THE IMPACT OF INTRAPRENEURAL ORGANIZATION ON ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The intrapreneur is that individual under the employment of an entrepreneur who takes an initiative into a new project of developing a new product or service within the larger organization of the entrepreneur. The intrapreneur possesses the characteristics of an entrepreneur but operates within the firm of the entrepreneur using entrepreneurial capabilities without bearing
the associated risks of those activities. Intrapreneurs are typically assigned special projects to work on within the
entrepreneurial firm. The difference between Entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs are that while the entrepreneur takes
responsibility from the start of the firm to finish, the intrapreneur takes responsibility for projects within the already
established firm of the entrepreneur. The similarity is that just as the entrepreneur is focused on starting the firm to
produce goods or services, intrapreneurs seek the resources, policies and technologies that will help in the
achievement of the initiated project towards the production of a new product or service and increase the company’s
productivity. The intrapreneur developes the skill for recognizing and solving important problems within the firm and
the independence to analyze and understand trends necessary for planning the company’s future thereby improving
organizational performance. They strategize and determine methods for staying ahead of competition. Some
Intrapreneurs often take executive leadership of the firm over time. It is important that entrepreneurial firm motivate
the efforts of intraprenuers for successful ventures.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The intrapreneur possesses the characteristics of an entrepreneur but operates within the firm of the entrepreneur
using entrepreneurial capabilities without bearing the associated risks of those activities. Intrapreneurs are typically
assigned special projects to work on within the entrepreneurial firm. The difference between Entrepreneurs and
intrapreneurs are that while the entrepreneur takes responsibility from the start of the firm to finish, the intrapreneur
takes responsibility for projects within the already established firm of the entrepreneur.
However the challenges still remains that the concept of intrapreneurship is still not understood by many therefore
implementing it if not well understood could lead to a colossal failure and waste of resources. Many of the challenges
faced in the process of intraprenuership include Strategy Conflicts; many new ideas of intraprenuers do not finally
make it to the market due to improper strategic alignment as many owners of firms do not approve of strategies that
contradict the initial organizational strategy. Leadership Conflicts; Often leadership conflict emerges as a result of the
new initiative by the intraprenuer .Resource Conflicts; The issue of funding also constitute a fundamental problem
confronting the intraprenuer as the needed funds may not be readily approved by the entrepreneur to implement the project fully to completion.
CULTURE CONFLICT ;
Implementing a new project within an existing organization may require a whole new cultural value which may not be
easily welcomed .Some staff in the existing firm who are not part of the project may develop resentment thereby
causing conflict in the process. Young Entrepreneur Council (2017).
THE IMPACT OF INTRAPRENEURAL ORGANIZATION ON ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE