Discovery Ltd: entrepreneurship in its DNA

Abstract

Subject area

Entrepreneurship.

Study level/applicability

The case has been used at Master's level but it has direct application to any MBA programme or entrepreneurship module.

Case overview

Adrian Gore started Discovery in 1992 with seed-funding of R10 million from merchant banking group, Rand Merchant Bank (RMB), as a health insurance company within the RMB stable. By 2009, Discovery had become a large, listed, financial services institution employing more than 5,000 people and comprising not only Discovery Health (DH), but also Discovery Life (DL), Discovery Invest (DI) and Discovery Vitality (a wellness programme). In addition, it had operations in the USA, where it licensed Vitality for use by employers and other health insurers, and in the UK where it operated two joint ventures with The Prudential plc – Pruhealth and Prulife.

Expected learning outcomes

To understand the similarities and differences between corporate and start-up entrepreneurship; to understand the entrepreneurial process within an established organization; to explore the environment within an established company in terms of how much it supports or constrains entrepreneurship; and to look at creative ways to overcome obstacles to entrepreneurship in established companies.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes.

Citation

Beswick, C. and Urban, B. (2012), "Discovery Ltd: entrepreneurship in its DNA", , Vol. 2 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/20450621211214487