The entrepreneurial employee in public and private sector – What, Why, How

Abstract

Entrepreneurial employees that drive innovation and change have become a sheer necessity for many established organisations in public and private sector. This report gives a science-based overview of what entrepreneurial employees do, why such behaviours are needed and how any employee can become more entrepreneurial.

Being entrepreneurial is not something magic, it is a discipline that can be learned by any employee in private and public sector. A simple explanatory “diamond” model is provided that guides employees, managers and policymakers. The report offers new clarity in an under-researched but important and promising area.

What entrepreneurial employees do is that they exercise their deeply personal agency to create something novel of value for others. They learn experientially what value different creations have for others. Employees who do this over time develop their entrepreneurial competences.

Why they do this is because it benefits their organisation and themselves. They contribute to overall efficiency, to future-proofing the organisation, and to building a more engaging organisational culture. In return, they get a more meaningful inner work life, higher autonomy, more recognition and a boosted career trajectory.

How to become more entrepreneurial is described through four focus areas; agency, novelty, value for others and learning. Entrepreneurial employees raise their agency through dedication, courage and action-taking. They work with novelty through envisioning, claiming and organising the new. They create new value for others through empathic discussions and prototypes. Finally, they learn through analyzing, experimenting with and revising their value creation attempts.