The Entrepreneurial Mindset in Organizations - Corporate Entrepreneurship

CHAPTER 3: THE ENTREPRENEURIAL MIND-SET IN ORGANIZATIONS CORPORATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRUE/FALSE 1. Corporate Entrepreneurship activity occurs outside the firm. ANS: F 2. Polaroid and 3M have had successful corporate entrepreneurship ventures. ANS: T 3. One reason that corporate entrepreneurship has become popular is because it allows corporations to tap the innovative talents of the personnel. ANS: T 4. As part of creating an innovative climate, a firm should base rewards given upon results achieved. ANS: T 5. A corporation can encourage entrepreneurship activities if top management sponsors entrepreneurial projects. ANS: T 6. Few firms today realize the need for corporate entrepreneurship. ANS: F 7. The need for entrepreneurship has risen in response to the rise of the global economy. ANS: T 8. Clever bootlegging of ideas refers to secretly working on new ideas on company time as well as on personal time. ANS: T 9. Individuals may avoid corporate entrepreneurial behavior due to the impact of traditional management techniques. ANS: T 10. Skunkworks are project groups that work within the traditional lines of authority. ANS: F 11. Very large corporations such as 3M have really struggled with corporate entrepreneurship ventures. ANS: F 12. Today’s managers must foster excitement for innovation and remove obstacles for employees to engage in corporate entrepreneurship. ANS: T 13. Firms do not need to alter management techniques to encourage corporate entrepreneurship since it tends to occur naturally. ANS: F 14. Trust from the company is one key element to successful corporate entrepreneurship. ANS: T 15. Employees shouldn’t expect feedback on their entrepreneurial ideas. ANS: F 16. Corporations that promote personal growth will attract the best people. ANS: T 17. When an entrepreneurial environment is created, a company does not usually set aside traditions of the company. ANS: F 18. Every business person feels comfortable operating in an entrepreneurial environment. ANS: F 19. The first step in planning a strategy of corporate entrepreneurship is sharing the vision of innovation that executives wish to achieve. ANS: T 20. Systematic evolution of a product or service into newer or larger markets is referred to as radical innovation. ANS: F 21. Corporate entrepreneurs should be restricted to the resources of their own divisions of the corporation. ANS: F 22. Researchers have identified specific factors that organizations can concentrate on in helping individuals develop more entrepreneurial behavior. ANS: T 23. Corporate venturing flourishes when a vertical management system is in place. ANS: F 24. A healthy environment for corporate entrepreneurship exists when employees can feel a sense of ownership in the company. ANS: T 25. Radical innovations must be nurtured. ANS: T 26. A “champion” is a person with a big ego and just gets in the way of corporate entrepreneurship. ANS: F 27. A competitor’s move to increase market share can be a precipitative event in corporate entrepreneurship. ANS: T 28. Corporate entrepreneurs are people who are action oriented and self-determined. ANS: T 29. The resources of the organization are irrelevant to the ability of the corporate entrepreneur to implement an idea. ANS: F process. 30. Understanding the entrepreneur is only part of understanding the entrepreneurial ANS: T 31. Corporate entrepreneurs generally are power oriented or power hungry. ANS: F 32. The Interactive Process is a result of individuals and organizational characteristics interacting with some precipitating event. ANS: T firm. 33. The success of corporate entrepreneurship depends on the entrepreneurs within the ANS: T 34. Organizational boundaries allow people to focus on new ideas. ANS: F MULTIPLE CHOICE a. b. 1. Corporate entrepreneurial activity takes place the firm. only with outside suppliers to c. both inside and outside with anyone outside d. Inside ANS: D 2. Which of the following was one of the factors Drucker mentions to explain the development of the entrepreneurial economy? a. the rapid evolution of technology and knowledge b. demographic trends c. government regulation d. a robust venture capital market ANS: A 3. One reason why corporate entrepreneurship has done so well is that it allows organizations to a. increase salaries. c. encourage high risk taking. b. fire the dead wood. d. tap the innovative talents of their people. ANS: D a. b. 4. Intrapreneurship is also referred to as: inside entrepreneurship c. internal entrepreneurship d. corporate entrepreneurship outside entrepreneurship ANS: C a. b. 5. ____people thoroughly understand the concept of corporate entrepreneurship. Just about all c. Many Most d. Few ANS: D a. b. 6. encourage greater risk taking. raise profitability. The major thrust of corporate entrepreneurship is to c. encourage innovation. d. increase morale. ANS: C a. b. c. d. 7. All of the following are reasons for the growth of corporate entrepreneurship except a desire to dramatically increase profitability. a rapidly growing number of new and sophisticated competitors. a sense of distrust in the traditional methods of corporate management. an exodus of some of the best people out of corporations. ANS: A ship? a. b. c. d. 8. Which of the following helps account for the rise of interest in corporate entrepreneur- There is a decrease in the number of sophisticated competitors. Government regulation of small entrepreneurs. Corporations are now losing some of their best people. A general increase in the number of competitors. ANS: C a. b. c. d. 9. Which of the following is an obstacle to corporate entrepreneurship? orientation to the market a system of feedback and positive reinforcement traditional management techniques rewards based upon results ANS: C a. b. 10. In following the rules for innovation, a manager should do all of the following except encourage action. c. punish failure. use formal meetings whenever possible. d. reward performance. ANS: C a. b. c. d. 11. In restructuring corporate thinking, top management should identify potential entrepreneurs after an innovation program is in operation. make the entrepreneur follow strict corporate guidelines. promote entrepreneurship through experimentation. create diversity and order in strategic activities. ANS: C 12. Which of the following is not a question in the corporate entrepreneurial planning process? a. does the firm encourage and reward entrepreneurs? b. do employees frequently require permission? c. Does the firm direct resources toward entrepreneurship? d. Have you met government regulations for innovation? ANS: D 13. Secretly working on new ideas on company time as well as on personal time is referred to as a. skunkworks. c. bootlegging. b. champion. d. interactive learning. ANS: C 14. The adverse impact of can be so destructive that individuals within the enterprise will tend to avoid entrepreneurial behavior. a. traditional management techniques c. specific entrepreneurial strategies b. innovative climate rules d. informal meetings ANS: A 15. Innovative factors identified by James Brian Quinn that exist in large organizations experienced in successful innovation include all of the following except: a. interactive learning. c. multiple approaches. b. uniform compensation. d. skunkworks. ANS: B 16. Groups that function outside traditional lines of authority permitting rapid turnaround of new ideas as well as instilling a high level of group loyalty are called: a. skunkworks. c. champions. b. multiple approaches. d. strategic innovators. ANS: A 17. Which of the following would not be considered as encouraging to an entrepreneurial environment? a. uniform compensation b. identifying potential entrepreneurs c. top management sponsorship of entrepreneurship d. promotion of entrepreneurship through experimentation ANS: A a. b. c. d. 18. In an innovative climate, failure is viewed as the end of the world. a learning experience. O.K., inevitable, since the employee is probably not capable of further innovative thought. a basis for firing. ANS: B is to a. b. c. d. 19. One step an organization can take to make its corporate environment more innovative gain top management support of an entrepreneuring program. fire top management and hire young executives. change the dress code to “casual attire.” give across-the-board raises. ANS: A a. b. c. d. 20. Which of the following will help to foster an innovative climate? encourage action from employees punish mistakes eliminate coffee breaks to encourage employees to work harder do away with dress codes ANS: A a. b. 21. Bureaucrats in an organization must standardize procedures c. engage in horizontal management d. learn to give way to intrapreneurs avoid risky moves ANS: C a. b. 22. Authoritarian management is being replaced by networking. c. Japanese managers. independent contractors. d. benevolent managers. ANS: A a. b. 23. Corporate entrepreneurial strategy should be thought of as vision directed c. restricted to one group in the firm dichotomous d. management directed ANS: A that a. 24. In attempting to create an entrepreneurial climate, the organization should consider the corporations that promote personal growth will attract the best people. b. c. d. strict management rules work best. third-party contractors of labor will not be used. workers like independence. ANS: A 25. All of the following are important characteristics for establishing an intrapreneurial climate except a. the presence of explicit goals. c. positive reinforcement. b. feedback. d. punishment of mistakes. ANS: D a. b. 26. Rewards should be based upon _____ to encourage the desired behavior. seniority c. attitude results d. morale ANS: B 27. Key features in the success of any innovative program include all of the following except a. confidence. c. accountability. b. trust. d. high profitability. ANS: D 28. Entrepreneurship within the corporate structure allows employees to develop their ideas without a. losing their jobs to more loyal subordinates. b. the risk associated with leaving the company. c. making their spouses angry that they quit their jobs. d. fear of being promoted. ANS: B a. b. c. d. 29. The first step in planning a strategy of entrepreneurship for enterprise is identifying specific objectives. sharing the vision of innovation. applying the exact tools of the entrepreneur. developing radical innovation. ANS: B a. b. c. d. 30. The second step in planning a strategy of entrepreneurship for the enterprise is identifying specific objectives. sharing the vision of innovation. applying the exact tools of the entrepreneur. developing and encouraging innovation. ANS: D 31. Which of the following terms represents the systematic evolution of a product or service into newer or larger markets? a. radical innovation c. collective entrepreneurship b. incremental innovation d. strategic management ANS: B 32. Which of the following terms represents the inaugural breakthroughs launched from experimentation and determined vision? a. radical innovation c. collective entrepreneurship b. incremental innovation d. strategic management ANS: A 33. Which of the following are specific factors identified by researchers, that organizations can concentrate on in structuring an entrepreneurial climate. a. radical innovation, incremental innovation, and vision b. skunkworks, multiple approaches, and vision c. top management support, time, resources, rewards, and organizational boundaries d. rewards, resources, innovation, and vision ANS: C a. b. 34. Internal venture capital that is set aside for special entrepreneurial projects is termed: intracapital. c. intrapreneurial seed money. project capital. d. collective capital. ANS: A 35. Which of the following are innovative rules that the 3M Corporation uses to encourage its employees to foster ideas? a. tolerate failure c. kill projects selectively b. keep the focus on your main business d. reward performance relative to profits ANS: A Employee perception of 36. entrepreneurship. a. equality. b. a good benefits program. is critical for the success of corporate c. d. interactive learning. an innovative environment ANS: D a. b. c. d. 37. Which of the following is an advantage to developing an entrepreneurial environment? a good benefits program. the firm helps to retain and motivate the best employees creation of a work force that adheres to strict rule a flexible work environment regarding time off work ANS: B a. b. 38. Which of the following is not a strategy for corporate entrepreneuring? promote personal growth c. decrease the use of third-party contracts use people-style management d. allow entrepreneur to develop ideas ANS: C 39. In order to develop an entrepreneurial environment, factors that organizations need to be aware of include: a. management support and rewards c. business plans and inventions b. autonomy and time d. a and b should be considered ANS: D sizes a. b. 40. Brazeal’s model for internally developed corporate entrepreneurial ventures empha- growth through acquisition institutionalized innovation c. d. organizational boundaries time availability ANS: B a. b. 41. Developing corporate entrepreneurial managers involves teaching them to Conduct business as usual c. Give across-the-board raises. Break out of the box. d. Think of new ad campaigns. ANS: B 42. The person who has the opportunity to lead and “run” with an idea would be coined which of the following: a. Department Manager c. Champion b. Manager d. Visionary ANS: C 43. Which is not a precipitating event that Zahra identifies as motivating the decision to act entrepreneurially a. market instability. c. new demand for a firm’s products. b. competitive threat from rivals. d. a big increase in earnings. ANS: D a. b. 44. Entrepreneurial characteristics include a strong drive to succeed. c. superior intelligence. d. high risk taking. low morals. ANS: A a. b. c. 45. Typically, when faced with setbacks or failure, entrepreneurs remain optimistic and view it as a learning experience. become outraged and take a short vacation. blame top management. d. resign. ANS: A a. b. 46. Success of the corporate entrepreneurship plan depends on resources provided by the firm. c. a few individuals. high morals and ethics. d. the reaction of rivals. ANS: A a. b. 47. Sustaining corporate entrepreneurship requires keeping up with market trends. c. keeping the corporate vision strong. maximizing profits. d. equal pay raises. ANS: C 48. One research model illustrated the process of entrepreneurship as an interaction of which elements? a. organization, individual, precipitating c. myths, realities, perceptions event b. intrapreneur, entrepreneur, manager d. price, marketing, suppliers ANS: A a. b. 49. Precipitating events in the corporate entrepreneurship process could include: laying off workers. c. change in company location. development of new technologies. d. higher productivity standards. ANS: B SHORT ANSWER 1. Describe the steps necessary to take an individual from a climate that is very hierarchical in nature to an entrepreneurial setting. ANS: As a quote from the text states, “To establish corporate entrepreneuring, companies need to provide the freedom and encouragement that intrapreneurs require to develop their ideas.” This statement is very true, but it could be developed further. For example, managers coming from a traditional style of management believe in keeping ideas bottled up in their heads because they actually believe that it will serve no purpose to present them to upper management. Often, shop floor personnel are overlooked in terms of being innovative. Secondly, a more horizontal way of communication and delegation would be better. This way no one person could stop a project completely and everyone could work as a team providing input. Lastly, develop and practice the basics as mentioned in the text. 2. Using the Signode’s V-Teams example from the text, explain how some programs may succeed or fail using this approach. ANS: Signode is using an aggressive strategy to pursue new products. Success will be tough for some products, but the stringent rules placed on the new products will help to keep the basic use of technology that Signode has and possibly develop new technologies, instead of branching out into some area that the company has never pursued, i.e., the clothing industry. The failure may come from the fact that Signode wants to be worth $1 billion-plus by 1990. It may not be enough time for them to accomplish this task. If the push is big enough, the company may find itself in bad shape financially and have to rethink the primary purpose of the company. 3. Explain some of the disadvantages that may occur in firms that are trying to incorporate entrepreneurship into their organizations. ANS: One disadvantage may be that there is resistance to change by some managers. Also, if a company jumps into intrapreneuring too quickly without proper training, there may be some managers left not knowing what to do. If the corporate climate is not right for intrapreneuring, there is almost no chance for success.