Intrapreneurship in an Asian context. Possibility or Myth?

Intrapreneurship refers to the creation of an innovative enterprise within an organization. Is it really possible in Asia, given the cultural factors such as hierarchy and adhering to the viewpoint of the collective community? Our resident contributor, Brian Ling aka Design Translator examines what the Asian viewpoint of intrapreneurship and offers some tips on how to become one in our fast paced changing Asian economy.

Intrapreneurship or Internal Entrepreneurship is fast becoming a big buzz word as companies start to embrace design, innovation and creativity as a strategic competitive advantage. Using the viewpoint that “innovation begins with everybody” as a credo to beat the competition, companies like IBM, 3M and P&G all have their fair share of Internal Entrepreneurs or Mavericks creating value for their companies.

What about Intrapreneurship in Asia? Where Asian companies are notoriously very regimental and hierarchical and where decisions are often made by one person? I like to share my strategies and the path I took as a somewhat successful Intrapreneurer in a very Asian company.

This article was really a result of a spirited discussion at the SGEntrepreneurs Blog on Intrapreneurship when many visitors commented and believe it is not possible especially in an Asian context. I disagree. Actually many of the strategies our fellow western Mavericks use, do apply here in Asia. However there are a few strategies that are unique to Asia as well.

The way Asian companies are run
This is one of the main differences between Asian (not all mind you) and our western counterparts. As most Asian companies are family owned, decisions are made top down, and often by the Chairman/CEO a.k.a. as the Patriarch. As a result it is quite common that no decisions are made or no actions taken until the top man or woman says so. Furthermore such “decision making paralysis” makes getting anything done in an Asian company very frustrating.

Understanding this is the first path to success in Intrapreneurship in an Asian company. As discussed in my article “Tips of being creative military style” this sets up your environment and frame work for which you can start to make things happen.

Reporting structures in Asian companies
This is one of the big reasons why Intrapreneurship in an Asian company is so difficult. Simply because nothing is done unless you have the explicit approval or agreement of the person above you.

Furthermore, Asian managers have a tendency of not letting go of responsibility or empowering subordinates. Simply, the sense of responsibility and the fear failure and losing face, make many Asian managers “control freaks”, or “lone rangers” working on projects alone.

First you need to determine how much leaway you have in your organization structure to initiate programs or advice, and if it is welcomed in the first place. If you can maneuver yourself into a position where your recommendations are heeded then Intrapreneurship initiatives can be easier.

Trust
So how do you get into a position where your advice is sought after or recommendations heeded?

You do it by establishing trust.

Asian companies, in particular, take a long time to establish trust in an employee. In fact the more highly qualified or ranked you are the harder it takes to establish trust. The main reason is new employees have a tendency to rock the boat to justify their employment, further fueling distrust. Or the sheer enthusiasm of a new employee has the bad habit to rub existing employees the wrong way.

The best way is to be patient and take things slow. Work hard, do good work, ensure your responsibilities are taken care of, and finally deliver work on time and as you have promised. Missing the scheduled deadline or milestone is often seen in Asian companies as unreliable or untrustworthy.

It took me the greater part of 2 years to establish the trust needed by the management to allow me to do what I do. During those 2 years I worked 12 to 15 hour days. I was the first one in at work and the last to leave; so much so the HR department thought I never went home! But most important of all I focused on getting my job done well above my management’s expectations, and finally I never ever missed a deadline.