Abstract:
Corporate Entrepreneurship (CE) has been increasingly recognised as a legitimate path to firm performance and
survival. However, the use of CE as a survival strategy by Small to Medium Tourism Enterprises (SMTEs) is a
neglected stream in most studies and models of CE. Therefore, this study sought to assess the use of CE as a
survival strategy by SMTEs operating in volatile economic conditions. A quantitative methodology was adopted
for this study and a sample of 150 respondents was used to participate in the survey. The study established that
the use of CE contributes to a greater extent to the survival of SMTEs. CE activities are quite significant although
they do not follow a uniform pattern, a development which has a bearing on the lifespan or survival of SMTEs.
The results also indicate that, despite efforts by SMTEs, they still face constraints in adopting the strategy. It is
recommended that SMTEs in Zimbabwe should collaborate with different stakeholders like Government and
training institutions to bring together resources to promote research and development. Open innovation can also
act as a panacea of this problem, where employees can showcase their entrepreneurial abilities through
competition of ideas.
