Executive Entrepreneurship in National Departments

Executives' entrepreneurship is increasingly and urgently called for in the face ever complex policy challenges of economic, social and environmental nature. However, little is known about such leadership at the very apex of... [ view full abstract ]

Executives' entrepreneurship is increasingly and urgently called for in the face ever complex policy challenges of economic, social and environmental nature. However, little is known about such leadership at the very apex of national departments and ministries. This study provides a new framework of distributed
leadership and examines executives seeking out opportunities to further new policies and initiatives with support and oversight from political appointees. Data sources are (i) a dyadic survey of executives and (ii) two administrative data sets.

This study advances both knowledge and practice. Key study results suggest that increased executive entrepreneurship in national departments to improve three key measures of performance in national departments, and significantly reduce poor performance. Study findings are discussed with regard to effects of accountability strategies, and as well as commitment by executive to public causes and effects of appointees' political leadership. This study brings a distributed leadership perspective to senior public leadership, and it discusses implications for the governance of executive leadership in national departments and ministries, as well as some recent examples in a few countries.