Entrepreneurship Inside Government

Course Description

Explores the unique challenges and opportunities of entrepreneurship within government organizations. For example, the Department of Defense currently has more than 100 "innovation organizations" that are plagued by challenges with structures, governance, funding, culture, and organizing principles. Unlike courses on entrepreneurial ventures that aim to disrupt existing organizations or create new markets, this course focuses on the principles and practices of creating new sources of value from within large, established governmental organizations. Students learn how to unlock organizational inertia, build legitimacy, navigate resource dependencies, establish effective governance, and implement structurally separate innovation units, create hybrid organizations, and execute pivots when necessary ¿ with the ultimate goal of understanding how to achieve superior performance. Through a mix of guest speakers, case studies, simulations, mock negotiations, and independent research, students gain practical experience in applying entrepreneurial strategies to real-world governmental challenges. While the course covers general principles applicable to governments generally, it focuses on the context of the United States government. The final project, conducted in teams, involves analyzing entrepreneurial endeavors within actual government organizations with recommendations to project sponsors. Intended for graduate and undergraduate students interested in national security, public policy, and innovation.