Other managers say they agree.

"We're encouraged to come up with new ideas, and even if they don't happen to come [within the realm] of our agencies, we're still encouraged to bring them up," says Jill Maza '88, HSA's direct sales manager for 1987-1988.

Hunt says there has been some entrepreneurial activity in recent years. She points to the formation and expansion of the text processing agency and the plans for a new information processing agency, which will perform research for local businesses.

Other managers analyze the market to explain the lack of entrepreneurial activity within HSA.

There is little room left in the local market for HSA to expand its 11 agencies, says Akira Hirai '89, who recently ended his term as sales manager for the extremely successful Let's Go travel guides as well as the Unofficial Guide to Student Life at Harvard. Hirai points to this fact as an explanation for the decline in innovation at HSA.

Another manager says that her HSA experience has been one of "reactive management," which stresses day-to-day activities and says she is not sure whether or not this is the type of experience she needs.

"Maybe it's not the purpose of HSA to have entrepreneurs. Maybe the purpose is [managerial] training, [but] maybe that's not such good training because in today's world, if you don't have new ideas, you can hardly compete," says Bridget S. Bailey '89, who recently completed her term as distribution manager at HSA.

Both Epps and Howe agree that there is room for more innovation at HSA. "There probably is more we can do to foster entrepreneurism, and I think Hope Spruance feels that way too," says Howe, adding "I think it has not been so much reluctance to do it as it has been having the time and establishing that as a priority."