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Dark Sides Of Intrapreneuring

 

Such companies as 3M, DuPont, Monsanto, and Procter & Gamble have practiced forms of intrapreneurship under other names for years ("Secrets of Intrapreneurship," January). The newer terminology -- although I dislike it -- does help to lend further emphasis to the need and role for such persons in larger corporations.

However, the intrapreneur is still recognized only in retrospect, after an invention is successfully brought to commercialization. Moreover, all too often, the process of intrapreneurship encourages corporate mavericks to keep bucking the system, while the corporation itself frequently wants to rein the intrapreneur back in. The result, in short, is that successful intrapreneurs often leave or get fired.