Why is ‘skunk-working’ important for intrapreneurship?

‘Skunk-works’ is a term associated with Lockheed Martin. It is another name for the Advanced Development Programs Lockheed allowed Kelly Johnson and Ben Rich to establish as an autonomous organization – a company within a company – with a small, focused team. This team created some of the most innovative aircraft models, including the U-2, Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk, Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and the Lockheed Martiin F-35 Lightening II – all of which had been used by air forces in several countries. Lockheed learned that successful intrapreneurship happens when team members are given autonomy and are allowed to defi ne a clear path themselves for their idea and they are given the authority to modify and innovate as needed without going through bureaucratic approval processes. ‘Skunk-working’ is now a term widely used in business to describe a group working in a similar way.