustain Corporate En-
Case Study:
trepreneurship?
02
Assignment Number:
2026
Due Date:
40
Total Marks:
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for MNE3702 — UNISA 2026
, UNISA | MNE3702 Assignment 2 — Corporate Entrepreneurship
Question 1: Entrepreneurial Intensity at Shoprite Group [12 marks]
Entrepreneurial intensity (EI) captures both the frequency and the degree to which innova-
tive, proactive, and risk-taking behaviour occurs within an organisation (Morris and Sexton,
1996:6). Unlike entrepreneurial orientation, which only measures the extent of entrepreneurial
character in a firm, EI goes a step further by asking how often and how boldly entrepreneurial
actions are taken. Morris, Kuratko, and Covin (2011) describe EI through three core dimen-
sions: innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking, and they present these through what
they call the entrepreneurial grid, a tool that maps the combination of degree and frequency
to describe an organisation’s overall entrepreneurial posture. The higher the degree and the
greater the frequency, the more entrepreneurial the organisation (Morris and Sexton, 1996:7).
The Three Dimensions of EI
Innovativeness refers to a firm’s commitment to generating new ideas, experimenting with
processes, and creating novel products or services. Proactiveness means taking initiative
and shaping the competitive environment rather than simply reacting to it. Risk-taking re-
flects a willingness to commit significant resources to initiatives whose returns are uncertain
(Kuratko, Morris, and Covin, 2011:69). Together, these three dimensions determine whether
a firm’s entrepreneurial activities are deep and transformative or superficial and routine. At
Shoprite Group, all three dimensions are evident and operate at a sustained high level.
Pieter Engelbrecht and Entrepreneurial Intensity
Engelbrecht’s contribution to EI at Shoprite begins with the strategic decision to establish
ShopriteX as a dedicated innovation and technology division. Rather than limiting digital
transformation to incremental IT upgrades, he recognised that sustainable competitiveness
required structural renewal. This reflects a high degree of innovativeness, since the creation
of a semi-autonomous internal venture goes far beyond routine process improvement.
Engelbrecht also demonstrated significant risk-taking when he approved substantial capi-
tal expenditure for the Sixty60 on-demand delivery platform despite uncertain returns. This
was a calculated bet made in the face of genuine financial uncertainty, which is precisely
what Morris and Sexton (1996:9) describe as the distinguishing mark of high-degree en-
trepreneurial behaviour. In frequency terms, Engelbrecht’s support for open innovation part-
Page 2 of 13
