In this course, students learn how organizations can identify and pursue valuable opportunities that will help them adapt to changing circumstances. The course is part of the core curriculum of the Master of Science (MSc) in Strategic Entrepreneurship at the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University.

I taught the course together with Lotte Glaser. I served as the coordinator of the course and gave the following three lectures:

• Lecture 1 - Entrepreneurship in Established Firms (with Lotte Glaser)
• Lecture 2 - Social Networks, Social Capital, and Intrapreneurship
• Lecture 4 - Ambidexterity

Course Description

In today’s dynamic, turbulent, and continuously changing economic business environment, entrepreneurship is an essential and indispensable element in the success of every business organization—whether small or large, new or long-established and mature. Corporate entrepreneurship (or intrapreneurship) refers to activities involved in creating and exploiting new resource combinations in the context of existing corporations. Yet, the ability to think and act entrepreneurially and engage in ongoing processes of creativity often fails because established organizations present hostile environments for entrepreneurial ideas.

This core course focuses primarily on organizational and managerial efforts aimed at the identification, development and exploitation of technical and organizational entrepreneurial ideas, the management of new product or process developments, and on effective new venture management in the context of large corporations. Topics include ways how organizations can stimulate corporate entrepreneurship, intra-organizational networks, entrepreneurial action, work context and organizational culture.

Learning Goals

After following this course, students will be able to:

• Conduct an “entrepreneurship audit” to assess how much the strategy and structure of an established corporation supports or constrains entrepreneurship
• Explain how managers can overcome the obstacles to Corporate Entrepreneurship and explain how they can create work environments that facilitate innovation in established organizations.
• Explain the complexity of Corporate Entrepreneurship and describe its different forms, contexts and levels.
• Analyze strategic situations and design appropriate Corporate Entrepreneurship strategies
• Distinguish different types of social capital and describe their effects on intrapreneurial behavior
• Explain the leadership challenges and managerial capabilities of Corporate Entrepreneurship