Define Intrapreneur & Characteristics of an Entrepreneurial Environment?

Define Intrapreneur & Characteristics of an Entrepreneurial Environment?

Ans:   Intrapreneur: Any of the “dreamers who do.” Those who take hands on responsibility for creating innovation of any kind within an organisation. The intrepreneur may be the creator or inventor but is always the dreamer who figures out how to turn an idea into a profitable reality. An entrepreneur in a corporate organisation. Pinchot III called such employees ‘intra-corporate entrepreneurs’ or ‘Intrapreneurs.’

            Characteristic of an Intrapreneurial Environment:

In establishing a successful intrapreneurial environment, the following characteristics must be operated in an enterprise:

1.      The organisation operates on the frontiers of technology with the encouragement of innovative ideas.

2.      New ideas must be encouraged, supported and experimented in the corporate organisation on an ongoing basis.

3.      Experimentation-trial and error-must be encouraged. Almost every intrepreneur meets with initial failure before establishing a successful idea/ product/ strategy.

4.      The organisation should make sure that there are no initial opportunity parameters inhibiting free creative problem solving.

5.      Money and human resources on the line must be available on an ongoing basis. Resources should be easily accessible to the intrapreneur.

6.      A multi-discipline teamwork approach need to be encouraged for the success of intrapreneurial activities in the organisation.

7.      The company should set a long time horizon for evaluating the success of a programme and/or individual venture.

8.      The spirit of intrapreneurship must originate and cannot be forced on individuals.

9.      The intrapreneur is not time bound. He falls in love with the venture and works hard to ensure success.

10.    The organisation should evolve a proper system to reward the intrapreneur to motivate him to further contribute to the growth of the company.

11.    The intrapreneur should be free to alter plans to achieve success as he sees it. He should not be forced to reach the corporate goal by any means.

12.    The intrapreneur should be free to experiment his ideas for the good of an organisation.

13.    The intrapreneurial activity must be wholeheartedly supported and encouraged by top management. Without top management support, a successful intrapreneuial environment cannot be created in an organisation/enterprise.