Objectives. This study aims to explore how humane entrepreneurship (HumEnt) manifests in an industrial manufacturing setting.

Theoretical foundations. The theoretical foundations of the study are built on corporate entrepreneurship and emerging HumEnt conceptual and empirical research.

Approach/Method. Given the novelty of the HumEnt domain, we conducted a qualitative study adopting a single case study design. We selected a medium-sized manufacturing firm, operating in the mobility transportation sector. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with top management team, on site observations, participation in management meetings, and the analysis of internal documents, firm webpage and social media channels. The collected data were analyzed using a generic qualitative approach, where a priori categories were derived from the literature, a posteriori categories emerged through iterative data coding, and relationships between the categories were identified through multiple iterations of the analysis.

Results/Findings. Based on our single case study, we conceptualize HumEnt as the result of the firm’s combined exogenous and endogenous responses to exogenous shocks. In this process, entrepreneurially oriented leaders engage in opportunity-seeking behavior (while pursuing corporate entrepreneurship initiatives) and advantage-seeking behavior (while pursuing human-centric initiatives), focusing on developing the firm’s unique intellectual capital profile (by focusing on its multiple subcategories) with the aim of achieving desired outcomes in both initiatives. Furthermore, we propose a framework for HumEnt process integrating its antecedents, process elements, and outcomes.

Value and Implications. This study contributes to the emerging theory of HumEnt by offering a new conceptual framework of HumEnt within an industrial manufacturing context. It introduces the interplay between exogenous and endogenous responses to external shocks, demonstrating how both entrepreneurial and human-centric behaviors can coexist and reinforce each other. These insights help distinguish HumEnt from related concepts like humanistic management, adding depth to the theoretical understanding of HumEnt's role in organizational change. The study also offers practical insights for managers in industrial settings who aim to balance organizational efforts aimed at corporate renewal and improvement of employee well-being.