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The unit hits the deck running.
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The unit has a corporate sponsor, usually called a champion, from the beginning.
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Survival in its first years is often highly dependent on the
career of the champion.
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Internal cooperation with other units is easily mandated and
enforced.
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The unit is staffed up quickly, so the career path (or lack
of one) from the unit quickly becomes evident.
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At the beginning, a positive record of successes is not a
factor in its acceptance, so it may have time to mature.
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The initial audience for its services is usually clear and
centralized, such as a strategic planning officer.
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The use of its output is often mandated at the same time it
is created.
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The name given the unit reflects its purpose, such as
Marketing Intelligence or Competitor Research.
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Available funds for the unit's operation are directly
appropriated or come from another budget source controlled by its sponsor.
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Given that it has a champion, it has substantial protection
from problems of accepted/expected failure (see chapter 15).
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The unit is able quickly to cross the line from analysis to
policy making.
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The unit may quickly be perceived, whether accurately or
not, as strictly neutral, a "special pleader," or the champion's control
device.