Despite being added to the American Heritage Dictionary some 17 years ago–less than a decade since it was believed to have been coined in a PhD dissertation–the term intrapreneurship hasn’t exactly gained widespread use or implementation. But the concept, which at its most basic can be described as entrepreneurial activity by employees within an established company, has proven invaluable to some of the globe’s largest technology companies.
Philadelphia-based BDP International, which provides global logistics and transportation solutions, has undertaken an intrapreneurship initiative of its own. Called BDPFusion, its goal is to unleash the next critical mass of ideas.
Nearly 150 ideas were solicited. The company’s owners rated them and whittled them down to the top five. Teams were formed and given a departmental mentor to develop presentations in Germany for European employees and in Philadelphia for U.S. employees last month, and in Singapore for Asia-Pacific employees on Tuesday. The final round will be held at BDP’s annual management meeting on Dec. 10 in Philadelphia. Winners earn monetary prizes and global recognition.
“The hope is the people who created the ideas take a big role in their development,” says company spokeswoman Andrea DiPresso. “It’s a good way to get employees excited, especially in this economy.”
Ideas include an open forum “BDP-pedia” to allow for better file sharing and blogs; a sales incentive program; new IT development; a project management office; a small business services unit; and initiatives to go paperless, be more environmentally friendly and use social media and instant messenger applications.
BDP intends for the program to be ongoing, and hopes it will function as a laboratory/incubator for transfer and expansion of entrepreneurial thinking, a competitive forum in which ideas can be extracted and recognized, a catalyst for a US-based mentoring program, and a development program to identify and nurture high-performing personnel.
Source: Andrea DiPresso, BDP International
Writer: Joe Petrucci
Photo: CEO Rich Bolte with European winners Michael Hol and Dennis de Kok