Esteemed Magazines July-Aug 2015 | Page 9

In our current African market, intrapreneurship may not initially have as tremendous results but there is something that can be done. Intrapreneurship caused Safaricom to increase its profits by embracing Mpesa (mobile money transfer services), Okoa Jahazi (credit offered for airtime). Intrapreneurship has enabled Equity bank bring in the concept of thin SIM available to its millions of customers with the intention of increasing the money that flows through the bank. a corner office, increased perks/ benefits or a promotion, it is best you don’t go down that road. Because of its nature to override bureaucracies and sometimes go against the grain of conventional management, intrapreneurship is usually treated with skepticism until two things happen: the initial investment is recouped and the sustainability of its positive results is proven. That might take years and so only a personal drive/ motivation can keep the intrapreneur going. Creative thinking Many people say creative thinking requires one to think outside the box. In truth, many are now advocating for the box to be thrown away because there is always the temptation of peeping inside the box to see what was previously in there and borrow ideas from it. An intrapreneur must of essence be creative. Thinking of new ways to do things or new products/ service that people may need. Without the concept of money transfer, Kenya would not have conceptualized the ability to pay for parking using their mobile phones without having to look for the dodgy parking attendants. One of the most simplified forms of intrapreneurship I have come across is that of a couple who have been running a fruit and vegetable stand. Through creative thinking they decided extend their structure to have a 1st floor where t