13th Annual International Management Conference Proceeding

to (Kolveried and Amo, 2002). This implies that if the business manager/owner is not intrapreneurial, the
whole organisation will not be intrapreneurial, and vice versa.
3.3 The Intrapreneur
The intrapreneur is the key to the successful launch of any business opportunity. He or she is the person who
perceives the market opportunity and then has the motivation, drive and ability to mobilise resources to meet
it. The major characteristics of intrapreneur that have been listed by many authors (Maes, 2003, Antoncic and
Hisrich, 2001; Kuratko et al, 1990, Zahra, 1991; Zahra and Covin, 1995) include:
a) Self confident and multi-skilled. The person who can 'make the product, market it and count the money,
but above all they have the confidence that lets them move comfortably through unchartered waters'.
b) Confident in the face of difficulties and discouraging circumstances.
c) Innovative skills. Not an 'inventor' in the traditional sense but one who is able to carve out a new niche
in the market place, often invisible to others.
d) Results-orientated. To make be successful requires the drive that only comes from setting goals and
targets and getting pleasure from achieving them.
e) A risk-taker. To succeed means taking measured risks. Often the successful entrepreneur exhibits an
incremental approach to risk taking, at each stage exposing himself/herself to only a limited, measured
amount of personal risk and moving from one stage to another as each decision is proved.
f) Total commitment. Hard work, energy and single-mindedness are essential elements in the
entrepreneurial profile.
g) Desire for autonomy
h) Ability to overcome barriers
i) Task/goal orientation
Organisational characteristics include a culture and setting that encourages intrapreneurship. According to
Hornsby, et al, (1992), some characteristics include:
1. Management support
2. Work discretion
3. Rewards/reinforcements
4. Time availability
5. Organisational boundaries
6. Resource availability
Summary of Findings
This study of literature has discussed the concept of entrepreneurship, where in it looked at the definitions from
economists and behaviourists’ point of view. Indeed many definitions have been levelled on to what is an
entrepreneur and what attributes contribute to the success of an entrepreneur. This discussion formed the basis
of introducing intrapreneurship, arguing that the intrapreneur is the entrepreneur but acting within an existing
organisation. The entrepreneur seeks to start a business; the intrapreneur seeks to expand the existing business
through developing new ideas. Intrapreneurship was thus characterised into innovativeness, self-renewal,
Proactiveness and new business venturing.
The study also discussed a theoretical model of intrapreneurship, positing that developing intrapreneurship will
have rewards that will sustain the organisation. These rewards include customer satisfaction, employee job
satisfaction and financial success. In giving the pill for intrapreneurship development in small businesses the
study has outlined the role of the business manager in encouraging intrapreneurship and the role of the employee
in developing their individual intrapreneurial characteristics. As well, the findings have outlined how an
organisation’s settings and culture can support intrapreneurship.
4.0 CONCLUSIONS
This paper has outlined critical issues that enable entrepreneurial ventures or small businesses to survive and
grow. Specifically the paper defined the concept of intrapreneurship, described success factors in
52