Work Culture in Political Entrepreneurship : An Exploratory Study

By

Trilok Kumar Jain

Abstract
This research study is an exploratory study on political entrepreneurship. The researcher has used
grounded theory and used participant observation and in-depth interviews as a part of qualitatitve study.
The researcher identified a political party, which is emerging and growing. This party has emerged
recently and therefore it is spreading its organization. The researcher studied the work culture and tried
to identify key elements based on grounded theory methodology. The researcher has presented
propositions based on the study for further studies. The main propositions are that the members of the
political organization try to spread ideology among people, openly welcome new members, show
optimism and aggression in their approach to spread the organization and use innovative media to
spread their thoughts and connect with each other. They have frequent meetings to give shape to the
organization.

Entrepreneurship refers to creation of a new organization, which is self-sustaining and is able to deliver

some benefits to the society for its sustainance. There are many aspects in entrepreneurship which include

creation of a new organization, utilization of untapped opportunities, creation of exchange relationship

with society and development of a team, which is committed to the goals of the organization.

Entrepreneurship has very wide scope as it covers setting up of every type of organization. Therefore

there are many studies on entrepreneurship.

Political entrepreneurship is a recent subject of s. There are many entrepreneurs, who create political

parties and raise public opinions and acquire power through the process. They set up institutions /

political parties and create an organization which works to promote some ideology. These individuals

create new organizations in the form of political parties, which have to be self-sustaining. These

individuals also display characteristics of business entrepreneurship in the form of detailed financial

Professor Trilok Kumar Jain is Dean of Faculty of Management in Suresh Gyan Vihar University
Jaipur and is also Director of Distance Education. He can be contacted at jain.tk@gmail.com Page 1
planning, careful use of resources, innovations, being accountable and responsible for some group of

clients etc. But there is a need of detailed study about characteristics of political entrepreneurs and their

behavior pattern. There is also a need of detailed and comprehensive study on process of political

entrepreneurship. There is also a need to study the factors that cause political entrepreneurship.

Literature Review

We find mention of various types of entrepreneurs in literature. Schumpeterian entrepreneurs are driven

by desire to earn money. They introduce disruptive technologies. They create markets for new products

and ideas and destroy old markets thereby creating opportunities. Intrapraneurs are those who are working

with companies and they work as paid employees, but they work similar to entrepreneurs in creating new

markets and destroying old markets. Necessity entrepreneurship is usually driven by displeasure with low

salary, a fear of unemployment, or pure unemployment, while innovation, new technologies and

opporutnies create opportunity entrepreneurship. Greener (2001, 134) argues exogenous shocks result in

new policy paradigms and thus create scope for new organizations. Collier and Collier (1991) and

Mahoney (2001) have looked at crisis and other such factors as responsible for new political organsations.

Dahl (1961, 6) concludes that the political entrepreneur is agent of change and change maker. Pemberton

(2000, 777) identifies change agents as belonging to a policy network schema. In this case the policy

entrepreneurs are essential for advocating new policy ideas to replace failing arrangements at times of

crisis. Hwang & Powell (2005, p. 212) mention that successful political entrepreneurs create new political

programmes and organizations by using innovations and change management. Mintrom and Norman

(2009) argues that political entrepreneurship takes three stages. The first stage is that of a cricis, then

policy entrepreneurs emerge and advocate new policies and then come the political entrepreneurs, who

introduce new political organizations to fill the vacuum. Blyth (2002) introduces the concept of Knightian

uncertainty which enables political entrepreneurs to take advantage of crisis to create new political

organization.

Professor Trilok Kumar Jain is Dean of Faculty of Management in Suresh Gyan Vihar University
Jaipur and is also Director of Distance Education. He can be contacted at jain.tk@gmail.com Page 2
Schein (1996) asserts that organizations develop a dominant work culture and values over time as they

adapt and develop. Sathe (1985) mentions that when organizations face new opportunities, threat,

uncertainty, and ambiguity, they reassert their own habituated behavior . Staw, Sandelands, & Dutton

(1981) and Weick (1993) assert similar observations. Cameron (2003) states that institutions also tend to

respond to challenges by amplifying their core cultural values and with the passage of time the culture is

intensified. There was no study exclusively on Work Culture in Political Entrepreneurship but these

studies have helped in creating fundamental understanding

Research Methodology

The purpose of this study is to focus on political entrepreneurship, therefore the study must focus on new

organizations / institutions. The researcher therefore studied only those organizations, which have come

to existence in last 10 years. These organizations are new and are relatively growing organsiations. They

are experiencing the process of entrepreneurship. The founder is still present and is actively promoting

development of organization. Therefore this study is confined to only new political organizations.

Jain (1999) has used participant observation and indepth interviews for exploratory study on social

entrepreneurship. Clarke (2005) has given insights on use of grounded theory, which the researcher has

used in the research. Curry (2004) has carried out researches using grounded theory as qualitative

research tools and has advocated these tools for knowledge generation and development. Piantanida,

Tananis and Grubs (2004) have suggested that grounded theory may be used for dissertational research.

Piantanida, et al. (2004) observe that the grounded theory is the most useful method of research in the

present day context for issues relating to social science. For the present study, the researcher used

grounded theory using participant observation method and in-depth interviews of thirty office bearers of a

political party. These office bearers belong to an emerging and growing political party (Aam Aadmi

Party) and the researcher confined the study to only two states in India (Punjab and Rajasthan states) in

spreading the party. These office bearers have started working during last two years only. These office

Professor Trilok Kumar Jain is Dean of Faculty of Management in Suresh Gyan Vihar University
Jaipur and is also Director of Distance Education. He can be contacted at jain.tk@gmail.com Page 3
bearers are trying to spread the ideology and philosophy of their political party. These office bearers are

involed in setting up of their political party for the first time. They have created the office and they have

started the membership campaign in their areas. They are trying to create the organizational framework of

their organization. The researcher also used participant observation method of study for this purpose. The

researcher joined a group to understand the process of entrepreneurship.

Findings and Observations :

The study focused on work culture during the process of entrepreneurship. The culture and value systems

are in the process of development. The organization is in the stage of formation. The organization is

trying to create its systems and processes. There were many aspects of behavior that the researcher was

able to observe and document during the research. The researcher documented all the observations during

the study and based on the study, the main issues relating to entrepreneurship were noted down. The main

observations are as under: -

The party spread its offices all over Rajasthan and Punjab and created Zonal Incharge, City Incharge,

Sector Incharge, Circle Incharge and Booth Incharge. All these persons have the responsibility of

spreading the ideology and philosophy of the party. The party is constantly giving information, media

coverage and social media campaigns to raise morale and motivation among workers. The party is

working constantly to take up energetic youth, who can actively campaign. The city coordinators organize

regular campaigns and meetings. New members are enrolled and given responsibilities to spread the ideas

of the party. The party regularly organizes meetings where these members are able to get oriented about

the work culture of the party.

The researcher observed many aspects of this organization with regard to work culture. Some of the

observations are as below: -

Professor Trilok Kumar Jain is Dean of Faculty of Management in Suresh Gyan Vihar University
Jaipur and is also Director of Distance Education. He can be contacted at jain.tk@gmail.com Page 4
Tolerance for Diversity:
The organization gives membership to new members, who bring with them new ideas. The party is

focused on the fundamental ideas of removing corruption. The party openly welcomes suggestions and

ideas of new members. The new members are welcome in the party. They can give their ideas and

opinions and raise their views. They are given freedom to express and show divergence

Emphasis on Membership Drives:

Since the party is in the inception, the most important factor is membership drive. The members who are

able to bring new members are encouraged. The members are encouraged to use social media in

spreading the party. Every member is encouraged to show the logo of the party on whatsapp page and

facebook page.

Freequent Meetings:
Since the party is in its infancy, there are frequent meetings to create procedures, establish hierarchies,

creation new positions, add new office bearers etc. The frequency of meetings enable the office bearers to

remain in constant touch with each other.

Optimism and Positivism:

The overall culture is that of optimism and positivism. There are new hopes. Members expect to take

advantage of the growing numbers of the party members and expect to get good results. There is hope and

aspirations among members. Whenever new members join, there is a type of celebration because

members take it as a victory for their efforts and this optimism further enables them to add new members.

Collective Fund raising:

The office bearers try to motivate people to donate for a good cause. They spread information about

campaigns and good initiatives of the party so that more and more people follow the ideology. They

believe that if people can follow their ideas, they will support the party.

Indepth interviews were analysed using qualitative analysis to identify the key ideas and main issues in

culture and work practices and the findings are presented below:

Professor Trilok Kumar Jain is Dean of Faculty of Management in Suresh Gyan Vihar University
Jaipur and is also Director of Distance Education. He can be contacted at jain.tk@gmail.com Page 5
 Table : identification of key issues from indepth interviews of the office bearers of the political

party.

Cultural Aspect Number of Examples of statements

Relating to Respondents
Organisation who opinied
on this issue
Initiative 28 everyone should come forward to spread membership

Collective responsibility 21 We are working together and are collectively responsible

Euphoria 28 We will win the next elections

Discipline 18 Members are asked to refrain from indiscipline in actions

and words

Order 16 We follow our leaders

Accountability 18 we will be responsible if we dont bring change in this

state.

Innovativeness 19 We have used social media for our campaigns

Aggression 15 We have to eradicate corrupt officers completely

Power orientation 12 We shall use the office to remove corruption

Openness 19 We welcome anyone who can become content writer for

our social media campaigns

Total Number of Indepth 30 office

Interviews bearers

The recordings, the narrations and the detailed documents of observations and the findings of this study

was then shown to two experts (Social Scientists) to know about their critical observations and opinions.

They were consulted before finalizing this paper. Their observations were similar to the researcher. Thus

the researcher prepared the propositions based on this research study.

Professor Trilok Kumar Jain is Dean of Faculty of Management in Suresh Gyan Vihar University
Jaipur and is also Director of Distance Education. He can be contacted at jain.tk@gmail.com Page 6
Propositions and Observations for Further Study : -

Based on the study, the researcher has identified following propositions for further study and exploration:

a. The overall work culture is full of optimism and aggression in the beginning of the political

organization.

b. Members of new political organizations show willingness to accept new members to spread their

organization

c. Members of new political organization are open to suggestions and criticism and are willing to

accept diversity of ideas.

d. The members of new political organizations meet frequently to set up the overall systems of work

processes and work structure.

e. New political organization is innovative in its approach to reach out to people and uses latest

media for spreading its information.

f. The members of the political organization are clear about ideology and want to spread the

ideology among masses to bring about desired change in the society and they believe that if

people will follow their ideology they will support them.

Limitations and conclusions:

This study is limited to a single political party. This study has focused only on work culture and related

aspects. However, entrepreneurship has many aspects like resource mobilization, resource utilization,

ideation, team development etc. This study is very limited in its nature and scopy and its findings may not

be applicable to other organizations. The researcher has conclused with some observations and

propositions which would be helpful to the researchers in the future in the field of political

entrepreneurship. This study should encourage other researchers to take up detailed studies in the field of

political entrepreneurship.

Professor Trilok Kumar Jain is Dean of Faculty of Management in Suresh Gyan Vihar University
Jaipur and is also Director of Distance Education. He can be contacted at jain.tk@gmail.com Page 7
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Professor Trilok Kumar Jain is Dean of Faculty of Management in Suresh Gyan Vihar University
Jaipur and is also Director of Distance Education. He can be contacted at jain.tk@gmail.com Page 8
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Professor Trilok Kumar Jain is Dean of Faculty of Management in Suresh Gyan Vihar University
Jaipur and is also Director of Distance Education. He can be contacted at jain.tk@gmail.com Page 9