Public higher education institutions (HE institutions) have had to increasingly diversify their financial portfolios due of ongoing reductions in public funding allocations. One-way public HE institutions are diversifying their financial portfolios is by increasingly investing in academic entrepreneurial initiatives implemented by their internal academic stakeholders; faculty, staff and/or students. This qualitative case study incorporating components of action research was aimed to understand how institutional leadership influences frontline management (faculty and/or staff) when implementing academic entrepreneurial initiatives. The theoretical framework used for this research study is the Influencer Model. This research study took place within a large public research university, with the case bounded in a large academic department that has services pertaining to academia, and community services related to their land-grant agricultural and extension missions. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]