| Examples of Intrapreneurial Success in Major | | | | intrapreneurship-only a few years before the |
| Corporations | | | | term was coined - a group of people going, in |
| The example of the successful Intrapreneurial | | | | essence, back to the garage, but in a large |
| creation of 3M's profitable product line Post-it | | | | company." Back in 1982, Dr. Haller wrote his |
| Notes(TM) | | | | master thesis on the "Intrapreneurship Success" |
| Intrapreneurs, like their entrepreneurial | | | | of PR1ME Computer Inc in the late 1970's and |
| counterparts, need to envision and create an idea. | | | | early 1980's. |
| But instead of convincing outside investors and | | | | Some major public companies specifically foster |
| risking their own personal capital, the intrapreneur | | | | and encourage intrapreneurial explorations on |
| needs to create the right team within his | | | | company time through formal corporate |
| company to successfully launch the new products. | | | | intrapreneurship programs. During the |
| Then the intrapreneur needs to convince some | | | | intrapreneurial journey from idea to product, |
| "mover and shaker" in senior management to | | | | some ideas and products are ignored or neglected. |
| approve the new product concept and then to | | | | The twelve year course from idea creation to |
| invest the company's time, money, and other | | | | production of product for 3M'sPost-it Notes(TM) is |
| resources. | | | | an example of this. |
| Some enlightened corporations, such as 3M, do | | | | Just like the entrepreneur, the intrapreneur must |
| allow an employee-intrapreneur limited freedom to | | | | constantly stay focused and fully committed to |
| pursue new ideas. The Intrapreneur still has too | | | | the product and be willing to keep pushing, even if |
| overcome the roadblocks of formal corporate | | | | it takes years to produce their new product and |
| structure and the delays of corporate | | | | deliver it to market! |
| bureaucracy. The corporate entrepreneur, or | | | | The brief summary of the story of the |
| Intrapreneur, must convince senior management | | | | successful Intrapreneurial creation of 3M's Post-it |
| that the new, out of the main stream idea has | | | | Notes(TM) |
| merit, has possible market, and that the new | | | | Through it's intrapreneurial "Bootlegging Policy," |
| produce would be both profitable and synergistic | | | | (which allows employees to spend up to 15 |
| to the corporation. | | | | percent of their time at work developing their |
| The good new is that corporate entrepreneur or | | | | own creative ideas for the betterment of the |
| Intrapreneur is really just an entrepreneur who | | | | company and the creation of new products or |
| has less risk in building a new venture. The | | | | services) the usually staid, 3M Corporation was |
| Intrapreneur has materially less control of when, | | | | able to capitalize on the creative ideas of 3M |
| or even whether, the product will be launched by | | | | Intrapreneurs Spencer Silver and Art Fry to |
| his employing corporation. To be a successful | | | | create and launch the 3M Post-it Note product. 3M |
| Intrapreneur takes a unique set of talents and | | | | scientist Spencer Silver invented a not so sticky |
| abilities far more than just being creative. The | | | | adhesive in 1968, but it took him several years to |
| must be willing to take some personal risks at | | | | come up with how to best use and market the |
| sharing and pushing an unique idea with the senior | | | | product. Spencer shared his idea through seminars |
| management of the corporation. The Intrapreneur | | | | in which he shared the features (and benefits) of |
| must have the persistence and perseverance to | | | | this semi-adhesive to fellow 3M employees. |
| work to secure senior management's approval to | | | | But no one really caught the vision of his product |
| create and launch the product or service. The | | | | for five long years. Finally, a co-worker, Art Frey, |
| successful Intrapreneur must have the personal | | | | recognized the need for Spencer's idea! During |
| drive to see the project to a successful fruition, | | | | choir practice and performances, Frey's |
| no matter what it may take. | | | | bookmarks were regularly falling out of his hymn |
| Intrapreneuring and intrapreneurship existed in | | | | book. This product concept solved his problem! |
| corporations for decades, even before the term | | | | Still, 3M still did not do anything with Spencer's idea |
| was used in the 1982's. Gifford Pinchot (1985) | | | | for over a decade. Then finally, in 1980, Minnisota |
| made it famous in his book Intrapreneuring. | | | | Mining and Manufacturing's (3M) Post-its Notes |
| Apple's Chairman, Stephen Jobs (1985) use the | | | | product line, which is their moveable semi-sticky |
| term "intrapreneurship" in his article Newsweek | | | | notes product, was successfully launched across |
| article in the September of 1985. Job's said, "The | | | | the entire US, and internationally. |
| Macintosh team was what is commonly known as | | | | |