Corporate Entrepreneurship at Ge and Intel
2010 EABR & ETLC Conference Proceedings
Dublin, Ireland
Corporate Entrepreneurship at GE and Intel
John Zimmerman, Zayed University, U.A.E Abstract This is the first of three planned articles concerning Corporate Entrepreneurship (CE). The author is a former entrepreneur practitioner who secured an earned doctorate from Pepperdine University in 2008, and who now teaches at Zayed University in the United Arab Emirates. In this article the author explores the concept of Corporate Entrepreneurship (CE) using case study methodology to connect previous scholarly research with data collected from successful companies. The paper discusses the problem of sustaining CE as organizations mature using Hayek’s Theory of Cultural Evolution as a framework. The author suggests that corporate entrepreneurship, often called intrapreneurship, while critical for sustaining competitiveness and increasing stakeholder value, often poses a dilemma for large organizations. The different processes and strategies these companies use to attempt to sustain CE are outlined together with suggestions for integrating corporate entrepreneurship into any organization’s culture, strategy, and management process. Finally, recommendations are provided as to how organizational leaders can successfully integrate corporate entrepreneurship into any organization’s strategy and management systems. Keywords: General Electric, GE, Intel, Corporate Entrepreneurship, Hayek
Introduction At their inception, all organizations must have engaged in some form of entrepreneurship, otherwise they would not exist. The irony is that as new ventures progress from formation to become larger entities, they often implement policies, procedures, and rules that result in bureaucratic structures that, while needed to control and manage growth, often impede the innovation and creativity vital to maintain the competitive advantage initially created by entrepreneurial activity (Ireland, Kurato, & Morris, 2006). Kenney
Dublin, Ireland
Corporate Entrepreneurship at GE and Intel
John Zimmerman, Zayed University, U.A.E Abstract This is the first of three planned articles concerning Corporate Entrepreneurship (CE). The author is a former entrepreneur practitioner who secured an earned doctorate from Pepperdine University in 2008, and who now teaches at Zayed University in the United Arab Emirates. In this article the author explores the concept of Corporate Entrepreneurship (CE) using case study methodology to connect previous scholarly research with data collected from successful companies. The paper discusses the problem of sustaining CE as organizations mature using Hayek’s Theory of Cultural Evolution as a framework. The author suggests that corporate entrepreneurship, often called intrapreneurship, while critical for sustaining competitiveness and increasing stakeholder value, often poses a dilemma for large organizations. The different processes and strategies these companies use to attempt to sustain CE are outlined together with suggestions for integrating corporate entrepreneurship into any organization’s culture, strategy, and management process. Finally, recommendations are provided as to how organizational leaders can successfully integrate corporate entrepreneurship into any organization’s strategy and management systems. Keywords: General Electric, GE, Intel, Corporate Entrepreneurship, Hayek
Introduction At their inception, all organizations must have engaged in some form of entrepreneurship, otherwise they would not exist. The irony is that as new ventures progress from formation to become larger entities, they often implement policies, procedures, and rules that result in bureaucratic structures that, while needed to control and manage growth, often impede the innovation and creativity vital to maintain the competitive advantage initially created by entrepreneurial activity (Ireland, Kurato, & Morris, 2006). Kenney
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