Entrepreneurship · Class 11 · An Entrepreneur · 2.º Período

Intrapreneurship

Introduces the concept of intrapreneurship, where employees act like entrepreneurs within an established organization. Compares the roles, risks, and rewards of entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs.

TL;DR:Intrapreneurship is the practice of entrepreneurial behaviour within an established large organisation. This topic is increasingly relevant as Indian corporations like Tata, Reliance, and Infosys look for ways to stay innovative. Students learn that they don't always have to start their own company to be 'entrepreneurial'; they can use the resources of a large firm to launch new products or services.

• CBSE Learning Outcomes
• CBSE Class 11 Entrepreneurship, Unit 2: An Entrepreneur - Intrapreneur: Concept and Importance
• CBSE Class 11 Entrepreneurship, Unit 2: An Entrepreneur - Difference between Entrepreneur and Intrapreneur

About This Topic

Intrapreneurship is the practice of entrepreneurial behaviour within an established large organisation. This topic is increasingly relevant as Indian corporations like Tata, Reliance, and Infosys look for ways to stay innovative. Students learn that they don't always have to start their own company to be 'entrepreneurial'; they can use the resources of a large firm to launch new products or services.

The curriculum compares the entrepreneur (who takes all the risk and gets all the profit) with the intrapreneur (who has a safety net but less autonomy). This distinction is crucial for students as they consider their future career paths in India's evolving corporate landscape. Students grasp this concept faster through structured discussion and peer explanation where they compare the two roles.

Key Questions

1. What is an intrapreneur?
2. How does intrapreneurship differ from entrepreneurship?
3. Why do large corporations encourage intrapreneurial behavior?

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

An intrapreneur is just a fancy name for a manager.

What to Teach Instead

A manager follows existing rules to maintain the status quo, while an intrapreneur actively tries to change or add something new. Collaborative investigations help students see the 'disruptive' nature of intrapreneurship.

Common Misconception

Intrapreneurs take no risk because they have a salary.

What to Teach Instead

They take significant 'career risk' and reputational risk. If their project fails, it could impact their standing in the company. Structured debates help students understand these subtle forms of risk.

Active Learning Ideas

Formal Debate

Entrepreneur vs. Intrapreneur

Divide the class to debate: 'Is it better to be an intrapreneur with a guaranteed salary or an entrepreneur with total freedom?' Students must use arguments related to risk, reward, and resource access.

35 min·Whole Class

Inquiry Circle

Intrapreneurship in Action

Groups research a product that was created inside a large company (like Gmail at Google or the Nano car at Tata). They identify the 'intrapreneur' behind it and the challenges they faced within the corporate structure.

45 min·Small Groups

Think-Pair-Share

Improving the School

Students imagine they are 'intrapreneurs' within their school. They think of one new service or facility they could start using school resources and share how they would pitch it to the Principal.

20 min·Pairs

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between an entrepreneur and an intrapreneur?

An entrepreneur starts their own venture and bears all the financial risk, while an intrapreneur works within an existing company to develop new ideas. The entrepreneur owns the business, whereas the intrapreneur is an employee who uses the company's resources.

Why do Indian companies encourage intrapreneurship?

In a fast-changing market, large companies can become slow and bureaucratic. Encouraging intrapreneurship helps them innovate quickly, retain talented employees who want to create things, and find new sources of revenue.

How can active learning help students understand intrapreneurship?

Active learning strategies like 'Improving the School' allow students to act as intrapreneurs. By trying to innovate within an existing system (the school), they experience firsthand the challenges of getting approval and using shared resources, which makes the corporate concept much clearer.

Does an intrapreneur get a share of the profits?

Usually, intrapreneurs do not get the direct profits of the venture like an owner would. Instead, they are rewarded through bonuses, promotions, or special recognition within the company, though some modern firms offer 'phantom' equity or profit-sharing.