Industrial Services of America Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Industrial Services of America Inc - Essay Example It is evident that a number of factors including promotion, job security, approval from peers and management, and appraisals, motivate employees in an organizational scenario. Internal factors, such as ethics, values, and morals of the organization affect the motivation and work output of the employees. A successful organization ensues that its employees are well motivated because they are the organization itself. An organization should study and structure its throughput variables in a manner that will enhance employee motivation. The knowledge of throughput variable interaction is essential for successful employee motivation and performance enhancement (Burke, 2010). This paper will examine the throughput variables of Industrial Services of America Inc. and how their interaction influences employee motivation and performance. Industrial Services of America is a company that is in the recycling business majoring in metal recycling. This business is quite competitive in the United Sta tes, and this exposes ISA to potential business risks and stiff competition from some of the established recycling companies. This problem is compounded by the fact that the economy is unfavorable for the market; therefore, the company’s returns are adversely affected. ISA management has resorted to employee motivation using throughput variable interaction to influence employee motivation and enhance performance. This increases the work output of employees thus increasing the returns of the company. Throughput Variables used by ISA Mission and Strategy The mission and strategy of ISA emphasizes on consistent and clarity in communication that are essential for the company’s success. The senior management believes in forming a mission and vision statement that is celebrated by both the public and the employees. To ensure that employees celebrate the strategy and the mission of the organization, the teams that create it must consider the opinions of the employees in the p rocess. Studies have shown that those organizations that have involved teams at all levels in mission and strategic planning increase an employee’s motivation to the success of the organization. Through wide consultations and public debate, the employees’ individual needs and divergent views are listened to without reprimand. This process motivates employees because it makes them valued and thus dissipating any hidden rebellion or resistance to management (Sharma, 2006). Individual needs and values As aforementioned, an individual’s need for satisfaction influences their motivation. ISA is like a society with employees with a diverse background. This translates to different needs and values among the company’s employees, which makes it vital for the organization to enhance its ability to meet the different needs of the employees. ISA identifies the values and needs of its employees through integrating them in the process of major decision-making. The comp any has a culture in which the management mingles freely with the junior employees besides the use of effective feedback mechanisms that are employed. The feedback mechanisms used by the company are essential for job enhancement decisions taken by the management. Job enhancement and enrichment boost employee motivation. This is because the meeting of the employees’

Observations of an Apple Essay Example for Free

Observations of an Apple Essay The assignment was to observe a fruit or vegetable for at least an hour. I thought it was crazy and pointless but not so ridiculous that I would not do it and earn a bad grade. Before I started, I read Samuel Scudder’s essay â€Å"Learning to See† where he talks about having to do a similar type of assignment but with a fish. He eventually became engrossed in the fish and so I became determined that I was going to try to find all I possibly could about my apple in the hour that I had. With this in mind, I chose an apple from my bowl of fruit and prepared for what I thought would be a tedious sixty minutes. I grabbed some paper and a pen, turned on some music, and began the observation process. I started just by writing everything I could see on the outside of the apple. The skin of the apple had many different shades of red as well as a yellow patch on one side. It was covered in dark red stripes that looked like quick paint strokes from a tiny paintbrush. Little white and yellow dots gave it the appearance of a speckled egg. I then noticed the apple’s shape as well as the lumps, dents, and scratches on its skin. It was slightly cold to the touch, as well as smooth and dry. I was tempted to go ahead and cut the apple open but I wanted to make sure I had written down all the small details that would normally go completely unnoticed. After I was sure I had noted as much as I could about the outside, I sliced the apple in half horizontally to observe the inside. When it is cut horizontally, the little pit where the seeds are kept is in the shape of a star and feels like thin cardboard. There were five seeds, all dark brown and shaped like a raindrop. The flesh was softer on its own without the protection of the skin and almost mushy. When I looked even closer, it seemed that the flesh of the apple was made up of tiny crystals that glistened in the light because of the juice and its cream coloring. The inside was even colder since it was wet. The sweet smell of the apple grew stronger and I finally gave in and took a bite. I wrote about the crunchiness, how crisp it was, how my teeth left their impression in the apple, how the skin ripped when it was bitten, and how  juicy it was. I decided to check the time at that point and was extremely surprised that I had only fifteen minutes left to finish up my notes. So I decided to get a little more creative with what I did to the apple. I began dissecting pieces of it, cutting little spots in half, finding the veins and what seemed to be roots of the apple. I even noticed how it stained the paper towel it sat on when I cut it. Soon I realized I had just a few minutes left and so to finish it all off, I decided to see what would happen when the apple, or what was left of it, would do when thrown hard against the pavement. I quickly ran outside and excitedly hurled the apple at the ground. I was pleased to watch it break apart and splatter all over the sidewalk and even into the snow. I walked back inside and was surprised at how excited and enthusiastic I had become by going through this sort of experiment. I did not expect that sort of reaction to come from me especially when my first thoughts had been that I would end up hating this assignment and giving up on it. I never would have believed someone if they had told me that I would one day spend an hour observing an apple, and in the end, find that I had actually enjoyed it.

Parallel Experiences of Three Troubled Women in Cunninghams, The Hours

Parallel Experiences of Three Troubled Women in Cunningham's, The Hours According to Chronicles magazine, "Woolf was undeniably a brilliant writer." Woolf's work of Mrs. Dalloway was read by fifteen-year-old Michael Cunningham in order to impress an older girl in school. As he stated, "the book really knocked me out." Once older, Cunningham wanted to write about Mrs. Dalloway, but thought not too many people would want to read a book about reading a book. He then thought he might want to read a book about reading the right book. Hence, The Hours was written. Cunningham would incorporate Mrs. Dalloway into "a book about reading a book." The Hours weaves through three woman's lives. As the novel unfolds, it shows that these three women are related by parallel experiences. The first narrative is Virginia Woolf, the famous author. She is one of the main women in this complex story. Woolf has a troublesome life. She has multiple thoughts of suicide and death. She is anorexic and caught in a marriage that is doomed. The first chapter by Cunningham tells of Woolf's suicide drowning in 1941. Cunningham tells of the demons within Woolf's head and the consequently her fatal death from listening to these voices. The novel then moves to the stories of two modern American women who are trying to make rewarding lives for themselves. Laura Brown is a fragile middleclass housewife and mother in 1951. She lives a miserable life trying to play the model suburban housewife. Throughout The Hours, Laura is reading Mrs. Dalloway, which is Virginia's novel. Her obvious mental illness doesn't allow her to always connect and understand her environment. Situations that seem simple to the average person, such as making a cake, are beyond difficu... ...fter reading the story and watching it, I still have difficulty interrupting it. Yet, by looking at the ambiguities, gaps and strategically placed metaphors I can understand it better. Cunningham does a good job of tying these three stories together into a novel about reading a book. I would highly recommend this book to the advanced reader. Works Cited Axemaker, Sean. "Driven to Live." Rev. of The Hours, by Michael Cunningham. Eugene Weekly: 23 Jan. 2003 "Be Afraid of Virginia Woolf." Chronicles: March 2003. Cunningham, Michael. The Hours. New York: Picador USA, 1998. Doig, Will. "Man of The Hours: Michael Cunningham's Unlikely Runaway Smash." Metro Weekly 23 Jan. 2003. Merriam-Webster. Webster's New American Dictionary. New York: Smithmark, 1995. Sipiora, Phillip. Reading and Writing about Literature. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2002.

Enterperneurship and Notes

Entrepreneurship—MGT602 VU Table of Contents Lesson No. Title / Topic 1 Introduction 2 The Nature and Importance of Entrepreneurship 3 Entrepreneurial Process/ Start up 4 The Entrepreneurial and Intrapreneurial Mind 5 The Entrepreneurial and Intrapreneurial Mind (Contd†¦ ) 6 The Entrepreneurial and Intrapreneurial Mind (Contd†¦ ) 7 The Entrepreneurial and Intrapreneurial Mind (Contd†¦ ) 8 The Individual Entrepreneur 9 The Individual Entrepreneur (Contd†¦ ) 10 The Individual Entrepreneur (Contd†¦ 11 International Entrepreneurial Opportunities 12 International Entrepreneurial Opportunities 13 International Entrepreneurial Opportunities (Contd†¦ ) 14 International Entrepreneurial Opportunities (Contd†¦ ) 15 International Entrepreneurial Opportunities (Contd†¦ ) 16 Creativity and Business Idea 17 Creativity and the Business Idea 18 Legal Issues for the Entrepreneur 19 Legal Issues for Entrepreneur (Contd†¦ ) 20 Legal Issues for the Entr epreneur (Contd†¦ ) 21 Creating and Starting the Venture 22 Creating and Starting the Business Venture (Contd†¦ 23 Creating and Starting the Venture (Continued) 24 Creating and Starting the Business Plan Continued) 25 The Marketing Plan 26 The Marketing Mix 27 The Organizational Plan 28 The Organizational Plan (Continued) 29 The Organization Plan (Contd†¦ ) 30 The Financial Plan 31 The Financial Plan (Continued†¦ ) 32 Pro Forma Sources and Uses of Funds 33 Pro forma Sources and Uses of Funds 34 Bank Lending Decision 35 Sources of Capital 36 Sources of Capital (Contd†¦ ) 37 Capital Sources in Pakistan Preparing for the New Venture Launch: Early Management Decisions 38 (Contd†¦ ) Page No. 3 06 08 13 15 18 20 22 24 26 29 33 35 37 39 40 43 46 49 52 54 56 58 60 62 65 68 70 72 75 77 81 83 85 87 89 91 95  © Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 1 Entrepreneurship—MGT602 VU 39 Preparing for the New Venture Launch: Early Management Decisions (Contdâ € ¦ ) 40 Preparing for the New Venture Launch: Early Management Decisions (Contd†¦ ) 41 Preparing for the New Venture Launch: Early Management Decisions (Contd†¦ ) 96 97 99 42 Preparing for the New Venture Launch: Early Management Decisions (Contd†¦ ) 43 New Venture Expansion Strategies and Issues 44 New Venture Expansion Strategies and Issues (Contd†¦ 45 Entrepreneurship and Pakistan 102 103 105 108  © Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 2 Entrepreneurship—MGT602 INTRODUCTION Lesson 01 LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. VU 1. To introduce the concept of entrepreneurship and its historical development. 2. To explain the entrepreneurial decision process. 3. To identify the basic types of start-up ventures. 4. To explain the role of entrepreneurship in economic development. 5. To discuss the ethics and racial responsibility of entrepreneurs. NATURE AND DEVELOPMENT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP The term entrepreneur comes from the French and translates â€Å" between-taker† or go-between. † Earliest Period In this period the money person (forerunner of the capitalist) entered into a contract with the go-between to sell his goods. While the capitalist was a passive risk bearer, the merchant bore all the physical and emotional risks. Middle Ages In this age the term entrepreneur was used to describe both an actor and a person who managed large production projects. In such large production projects, this person did not take any risks, managing the project with the resources provided. A typical entrepreneur was the cleric who managed architectural projects. 7th Century In the 17th century the entrepreneur was a person who entered into a contract with the government to perform a service Richard Cantillon, a noted economist of the 1700s, developed theories of the entrepreneur and is regarded as the founder of the term. He viewed the entrepreneur as a risk taker who â€Å"buy[s] at certain price and sell[s] at an uncertain price, t herefore operating at a risk. † 18th Century In the 18th century the person with capital was differentiated from the one who needed capital. In other words, entrepreneur was distinguished from the capital provider.Many of the inventions developed during this time as was the case with the inventions of Eli Whitney and Thomas Edison were unable to finance invention themselves. Both were capital users (entrepreneurs), not capital providers (venture capitalists. ) Whitney used expropriated crown property. Edison raised capital from private sources. A venture capitalist is a professional money manager who makes risk investments from a pool of equity capital to obtain a high rate of return on investments. 19th and 20th Centuries In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, entrepreneurs were viewed mostly from an economic perspective.The entrepreneur â€Å"contributes his own initiative, skill and ingenuity in planning, organizing and administering the enterprise, assuming the chance of loss and gain. † Andrew Carnegie is one of the best examples of this definition, building the American steel industry on of the wonders of industrial world, primarily through his competitiveness rather than creativity. In the middle of the 20th century, the notion of an entrepreneur as an innovator was established.  © Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 3 Entrepreneurship—MGT602Innovation, the act of introducing something new, is one of the most difficult tasks for the entrepreneur. VU Edward Harriman and John Pierpont Morgan are examples of this type of entrepreneur. Edward reorganized the Ontario and southern railroad through the northern pacific trust and john developed his large banking house by reorganizing and financing the nation’s industries. This ability to innovate is an instinct that distinguishes human beings from other creatures and can be observed throughout history. DEFINITION OF ENTREPRENEUR The concept of entrepreneurship from a person al perspective has been explored in this century.This exploration is reflected in the following three definitions of an entrepreneur: In almost all definitions of entrepreneurship, there is agreement that we are talking about a kind of behavior that includes: 1. Initiative taking 2. The organizing and reorganizing or social/economic mechanisms to turn resources and situations to practical account. 3. The acceptance of risk or failure. To an economist, an entrepreneur is one who brings resources, labor, materials, and other assets into combinations that make their value greater than before, and one who introduces changes, innovations, and a new order.To a psychologist, such a person is typically driven by certain forces- the need to obtain something, to experiment, to accomplish or perhaps to escape the authority of others. Entrepreneurship is the dynamic process of creating incremental wealth. Our definition of entrepreneurship involves four aspects: 1. Entrepreneurship involves the creation process. 2. It requires the devotion of the necessary time and effort. 3. It involves assuming the necessary risks. 4. The rewards of being an entrepreneur are independence, personal satisfaction, and monetary reward.For the person who actually starts his or her own business there is a high failure rate due to poor sales, intense competition, lack of capital or lack of managerial ability. THE ENTR EPRENEURIAL DECISION PROCESS (Deciding to become an entrepreneur by leaving present activity ) Many individuals have difficulty bringing their ideas to the market and creating new venture entrepreneurship and the actual entrepreneurial decisions have resulted in several million new businesses being started throughout the world.Although no one knows the exact number in the United States. Indeed, millions of ventures are formed despite recession, inflation, high interest rates, and lack of infrastructure, economic uncertainty and the high probability of failure The entrepreneurial decision process entails a movement from something to something— a movement from a present life style to forming a new enterprise. To leave a present live-style to create something new comes from a negative force–disruption. Many companies are formed by people who have retired, moved, or been fired.Another cause of disruption  © Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 4 Entrepreneurship—MGT602 is completing an educational degree. The decision to start a new company occurs when an individual perceives that forming a new enterprise is both desirable and possible. VU KEY TERMS Breakthrough innovations A new product with some technological change Business ethics The study of behavior and morals in a business situation Desirability of new venture formation Aspects of a situation that make it desirable to start a new company.Entrepreneur Individual who takes risks and starts something new Entrepreneur as an innovator An individual developing something unique Entrep reneurial decision process Deciding to become an entrepreneur by leaving present activity Entrepreneurship Process of creating something new and assuming the risks and rewards  © Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 5 Entrepreneurship—MGT602 THE NATURE AND IMPORTANCE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP Lesson 02 VU LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. To introduce the concept of entrepreneurship and its historical development. . To explain the entrepreneurial decision process. Desirability of New Venture Formation (Aspects of a situation that make it desirable to start a new company) The perception that starting a new company is desirable results from an individual’s culture, subculture, family, teachers and peers. American culture places a high value on being your own boss, being a success and making money therefore, it is not surprising to find a high rate of company formation in the United States.On the other hand in some countries making money is not as valued and failure may be a disgrac e. The rate of business formation in these countries is not as high. Many subcultures that shape value systems operate within a cultural framework. Studies indicate that a high percentage of founders of companies had fathers and/or mothers who valued independence. Encouragement to form a company is also gained from teachers, who can significantly influence individuals. An area having a strong educational base is also a requirement for entrepreneurial activity.Peers are important, also, as is an area with an entrepreneurial pool and peer-meeting place. Possibility of New Venture Formation (Factors making it possible to create a new venture) Although the desire of new venture formation derived from the individual’s culture, subculture, family, teachers and peers needs to be present before any action is taken, the second feature necessary centers around this question â€Å"What makes it possible to form a new company? † Formal education nd previous business experience giv e a potential entrepreneur the skills needed to form and manage a new enterprise. Although educational systems are important in providing the needed business knowledge, individual will tend to be more successful in forming in fields in which they have worked. The government also contributes by providing the infrastructure to help a new venture. The market must be large enough and the entrepreneur must have the marketing know-how to put together the entire package. Finally, financial resources must be readily available.Although most start-up money comes from personal savings, credit, and friends, but there is often a need for additional capital. Riskcapital availability plays an essential role in the development and growth of entrepreneurial activity.  © Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 6 Entrepreneurship—MGT602 VU KEY TERMS Foundation companies A type of company formed from research and development that usually does not go public. Gazelles Very high growth ventures. Government as an innovator A government active in commercializing technology High-potential ventures.A venture that has high growth potential and therefore receives great investor interest Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship within an existing business structure Iterative synthesis The intersection of knowledge and social need that starts the product development process Lifestyle firm A small venture that supports the owners and usually does not grow Ordinary innovation Z new product with little technological change Possibility of new venture formation Factors making it possible to create a new venture Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 7 Entrepreneurship—MGT602 ENTREPRENEURIAL PROCESS/START UPS Lesson 03 LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. To identify the basic types of start-up ventures. 2. To explain the role of entrepreneurship in economic development 3. To discuss the ethics and racial responsibility of TYPES OF START-UPS Life-Style Firms A life-style firm exists primarily to su pport the owners and usually has little growth opportunity.This type of firm may grow after several years to 30 or 40 employees. Foundation Companies VU A type of company formed from research and development that usually does not go public. This firm can grow in five to ten years from 40 to 400 employees. High-Potential Venture A venture has high growth potential and therefore receives great investor interest. The company may start out like a foundation company, but its growth is far more rapid. After five to ten years the company could employ around 500 employees.These firms are also called gazelles and are most important for the economic development of an area ROLE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT The role of entrepreneurship in economic development involves initiating change in the structure of business and society. One theory of economic growth depicts innovation as the key, not only in developing new products, but also in stimulating investment interest. The new capi tal created expands the capacity for growth (supply side), and new spending utilizes the new capacity and output (demand side. In spite of the importance of investment and innovation in the economic development of an area, there is still a lack of understanding of few factors which are as follows: †¢ The product-evolution process is the process through which innovation develops and commercializes through entrepreneurial activity, which in turn stimulates economic growth. It begins with knowledge in the base technology and ends with products or services available in the marketplace. †¢ The critical point in the process is the intersection of knowledge and a recognized social need, called the iterative synthesis.This point often fails to evolve into a marketable innovation. Most innovations introduced in the market are ordinary innovations, with little uniqueness. Technological innovations refer to new products with significant technological advancements. †¢ †¢ â⠂¬ ¢ Breakthrough innovations mean the development of new products with some technological change. Regardless of the level of uniqueness or technology, each innovation evolves into and develops towards commercialization through one of three mechanisms: the government, entrepreneurship, or entrepreneurship.Entrepreneurship has assisted in revitalizing areas of the  © Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 8 Entrepreneurship—MGT602 VU inner city. Individuals in inner-city areas can relate to the concept and see it as a possibility for changing their present situation. GOVERNMENT AS AN INNOVATOR A government active in commercializing technology is known as an innovative government. Commercializing technology is frequently called technology transfer. However, few inventions resulting from government-sponsored research have reached the commercial market.Most of the by-products from scientific research have little application to any social need. The government lacks the busines s skills needed for successful commercialization. Government bureaucracy and red tape also often inhibit the timely formation of the business. Recently, federal labs have been required to commercialize some of their technology each year and some are providing entrepreneurial training Intrapreneurship Intrapreneurship refers to entrepreneurship within an existing organization or business structure. Existing businesses have the financial resources, business skills, and arketing and distribution system to commercialize innovation successfully. Often the bureaucratic structure, emphasis on short-term profits, and structured organization inhibit creativity. Some corporations have tried to establish an Entrepreneurial spirit in their organization, some in the form of strategic business units (SBUs. ) Intrapreneurship can also bridge the gap between science and the marketplace. It is the practice of using entrepreneurial skills without taking on the risks or accountability associated with entrepreneurial activities.It is practiced by employees within an established organization using a systemized business model. Employees, perhaps engaged in a special project within a larger firm are supposed to behave as entrepreneurs, even though they have the resources and capabilities of the larger firm to draw upon. Capturing the dynamic nature of entrepreneurial management (trying things until successful, learning from failures, attempting to conserve resources, etc. ) adds to the potential of otherwise static organizations without exposing those employees or self mployed people to the risks or accountability normally associated with entrepreneurial failure. Employee Intrapreneur An employee Intrapreneur is the person who focuses on innovation and creativity and who transforms a dream or an idea into a profitable venture, by operating within the organizational environment. Thus, Intrapreneurs are inside entrepreneurs who follow the goal of the organization. Employees, perhaps e ngaged in a special project within a larger firm are supposed to behave as entrepreneurs, even though they have the resources, capabilities and security of the larger firm to draw upon.Capturing a little of the dynamic nature of entrepreneurial management (trying things until successful, learning from failures, attempting to conserve resources, etc. ) adds to the potential of an otherwise static organizations without exposing those employees to the risks or accountability normally associated with entrepreneurial failure Entrepreneurship The third method for bridging the gap between the science and the marketplace is via  © Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 9 Entrepreneurship—MGT602 VU entrepreneurship. Many entrepreneurs have difficult time bridging this gap and creating new ventures.They may often lack managerial skills, marketing capabilities, or financial resources. They frequently do not know how to interface with banks, suppliers, customers, and distributors. Ye t, entrepreneurship is the most effective method for bridging the gap and creating new enterprises, these activities affect an areas economy by building the economic base and providing jobs. ENTREPRENEURIAL CAREERS AND EDUCATION Since 1985 there has been an increased interest in entrepreneurial careers fostered by factors such as increased media coverage of entrepreneurs and employment shifts.A conceptual model for understanding entrepreneurial careers views the career stages as interacting with other stages and events in the individual’s life, the life-cycle approach. This approach conceptualizes entrepreneurial careers in nine categories. 1. Educational environment 2. The individual’s personality 3. Childhood family environment 4. Employment history 5. Adult development history 6. Adult family/non-work history 7. Current work situation 8. The individual’s current perspective 9.The current family situation Although there exist a common perception that entrepren eur are less educated than the general population however studies have found entrepreneurs overall and female entrepreneurs in particular, are far more educated than the general population. However, this education sometimes does not develop the specific skills needed in the venture, especially for women entrepreneurs. Childhood influences have been explored, particularly in terms of values and the individual’s personality . The traits most frequently researched are the need for achievement, locus of control, risk-taking, and gender identity.The research on the childhood family environment of the entrepreneur has had more definite results. Entrepreneurs tend to have self-employed fathers, and many also have entrepreneurial mothers. The family plays an important role in establishing the desirability of entrepreneurship as a career. Employment history also has an impact on entrepreneur careers in both positive and a negative sense. Entrepreneurs tend to have a higher probability of success when the venture created is in their field of experience. Negative displacement (such as dissatisfaction with various aspects of ones job) also encourages entrepreneurship.Although no definite research has been done on the adult development history of entrepreneurs, it appears to also affect entrepreneur’s careers. One’s development history has somewhat more of an impact on women, since they tend to start businesses at a later stage in life. There is a lack of data on adult family/non-work history and the available data adds little understanding towards entrepreneurial career development. Entrepreneurs are known for their strong work values, their long workdays, and their dominant management style. They tend to fall in love with the organization and will sacrifice almost Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 10 Entrepreneurship—MGT602 VU anything in order for it to survive. While in college, few future entrepreneurs realize that they will pursue e ntrepreneurship as their major life goal. Relatively few individuals will start a business immediately after graduation. Entrepreneurship education is a fast growing area in colleges and universities. While the courses vary by university, there is a great commonality, especially in the initial few courses. The skills required by entrepreneurs can be classified in to three main areas: 1.Technical skills involve such things as writing, listening, oral presentations, coaching, and technical know-how. 2. Business management skills include those areas involved in starting, developing and managing any enterprise. 3. Personal entrepreneurial skills differentiate an entrepreneur from a manager and include inner control (discipline), risk taking, innovativeness, persistence, visionary leadership, and being change oriented. These skills and objectives form the basis of the modular approach to an entrepreneurship curriculum.Today entrepreneurs are recognizing the need to learn some of the scie nce of management in an MBA program in order to grow their businesses effectively in the global environment. ETHICS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF ENTREPRENEURS The entrepreneur must establish a balance between ethical exigencies, economic expediency, and social responsibility. A managers attitudes concerning corporate responsibility tend to be supportive of laws and professional codes of ethics. Entrepreneurs have few reference persons, role models, and developed internal ethics codes.Entrepreneurs are sensitive to peers pressure and social norms in the community as well as pressures from their companies. While ethics refers to the â€Å"study of whatever is right and good for humans,† business ethics concerns itself with the investigation of business practices in light of human values. The word â€Å"ethics† stems from the Greek ethos, meaning custom and usage. Development of Our Ethical Concepts Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle provide the earliest writings dealing with ethical conceptions; earlier writings involving moral codes can be found in both Judaism and Hinduism.American attitudes on ethics result from three principle influences: Judeo-Christian heritage, a belief in individualism and opportunities based on ability rather than social status. Research on business ethics can be broken down into four broad classifications: 1. Pedagogically-oriented inquiry 2. Theory-building without empirical testing 3. Empirical research, measuring the attitudes and ethical beliefs of students and academic faculty 4.Empirical research within business environments THE FUTURE OF ENTREPRENE URSHIP In spite of the differences in definition of entrepreneurship, there are common aspects such as risk taking, creativity, independence, and rewards. Entrepreneurship is currently being embraced by educational institutions, governments, societies, and corporations. Schools are increasing their emphasis on entrepreneurship in terms of courses and academic research. In Eu rope many universities have started programs in entrepreneurship. There has also been an increase in academic research, endowed chairs and centers of Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 11 Entrepreneurship—MGT602 VU entrepreneurial activity. Governments have also promoted the growth of entrepreneurship. Individuals are encouraged to form new businesses and provided tax incentives, roads, and a communications system to facilitate this creative process. Some state governments are developing strategies for fostering entrepreneurial activity. The venture capital industry has benefited from lowering of capital gains tax rates and more relaxed rules regarding pension fund investment. Society’s support of entrepreneurship is critical in providing motivation and public support.The media has played a powerful role in developing public support. Media coverage uplifts the image of the entrepreneur and growth companies. Articles have appeared in newspapers such as New York Ti mes, The Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post. Business magazines such as Barrons, Business Week, Forbes, and Fortune have provided coverage. Magazines such as Black Enterprise, Entrepreneur, Inc. , and Venture focus on issues of the entrepreneurial process. Television on both a national and local level has highlighted entrepreneurship. Large companies will continue to have a special interest in Entrepreneurship in the future.The largest 15 companies account for over 20 percent of the total U. S. research and development. Other companies will create more new businesses through Entrepreneurship. KEY TERMS Product-evolution process Process for developing and commercializing an innovation Risk taking Taking calculated chances in creating and running a venture. Technological innovation A new product with significant technological advancement Technology transfer Commercializing the technology in the laboratories into new products  © Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 12 E ntrepreneurship—MGT602THE ENTREPRENEURIAL AND INTRAPRENEURIAL MIND LEARNING OBJECTIV ES 1. To explain the aspects of the entrepreneurial process. 2. To explain the differences between entrepreneurial and managerial domains. 3. To explain the organizational environment conducive for entrepreneurship. 4. To identify the general characteristics of an Entrepreneur. 5. To explain the process of establishing entrepreneurship in an organization. VU Lesson 04 ENTREPR E NEURIAL PROCESS The entrepreneurial process involves finding, evaluating, and developing an opportunity by overcoming the strong forces that resist the creation of something new.Phase 1: Identifying and Evaluating the Opportunity Most good business opportunities result from an entrepreneur being alert to possibilities. Some sources are often fruitful, including consumers and business associates. Channel members of the distribution system-retailers, wholesalers or manufacturer’s reps-are also helpful. Technically -oriented individuals often identify business opportunities when working on other projects. Each opportunity must be carefully screened and evaluated-this is the most critical element of the entrepreneurial process. . The evaluation process involves looking at b. The creation and length of the opportunity c. Its real and perceived value d. Its risks and return. e. It’s fit with the skills and goals of the entrepreneur f. Its differential advantage in its competitive environment It is important to understand the cause of the opportunity, as the resulting opportunity may have a different market size and time dimension. The market size and the length of the window of opportunity are the primarily bases for determining risks and rewards.The risks reflect the market, competition, technology, and amount of capital involved. The amount of capital forms the basis for the return and rewards. The return and reward of the present opportunity needs to be viewed in light of any possible s ubsequent opportunities as well. The opportunity must fit the personal skills and goals of the entrepreneur. The entrepreneur must be able to put forth the necessary time and effort required for the venture to succeed. One must believe in the opportunity enough to make the necessary sacrifices.Opportunity analysis, or an opportunity assessment plan, should focus on the opportunity and provide the basis to make the decision, including: a. A description of the product or service b. An assessment of the opportunity c. Assessment of the entrepreneur and the team d. Specifications of all the activities and resources needed e. The source of capital to finance the initial venture The most difficult aspect of opportunity analysis is the assessment of the opportunity. Phase 2: Develop a Business Plan A good business plan must be developed in order to exploit the opportunity defined.A good business plan is important in developing the opportunity and in determining the resources required, obta ining those resources and successfully managing the venture.  © Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 13 Entrepreneurship—MGT602 VU Phase 3: Determine the Resources Required. Assessing the resources needed starts with an appraisal of the entrepreneur’s present resources. Any resources that are critical must be distinguished from those that are just helpful. Care must be taken not to underestimate the amount and variety of resources needed. Acquiring needed resources, while giving up as little control as possible, is difficult.The entrepreneur should try to maintain as large an ownership position as possible, particularly in the start-up stage. As the business develops, more funds will probably be needed, requiring more ownership be relinquished. Alternative resource suppliers should be identified, along with their needs and desires, in order to structure a deal with the lowest cost and loss of control. Phase 4: Manage the Enterprise. The entrepreneur must employ t hese resources through implementation of the business plan. This involves implementing a management structure, as well as identifying a control system.KEY TERMS Administrative domain The ways managers make decisions Business plan The description of the future direction of the business Corporate culture The environment of a particular organization Entrepreneurial domain The ways entrepreneurs make decisions Entrepreneurial process The process through which a new venture is created by an entrepreneur Entrepreneurial culture The environment of an entrepreneurial-oriented organization Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship within an existing business organization Opportunity identification The process by which an entrepreneur comes up with the opportunity for a new venture Opportunity parameters Barriers to new product creation and development Top management commitment Managers in an organization strongly supporting entrepreneurship Traditional managers Managers in a non-entrepreneurial-orie nted organization Window of opportunity The time period available for creating the new venture  © Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 14 Entrepreneurship—MGT602 VUTHE ENTREPRENEURIAL AND INTRAPRENEURIAL MIND (continued†¦) Lesson 05 LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. To explain the aspects of the entrepreneurial process. 2. To explain the differences between entrepreneurial and managerial domains. 3. To explain the organizational environment conducive for entrepreneurship. 4. To identify the general characteristics of an entrepreneur. 5. To explain the process of establishing entrepreneurship in an organization. MANAGERIAL VERSUS ENTREPRENEURIAL DECISION MAKING The difference between the entrepreneurial and managerial styles involves five business dimensions. Strategic Orientation The entrepreneur’s strategic orientation depends on his or her perception of the opportunity.This orientation is most important when other opportunities have diminishing returns accompanied by rapid changes in technology, consumer economies, social values or political rules. When the use of planning systems is the strategic orientation, there is more pressure for the administrative domain to be operant. Commitment to Opportunity The entrepreneurial domainis pressured by the need for action and has a short time span in terms of opportunity commitment. The administrative domain (the ways mangers make decisions) is not only slow to act on an opportunity, but the commitment is usually for a longer time span. Commitment of Resources An entrepreneur is used to having resources committed at periodic intervals, often based on certain tasks or objectives being reached.In acquiring these resources the entrepreneur is forced to achieve significant milestones using very few resources. In the administrative domain, the commitment of resources is for the total amount needed. Administrative-oriented individuals receive personal rewards by effectively administering the resources under t heir control. Control of Resources The administrator is rewarded by effective resource administration and has a drive to own or accumulate as many resources as possible. The entrepreneur, under pressure of limited resources, strives to rent resources on an as-needed basis. Managerial Structure In the administrative domain, the organizational structure is formalized and hierarchical in nature.The entrepreneur employs a flat organizational structure with informal networks. CAUSES FOR RECENT INTEREST IN INTRAPRENEURSHIP  © Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 15 Entrepreneurship—MGT602 VU Interest in intrapreneurship has resulted from events occurring on social, cultural, and business levels. There is an increasing interest in â€Å"doing your own thing. † Individuals frequently desire to create something of their own. They want responsibility and want more freedom in their organizations. Frustration can develop and result in the employee becoming less productive or leaving the organization. This has recently caused more discontent in structured organizations.When meaning is not provided within the organization, individuals often search for an institution, such as entrepreneurship, that will provide it. Intrapreneurship is one method for stimulating and capitalizing on those who think that something can be done differently and better, such as Xerox Corporation’s commitment to Xerox Technology Ventures. It is important to instill the intrapreneurial spirit in an organization in order to innovate and grow. In a large organization problems occur that thwart creativity and innovation. This growth and diversity that can result are critical, since large corporations are more efficient in a competitive market than are smaller firms.The resistance against flexibility, growth, and diversification can be overcome by developing a spirit of entrepreneurship, called Intrapreneurship, within the existing organization. There are social, cultural, and business pressures for Entrepreneurship. Hyper competition has forced U. S. companies to focus on new product development and increased productivity. Reductions in large corporation’s staff are being absorbed in the workforce, particularly in small businesses. Entrepreneurial endeavors consist of four key elements. 1. New business venturing refers to the creation of new business within an existing organization. 2. Organizational innovativeness refers to product and service innovation with an emphasis on development and innovation in technology. 3.Self-renewal reflects the transformation of organizations through the renewal of the key ideas on which they are built. 4. Proactiveness includes initiative and risk taking, as well as competitive aggressiveness KEY TERMS Administrative domain The ways managers make decisions Business plan The description of the future direction of the business Corporate culture The environment of a particular organization Entrepreneurial domain The ways entrepreneurs make decisions Entrepreneurial process The process through which a new venture is created by an entrepreneur Entrepreneurial culture The environment of an entrepreneurial-oriented organization Entrepreneurship  © Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 16 Entrepreneurship—MGT602Entrepreneurship within an existing business organization Opportunity identification The process by which an entrepreneur comes up with the opportunity for a new venture Opportunity parameters Barriers to new product creation and development Top management commitment Managers in an organization strongly supporting Entrepreneurship Traditional managers Managers in a non-entrepreneurial-oriented organization Window of opportunity The time period available for creating the new venture VU  © Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 17 Entrepreneurship—MGT602 VU THE ENTREPRENEURIAL AND INTRAPRENEURIAL MIND (continued†¦) Lesson 06 LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. To expl ain the aspects of the entrepreneurial process. To explain the differences between entrepreneurial and managerial domains. To explain the organizational environment conducive for entrepreneurship. To identify the general characteristics of an entrepreneur. To explain the process of establishing entrepreneurship in an organization.CORPORATE VERSUS INTRAPRENEURIAL CULTURE Smaller, aggressive, entrepreneurial firms are developing more new products and becoming dominant in certain markets. Many companies are attempting to create the same spirit, culture, and rewards of entrepreneurship in their organizations. The typical corporate culture has a climate and reward system that favors conservative decision making. Emphasis is on gathering large amounts of data as the basis for a rational decision. Risky decisions are often postponed until hard facts are gathered or a consultant is hired. Often there are so many approvals required that no individual feels personally responsible for the proj ect. The guiding principles in a traditional corporate culture are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.Follow instructions given Do not make mistakes Do not fail Do not take initiative Stay within your turf and protect your backside This restrictive environment is not conducive to creativity, flexibility, and risk taking The guiding principles of intrapreneurs Aspects of an Entrepreneurial culture are quite different: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Develop visions, goals, and action plans Be rewarded for actions taken Suggest, try, and experiment Create and develop Take responsibility and ownership There are differences in the norms of the two cultures. The traditional culture is hierarchical in nature, with established procedures, lines of authority, and control mechanisms. These support the present corporate culture, and do not encourage new venture creation.The culture of an intrapreneurial firm has a flat organizational structure with networking, teamwork, sponsors, and mentors. Close working relationships help establish an atmosphere or trust that facilitates accomplishment of visions. Individuals make suggestions across functional areas, resulting in cross-fertilization of ideas. The two cultures produce different types of individuals and management styles.  © Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 18 Entrepreneurship—MGT602 VU Motivation Traditional managers are motivated primarily by promotion and typical corporate rewards. Entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs thrive on independence and the ability to create.Intrapreneurs expect their performance to be suitably rewarded. There are also time orientation differences. Managers emphasize the short run, entrepreneurs the long run, and intrapreneurs somewhere in between. Intrapreneurs use a midpoint mode between delegation of managers and direct involvement of entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs are moderate risk takers; managers are much more cautious. Most entrepreneurs fail at least once, and Intrapreneurs learn to concea l risky projects from management until the last possible moment. Traditional managers tend to be most concerned about those at higher levels, entrepreneurs serve self and customers, and intrapreneurs add sponsors.CLIMATE FOR INTRAPRENEURSHIP In establishing an Intrapreneurial environment, certain factors and leadership characteristics need to be present. The first of these is that the organization operates on the frontiers of technology. Since research and development are key sources for new product ideas, the firm must operate on the cutting edge of technology and encourage and supporting new ideas instead of discouraging them. Second is experimentation, or trial and error, is encouraged. Successful new products usually do not appear fully developed; instead they evolve. A company wanting to establish an intrapreneurial spirit has to establish an environment that allows mistakes and failures.Without the opportunity to fail, few corporate intrapreneurial ventures will be developed. Third an organization should make sure that there are no initial opportunity parameters, such as turf protection, inhibiting creativity in new product development. Fourth, the resources of the firm need to be available and easily accessible. Often, insufficient funds are allocated not to creating something new but instead to solving a problem that have an immediate effect on the bottom line. Some companies, such as Xerox, 3M, and AT&T have established separate venture capital areas for funding new internal ventures. Fifth a multidisciplinary team approach needs to be encouraged.One key to Intrapreneurial success is the existence of â€Å"skunkworks† involving key people. Developing the needed team work for a new venture is further complicated by the fact that a team member’s promotion within the corporation is related to performance in the current position, not in the new venture. The corporate environment must establish a long time horizon for evaluating the success o f the overall program. Sixth the spirit of intrapreneurship cannot be forced on individuals; it must be voluntary. Most managers in a corporation are not capable of being successful intrapreneurs. Those who do emerge from this self selection process must be allowed the latitude to carry a project through to completion.An intrapreneur falls in love with the new venture and will do almost anything to ensure its success. The seventh characteristic is a reward system. The intrapreneur needs to be appropriately rewarded for the energy and effort expended on the new venture. An equity position in the new venture is one of the best motivational methods. Eight a corporate environment favorable for intrapreneurship has sponsors and champions throughout the organization that supports the creative activity and resulting failures. Finally the intrapreneurial activity must be whole-heartedly supported by top management.  © Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 19 Entrepreneurship—MGT 602 VUTHE ENTREPRENEURIAL AND INTRAPRENEURIAL MIND (continued†¦) Lesson 07 LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. To explain the aspects of the entrepreneurial process. To explain the differences between entrepreneurial and managerial domains. To explain the organizational environment conducive for entrepreneurship. To identify the general characteristics of an Entrepreneur. To explain the process of establishing entrepreneurship in an organization. INTRAPRENEURIAL LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS There are certain individual characteristics needed for a person to be successful Entrepreneurs, including: 1. Understanding the environment 2. Being visionary and flexible 3. Creating management options 4.Encourage teamwork while employing a multi-disciplined approach 5. Encouraging open discussion 6. Building a coalition of supporters, and persisting An Entrepreneur needs to understand all aspects of the environment. Part of this ability is reflected in individual’s level of creativity . Creativity tends to decrease with age and education. The individual must be creative and have a broad understanding of the internal and external environments of the corporation. The intrapreneurial person must be a visionary leader-a person who dreams great dreams. Leadership is the ability to dream great things and communicate them in a way that people say yes to being a part of the dream.To establish a successful new venture, the intrapreneurial leader must have a dream and overcome all obstacles to achieve it. The third necessary characteristic is that the intrapreneur must be flexible and create management options. An intrapreneur is open to and encourages change. By challenging the beliefs and assumptions of the corporation, an intrapreneur can create something new in the organization structure. He or she must possess the ability to encourage teamwork and use a multi-disciplined approach. Every new company formation requires a broad range of business skills. The intrapreneur must be a good diplomat to minimize disruption. Open discussion must be encouraged to develop a good team for creating something new.Many corporate managers have forgotten that frank, open discussion is part of the learning process. A successful venture can be formed only when the team feels the freedom to disagree and to critique an idea. The degree of openness among the team depends on the degree of openness of the intrapreneur. Openness leads to a strong coalition of supporters and encouragers. The intrapreneur must encourage each team member, particularly during hard times. A good intrapreneur makes everyone a hero. Only through persistence will a new venture be created and successful commercialization result. ESTABLISHING INTRAPRENEURSHIP IN THE ORGANIZATION To establish an intrapreneurial environment, the organization must implement a procedure.This can be done internally, but it is easier to use an outsider to facilitate the process. This is particularly true when the environ ment is very traditional. There are some steps involved in it. Step 1: The first step is to secure a commitment to intrapreneurship in the organization by top, upper, and middle management. Without top management commitment, the organization will never be able to make the necessary changes. Once top management has committed to intrapreneurship for a sufficient length of time, the concept is introduced throughout the organization. This is effectively accomplished through seminars. General guidelines need to be  © Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 20 Entrepreneurship—MGT602 VU stablished for intrapreneurial venture development. Next, intrapreneurial leaders need to be identified, selected, and trained. Step 2: Ideas and general interest areas should be identified, along with the amount of risk money that is available. The overall expectations and target results should be established, specifying time frame, profitability requirements, and impact of the organization. A m entor/sponsor system needs to be established. Step 3: A company needs to use technology to make itself faster and more flexible. Technology has allowed small companies to act like they are big ones. Large companies can use technology to make them responsive and flexible.Step 4: The organization can use a group of managers to train and share their experiences with other members. These sessions should be conducted one day per month for a specified period of time. Information about intrapreneurship and about the company’s specific activities should be well publicized. Step 5: The organization needs to develop ways to get closer to its customers by tapping the data base, hiring from smaller rivals, and helping the retailer. Step 6: An organization must learn to be more productive with fewer resources. With middle management cutbacks, more control has been given to lower levels of the organization. The span of control should be increased. Step 7: The organization needs to establis h a strong support structure.Because they do not immediately affect the bottom line, intrapreneurial activities can be overlooked and receive little funding. These ventures require flexible, innovative behavior, with the intrapreneurs having total authority over expenditures and access to funds. Step 8: The support must involve trying the rewards to the performance of the intrapreneurial unit. This encourages team members to work harder and compete more effectively. The equity portion of the compensation is particularly difficult to handle. Step 9: The organization needs to implement an evaluation system that allows successful units to expand and unsuccessful ones to be eliminated.PROBLEMS AND SUCCESSFUL EFFORTS Intrapreneurship, also called corporate venturing, is not without problems. One study found that new ventures started within a corporation performed worse than those started independently. Independent start-ups tend to outperform corporate start-ups. There are many examples of companies that have successfully implemented intrapreneurship. 3M allows employees to devote 15 percent of their time to independent projects. After failing to recognize the potential of Wozniak’s personal computer, Hewlett-Packard has taken steps to take advantage of future opportunities. Even IBM has developed the independent business unit concept. The problems of ntrapreneurship are not insurmountable, and the concept can lead to new products, growth and the development of an entirely new corporate environment and culture.  © Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 21 Entrepreneurship—MGT602 THE INDIVIDUAL ENTREPRENEUR Lesson 08 LEARNING OBJECTIV ES 1. To identify some key entrepreneurial feelings and motivations. 2. To identify key elements in an entrepreneur’s background. 3. To discuss the importance of role models and support systems. 4. To identify the similarities and differences between male and female entrepreneurs. 5. To explain the differences between inventors and entrepreneurs. VU ENTREPR E NEURIAL FEELINGS There is no â€Å"true entrepreneurial profile†- entrepreneurs come from many educational backgrounds, family situations, and work experiences.A potential entrepreneur may presently be a nurse, secretary, assembly line worker, sales person, mechanic, home maker, manager or engineer. A potential entrepreneur can be male or female and of any race or nationality. Locus of Control One concern people have when forming is whether they will be able to sustain the drive and energy required to form something new and to manage the new enterprise and make it grow. While research results are inconsistent, internal control seems to be a characteristic of entrepreneurs. Internal beliefs appear to differentiate entrepreneurs from the general public, but not from managers. Managers and entrepreneurs both have an internality tendency. Feelings about Independence and Need for Achievement.The entrepreneur also has the need for i ndependence, to do things in his or her own way and time. Another controversial characteristic is the entrepreneur’s need for achievement. McClelland specified three attributes as characteristics of entrepreneurs: 1. Individual responsibility for solving problems and setting and achieving goals. 2. Moderate risk taking as a function of skill. 3. Knowledge of results of decision/task accomplishment. McClelland concluded that a high need for achievement leads individuals to engage in entrepreneurial behavior, although other studies have been inconsistent. Risk Taking Risk taking seems a part of the entrepreneurial process.However, it has not yet been empirically established whether risk-taking is a distinguishing characteristics of entrepreneurs. ENTREPR E NEURIAL BACKGRO UND AND CHARACT E RIST ICS Only a few background characteristics have differentiated the entrepreneur from the general populace or managers. Childhood Family Environment The impact of birth order and social st atus has had conflicting research results. There is strong evidence that entrepreneurs, both male and female, tend to have self-employed or entrepreneurial fathers. Having a father who is self-employed provides a strong inspiration in the example of independence and flexibility of self-employment.This feeling of independence is often further enforced by an entrepreneurial mother. The overall parental  © Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 22 Entrepreneurship—MGT602 VU relationship may be the most important aspect of the childhood environment in establishing the desirability of entrepreneurial activity. Parents of entrepreneurs need to be supportive and encourage independence, achievement, and responsibility. This supportive relationship appears to be most important for females. Female entrepreneurs tend to grow up in middle- to upper-class environments, where families are child-centered, and are similar to their fathers in personality.KEY TERMS Departure points The act ivities occurring when the venture is started Inventor An individual who creates something new Locus of control An attribute indicating the sense of control that a person has over life Moral-support network Individuals who give psychological support to an entrepreneur Entrepreneurship – MGT602 VU  © Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 23 Entrepreneurship—MGT602 VU THE INDIVIDUAL ENTREPRENEUR (continued†¦) Lesson 09 LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. To identify some key entrepreneurial feelings and motivations. 2. To identify key elements in an entrepreneur’s background. 3. To discuss the importance of role models and support systems. 4. To identify the similarities and differences between male and female entrepreneurs. 5. To explain the differences between inventors and entrepreneurs.ENTREPRENEURIAL BACKGROUND AND CHARACTERISTICS Education Education appears important in the upbringing of the entrepreneur, in the level of education obtained and in playing a majo r role in coping with problems. Although formal education is not necessary for starting a new business, it does provide a good background. In education, female entrepreneurs previously experienced some disadvantage, with few having degrees in engineering, science, or math. The ability to deal with people and communicate clearly in written and spoken work is also important. Personal Values Studies have failed to indicate that entrepreneurs can be differentiated on personal valued from managers, unsuccessful entrepreneurs, or the general public. Leadership, support, aggression, benevolence, conformity, creativity, veracity, and resource seeking may also be important.A successful entrepreneur is frequently characterized as a winner; winning may be a prerequisite for his or her actually becoming one. Age Entrepreneurial age is the age of the entrepreneur reflected in the experience. Entrepreneurial experience is one of the best predictors of success. In chronological age, most entrepren eurs start their careers between ages 22 and 55. Earlier starts in an entrepreneurial career seem to be better than later ones. Generally, male entrepreneurs start their first venture in their early 30s, while women tend to do so in their middle 30s. Work History Dissatisfaction with one’s job often motivates the launching of a new venture. Previous technical and industry experience is also important once the decision to start a business is made.Experience in the following areas is particularly important: financing; product or service development; manufacturing; development of distribution channels; and preparation of a marketing plan. As the venture becomes established, managerial experience and skills become more important. Entrepreneurial experience becomes increasingly important as the complexity of the venture increases. MOTIVATION While motivations may vary, the reason cited most often for becoming an entrepreneur independence-not wants to work for anyone else. Other mo tivating factors differ between male and female entrepreneurs. Money is the second reason for men’s starting a venture. Job satisfaction, achievement, opportunity, and money are the second order reasons for women.  © Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 24 Entrepreneurship—MGT602 VUKEY TERMS Motivations That causes people to do something Need for achievement An individual’s need to be recognized Need for independence. Being one’s own boss-one of the strongest needs of an entrepreneur Professional-support network Individuals who help the entrepreneur in business activities Role models Individuals influencing an entrepreneur’s career choice and style Social status The level at which an individual in viewed by society Work history The past work experiences of an individual  © Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 25 Entrepreneurship—MGT602 VU THE INDIVIDUAL ENTREPRENEUR (continued†¦) Lesson 10 LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. To identify some key entrepreneurial feelings and motivations. 2.To identify key elements in an entrepreneur’s background. 3. To discuss the importance of role models and support systems. 4. To identify the similarities and differences between male and female entrepreneurs. 5. To explain the differences between inventors and entrepreneurs. ROLE MODELS AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS One of the most important factors influencing entrepreneurs in their career choice is role models. Role models can be parents, relatives, or successful entrepreneurs in the community. Role models can also serve in a supportive capacity as mentors during and after the new venture is launched. This support system is most crucial during the start-up phase.It is important that an entrepreneur establish connections to support resources early in the venture formation process. As contacts expand they form a network with density (extensiveness of ties between two individuals) and centrality (the total distance of the entrepreneu r to all other individuals. ) The strength of ties between the entrepreneur and any individual is dependent on the frequency, level, and reciprocity of the relationship. An informal network for moral and professional support benefits the entrepreneur. Moral-Support Network It is important for the entrepreneur to establish a moral support network of family and friends. Most entrepreneurs indicate that their spouses are their biggest supporters.Friends can provide advice that is more honest than that received from others, plus encouragement, understanding, and assistance. Relatives can also be sources of moral support, particularly if they are also entrepreneurs. Professional-Support Network The entrepreneur also needs advice and counsel, which can be obtained from members of a professional support network. A mentor-protege relationship is an excellent way to secure the needed professional advice. The mentor is a coach, sounding board, and advocate. The individual selected needs to be an expert in the field. An entrepreneur can initiate the â€Å"mentor-finding process† by identifying and contacting a number of experts.The mentor should be periodically apprised of the progress of the business so that a relationship can gradually develop. Another source of advice is a network of business associates. Self-employed individuals who have experience in starting a business are good sources. Clients and buyers are also important as they provide word-of-mouth advertising. Suppliers are good components of the professional-support network-they help to establish credibility with creditors and customers, and provide good information on trends in the industry. Trade associations are good network additions, as they keep up with new developments and can provide overall industry data. Affiliations ith individuals developed in hobbies, sporting events, civic involvements and school alumni groups are excellent sources of referrals, advice, and information. Each entrepreneur needs to establish both a moral- and a professional-support network to share problems with and gain overall support. MALE VERSUS FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS Women are now starting new ventures at three times the rate of men. Women form over 70  © Copyright Virtual University of Pakistan 26 Entrepreneurship—MGT602 VU percent of all new businesses. Women now own over 8. 5 million small businesses, an increase of over 45 percent since 1990. In some respects female entrepreneurs possess very different motivations, business skills, and occupational backgrounds.Factors in the start-up process for male and female entrepreneurs are different, especially in such areas as support systems, sources of funds, and problems. Men are motivated by the drive to control their own destinies. Women tend to be more motivated by the need for achievement arising from job frustration. Departure points and reasons for starting the business are similar for both men and women. Both generally have a strong i nterest and experience in the area of their venture. For men, the transition to a new venture is easier when the venture is an outgrowth of a present job. Women often leave a previous occupation with a high level of frustration and enthusiasm for the new venture rather than experience.Start-Up Financing Males often have investors, bank loans, or personal loans in addition to personal funds as sources of startup capital. Women usually rely solely on personal assets or savings. Obtaining financing and lines of credit are major problems for women. Occupations Both groups tend to have experience in the field of their ventures. Men more often have experience in manufacturing, finance, or technical areas. Most women usually have administrative experience, often in service-related fields. Personality Both men and women tend to be energetic, goal-oriented, and independent. Men are often more confident and less flexible and tolerant than women. Backgrounds The backgrounds of male and female entrepreneurs tend to be similar.Women are little older when they embark on their careers. Men often have studied in technical- or business-related areas, while women tend to have liberal arts education. Many women busi

Assess the Corporate Social Responsibility of Telecommunication Industries

Mobile telecommunication industries in this country with time have increasingly played major roles in not only the lives of the people within the community in which they are situated but also in the total economic well being of the country as a whole through their social responsibility activities.The Mobile telecommunication industry in this country has increased tremendously within the past couple of years, and have increasingly played major roles in not only the lives of the people within the community in which they are situated but also in the total economic well being of the country as a whole through their social responsibility activities. The idea of Social Responsibility has developed differently around the world because of different histories, culture and institution. Steiner George 2000) In the past years, the multi-faceted problems made it almost impossible for indigenous industries to undertake social activities in developing countries. However, corporate social responsibi lity (CSR) research has blossomed in this new millennium. This is due to the increasing concern expressed by policy makers and individual bodies about corporate social responsibility and the pressure exerted on organizations to demonstrate high ethical standards.This project is very important because Ghana may need a new code of conduct, laws and regulations and multi-stakeholder agreements and private voluntary initiatives as new businesses are beginning to emerge into our system. Telecommunication industry is a typical example of a fast growing industry within our system. It is therefore imperative that we acknowledge the significance of their corporate contribution to the societies and the nation, for this foresight to be smart and articulate. 1. 2 BACKGROUND STUDYThe precise concept of CSR is understood in different ways, having different representations of the concept relatable to different paradigms and concerns. Aside all the differences pertaining to the nature and content o f CSR, a number of the concepts includes human rights, environmental responsibility, diversity management, sustainability, and philanthropy, meaning that it is a complex area with an interdisciplinary focus. It is generally agreed that CSR involves corporations voluntarily exceeding their legal duties to take account of social, economic and environmental impacts of their operations.For example, the European Commission defines CSR as: â€Å"A concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interactions with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis† (European Multistakeholder Forum on CSR, 2004: 3) Corporate Social Responsibility also relates to those management philosophies, policies, procedure and act that have advancement of social welfare as one of their primary objectives (By Boone and Kurtz 1987) CSR is about how companies manage the business processes to produce an overall positive impact on society.Its conce rn is related to certain aspects of the company’s operations such as the quality of their management – both in terms of people and processes, and the nature of, and quantity of their impact on society in the various areas. The term â€Å"CSR† came in to common use in the early 1970s, after many multinational corporations were formed. The term stakeholder, meaning those on whom an organization's activities have an impact, was used to describe corporate owners beyond shareholders as a result of an influential book by R Freeman in 1984. 2] ISO 26000 is the recognized international standard for CSR Public sector organizations. It is widely accepted that CSR adheres to similar principles but with no formal act of legislation. The UN has developed the Principles for Responsible Investment as guidelines for investing entities. Corporate social responsibility (CSR), also known as corporate responsibility, corporate conscience, corporate citizenship, responsible business , sustainable responsible business (SRB), or corporate social performance,[1] is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model.Ideally, CSR policy would function as a built-in, self-regulating mechanism whereby business would monitor and ensure its support to law, ethical standards, and international norms. Consequently, business would embrace responsibility for the impact of its activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, stakeholders and all other members of the public sphere. Furthermore, CSR-focused businesses would proactively promote the public interest by encouraging community growth and development, and voluntarily eliminating practices that harm the public sphere, regardless of legality.Essentially, CSR is the deliberate inclusion of public interest into corporate decision-making, and the honoring of a triple bottom line: people, planet, profit. Stakeholders are taking an increasing interest in the activity of the company. Most l ook to the outer circle, that is, what the company has actually done, good or bad, in terms of its products and services, in terms of its impact on the environment and on local communities, or in how it treats and develops its workforce.Out of the various stakeholders, it is financial analysts who are predominantly focused – as well as past financial performance – on quality of management as an indicator of likely future performance. Developed countries have worked out a way around ensuring that local and international businesses or companies make contributions towards community development. Sainsbury’s and Tesco for instance are typical examples of companies that have contributed towards every community they operate.The contrast however in Africa is that the key people within the community are just contented to accept a bottle of Scottish Whiskey or Schnapps or local spirit over a businessdeal. Ghana needs to get a grip of how best our laws would work for us if we involve businesses co-operation into helping with our community developments. Understanding how international law works and how it can be used to further both national and international CSR objectives. 1. 3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The mobile telecommunication industry in this country has increased tremendously and continuously growing at a very high speed over the past ten years.The researcher’s aim is to throw more light on the real impact of this industry on the economy through their social activities. The research also works towards assessing whether or not the individual activities are achieving their desired impact on society. The view of the public is also a major concern to the researcher. This research is to find out the level of recognition the mobile telecommunication industries receive for their social activities and also to identify the level of benefits they receive in terms of increasing customer base and overall image of the industry upon undertaking such corporate social responsibility.1. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The significance and contribution of the mobile telecommunication industry in this country cannot be over emphasized. The main aim of this study was to assess the level of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices by the Mobile Telecommunication Industry in the country. * This study sought to ascertain and document the extent of recognition and appreciation, nature and content of socially responsible actions by mobile telecommunication firms located in Ghana. * Based on this study the researcher anticipates that the information they have provided will be beneficial to the government and policy makers. Another motive for this research is to helping the industry be more aware of their CSR and acknowledge its importance to not only their image and customer base, but also as a major contributing factor towards economic development.* This study will interest students, academics and practitioners who might be undertaking furthe r research on issues relating to the topic. | 1. 5 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY * To outline the social, economic and political factors driving the development and implementation of CSR of the mobile telecommunication industry Ghana. The study is to identify the contributions of mobile telecommunication network towards social and economic development with specific reference to MTN. * To assess the challenges they go through in complying with the expectation of the society * To address the contested nature of CSR, in particular in terms of its instrumental or normative value. * To assess individuals notions of the role and nature of corporations with respect to corporate social responsibility. 1. 6 RESEARCH QUESTINE * What are the corporate social responsibility activities undertaken by mobile telecommunication agencies? To what extent, and in what way can or should mobile corporations be held morally responsible?* Is there a significant contribution of CSR towards economic development? * Are their CSR activities a strategy for distinguishing and protecting their image and creating trust, and to attract and retain both potential employees and consumers? * Are the benefits of their contributions worth the harm they may be causing to the societies? * Are they giving back enough to the society relative to what they are receiving? * Are the people satisfied with their services and contributions? . 7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY Primary and secondary data was used as a source of information. The researchers also had to design proposed questionnaires to access information from the users of the mobile industry concerning their opinions, this was however done randomly.The research is aimed at assessing the nature and content of the corporate social responsibility activities undertaken by the various organizations within the telecommunication industry and its contribution to the society and in turn the economy of the nation. . 8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY Some of the limitations of this study included; * Lack of sufficient information; This was as a result of the reluctance of officers within the industry to give out all the information required for the research. * Time factor; The combination of academic demands i. e. Lectures and exams with the working on this project made the period of submission quiet short for undertaking all the requirements for assessing information for the study. 1. 9 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDYThis research is presented in 5 chapters with subdivisions. * Chapter 1 begins with an introduction to the topic stating its relevance, the background study, statement of the problem, research question, and objective of the study, significance of the study and scope and limitation. * Chapter 2 outlines the literature review :definition and explanation of terms, nature of Social responsibility, levels and dimensions of social responsibility, problems associated with social responsibilities, Chapter 3 tackle the Theoretical Review of the research, which comprises of the population, sample and sampling procedures,Research instrument , Administration of instrument and method of data Analysis. * Chapter 4 relates to the Empirical Review, which contains a brief historical background of the individual mobile telecommunication industries in Ghana, types of social responsibility activities in which they engage themselves into, effects of such activities on their customer base and profitability, problems encountered while undertaking/for filing their social responsibility Chapter 5 deals with presentation of findings, this consists of findings and summary, and conclusion of findings and recommendations. 1. 10 DEFINITION OF TERMS Ten CSR Themes Social Responsibility Agreements, Ghana Drivers of and Constraints to PRIVATE Sector Engagement

Studying, Travels and Fun in Denmark!

Studying, Travels and Fun in Denmark! We continue discussing the topic of studying abroad, as there is so much yet to say. Today our interviewee is Ally Flessel. She studies Biology and English at Bucknell University and went for a semester abroad to Denmark, Copenhagen. Did she get some other impressions from this country than our previous interviewees Judy Su and Ellen Wall? Lets find that out! Ally, you decided to aply for DIS program. Why? What major benefits of studying abroad did you see for yourself? Studying abroad is an amazing experience that I would not give up for anything else in my college career. First, it taught me how to adapt to new culture and new people. Such programs are filled with students from all over the US, so you need to learn how to step up and meet new people, even if they are American. Secondly, studying abroad motivated me to come back to college for my senior year with a level of energy many of my friends are missing. I was excited to be back at school and in a familiar environment with my friends I have not seen for over a year. I think it is also important for students to face real world problems away from the comforts of friends and family. Independence is one of the things I gained the most of abroad. I feel confident in my ability to take care of myself no matter what challenged I may face. By the way, Ally had a different situation with accomodation from the two previously interviewed students. She didnt rent a flat or live with a host family. Instead, she was living in  the largest DIS Residential Community with 110 other DIS students. Due to a roommate mix up she was living all by herself, so probably, she didnt face that annoying-roommate-makes-noise-and-I-cant-concentrate-on-studying kind of problem. Lets move on straight to your studying. What courses did you take in Denmark? I had Immunology (for my Biology major at Bucknell), Hans Christian Anderson Literature, Sociology of the Family, and Danish Language. I was also in the Medical Practices and Policies (MPP) Core. So you took a challenge to learn Danish? Did you have a chance to practice in live conversations with Danes? Danish classes were great and absolutely enhanced my experience. However, everyone in Copenhagen speaks English! For example, when my classmates and I would try to practice our Danish and order coffee the baristas would always respond in English. Danes are not accustomed to foreigners trying to learn their language so they are not very good at understanding accents and typically switch to English if they encounter this. And you didnt feel the language barrier? There were only two times when not knowing Danish was burdensome. First, when I was with my Danish visiting family. I would not be able to follow along in conversations they were having; usually they spoke English because I was around, but once in a while I had to follow stories based off of body language. And second was eading the signs.All of them are in Danish and asking someone to meet you at a location you cannot pronounce is pretty tricky. What kind of writing assignments did you get? What were the most interesting topics? I had an English course on Hans Christian Andersen so I wrote a paper about his works. I also took a course called Sociology of the Family and wrote a paper about different family structures. Have you noticed the difference between US and Danish education systems? Of course, there are some differences. In Denmark, taxes cover education costs, and once turning 18 students are actually paid to attend school. Teenagers attend â€Å"high school† until approximately age 19. Often students take a gap year (or two) before starting at University. The biggest difference I learned about was the specificity of education in University. While I attend a liberal arts college and could have any major before applying to medical school, in Denmark students apply to university as medical students and begin studying to be a doctor right away. The students stressed that it is important to know what one wants to do prior to starting University because the education is very specific compared to the US norm. Another big difference is the language requirement. Students begin taking English in the 2nd grade and continue taking it throughout their â€Å"undergraduate† career. They also pick up either French or German around 7th grade. And what about free time? How do Danish students spend it? The Danish students I knew spent their time at school, after school activities, such as sports, and at jobs. They were all really busy during the week and did not have much free time. When they did they usually hung out with their friends and went out to clubs or parties. What about your free time? Did you lack it as well when studying in Denmark? Very much the other way, a major challenge for me was having a lot of free time and not knowing how to use it. My housing was outside of the center of Copenhagen, so as I got more comfortable with the city I began exploring my local area after classes. It is challenging to meet new people and ask them to explore with you when you first arrive in a new place. The most memorable moments of your Denmark life period The most memorable moment of my time in Denmark was with my visiting family. The youngest son had turned 13 and I went to an amusement park with their family for the day to celebrate. After visiting the park we went to their cousin’s house for dinner. There were three different families with children of all ages, so after dinner we sat down and watched a movie on netflix. I picked out White Chicks because no one had seen it and I thought the teenagers would enjoy it. What was most memorable was how we actually watched the movie: A few minutes into the movie I realized that although the older children were all fluent in English, and the film had Danish subtitles, the youngest children did not yet know how to read, or at least read quickly enough to watch a movie via subtitles. The 16 year old daughter read the subtitles out loud for the entire film so that her younger cousins could understand what was happening. I realized how lucky I am to have movies readily available to me and easily accessible to all English speakers. I was amazed at how complex watching a movie as a family could be. Your advice for the students who want to study abroad I would advise trying to immerse yourself into the culture as much as possible. I was nervous about doing a homestay and never really pursued meeting Danes my age. Taking Danish and meeting with my visiting family once a week completely made my experience, so I can only imagine how much more I would have gotten out of my experience had I dug slightly deeper into the culture. Are you ready to follow the advice of our charming interviewee and consider studying abroad? Or maybe you have any questions to ask? Write comments and share your opinions here!

Seeing Yourself in Social and Historical Context Essays

Seeing Yourself in Social and Historical Context Essays Seeing Yourself in Social and Historical Context Essay Seeing Yourself in Social and Historical Context Essay Essay Topic: Everything I Never Told You Recently, I realized that alcohol and the partying lifestyle had become negative influences on my life. The negative influence was subtle most of the time, but there were occasional moments when the effects of drinking played a highly visible role in my personal life and relationships. I decided that I might like to decrease, if not eliminate, my consumption of alcoholic beverages and this decision prompted further difficulties and challenges in my life, particularly in regard to my friends and peers, and those with whom I had regularly socialized. Though I realize I am not an alcoholic; I can get by just fine without drinking, the impact of my decision not to drink as much has exerted a dramatic influence on my daily life. In many ways, I think my personal experience mirrors those of many, many people, especially younger people who are embracing personal freedom and individual decision-making, often for the first time in their lives. Any young person looking to the media, or to the real-life examples of their elders will see that consumption of alcoholic beverages is utilized as a panacea for everything from stress to boredom. People are portrayed in commercials as happy-go-lucky, and even glamorous when they are drinking; I can’t even hope to count how many times in a movie or television show or novel or commercial, people are seen drinking alcohol to give themselves â€Å"courage† or to meet an unpleasant event or chore. Also, when you are young, you are supposed to be having â€Å"fun;† many older people have told that to myself and my friends, wistfully, as though they wished they were young again. The expectation to be having the â€Å"best time of your lives† is reinforced also through much of the media we see and hear. Almost every style of popular music from rock to rap to country glamorizes drinking and makes it seem like it is the â€Å"thing to do.† Drinking seems to have a social reputation for being everything it isn’t. That is: although peers, the media, elders, and even the law seem to advocate drinking, to make it seem like a privilege and a mark of adulthood, I found through personal experience that the real results of drinking were much less romantic. Instead of great social camaraderie and glamor, I just wound up not remembering a lot of things I said and did with my friends, and instead of feeling like I was mature and responsible, I wound up feeling completely out of control and incapable of taking care of my responsibilities. Nowhere in the media and cultural glamorizations of alcohol do we get to see the â€Å"after result† which is being sick from a hangover and not remembering anything you said or did. It seems obvious that most people crave and desire a release from their everyday lives. Maybe they are frustrated with their careers or their relationships or they are just frustrated with life in general. But instead of delving into the cause and effect of stress or boredom or unhappiness, society seems to forward drinking as the great escape. There are bars on every corner, liquor stores, ads for beer, wine, and hard liquor on television. It’s obvious that we all crave a break from the ordinary and society offers very little in the way of inexpensive entertainment for the masses. There is television, movies, music and drinking: if you look closely you will see that there are cultural reinforcement and ties between all of these recreational pastimes. In a capitalist society, marketing no-doubt plays a very large role in fostering the myths about drinking. The big corporations that sell alcoholic products rake in billions of dollars and this allows them to permeate the social media with selected images that increase the propagation of   myths about drinking and never represent the scientifically established dangers to body, mind, and emotional responses that occur when individuals turn to alcohol for release. When I cam across an article, â€Å"WHATS YOUR DAUGHTER DRINKING TONIGHT? One Middleclass Girls Haunting Account of How the Binge-Drinking Culture That Afflicts Countless Teenagers Nearly Cost Her Life, I realized that the dangerous fallout from drinking could be far worse than nagging hangovers; I could have lost my life. In the article, a girl explains how she began drinking for just the same reasons I have noted above: boredom, a sense of glamor and excitement, peer pressure, and the desire to be mature and self-determined. However, the article goes on to describe how the girl nearly lost her life, and how drinking had slowly robbed her of her self-esteem, her ability to distinguish right from wrong, and her relationship with her parents. Reading the article, the first impact that ht me was how similar the girl’s story seemed to be with my own experience. However, i had never really imagined that my drinking could lead to such a devastating, near-death event such as the one described in the article. Knowing that my very life is at stake, now, I find it very hard to imagine that I will veer abuse alcohol, or that I would ever condone the abuse of alcohol as a glamorous or socially expected norm. Like the girl in the article, i found that my reluctance to drink alcohol influenced my relationship with certain people I had once been friendly with; those who still drank regularly seemed to seek to avoid my company. This fact would have troubled me more deeply were it not for the account in the article which demonstrate a very similar result. In the article, the girl wrote: â€Å"Most importantly, Ive become stronger. I want to find friends who will like me whether or not I drink. There is so much pressure nowadays to keep up with each   other, like some sort of competition to see who can get the most drunk. It makes me sad to think I never had the guts to refuse. I havent heard from a lot of my so-called friends. My drinking buddies have largely disappeared† (WHATS YOUR DAUGHTER DRINKING 26), which is exactly how I feel although my experience was far less dramatic and far less extensive than those described in the article. The biggest jolt I received from reading the article was the girl’s description of her near-fatal accident: The only thing I can remember is we were drinking neat vodka. Four weeks later, I woke up in hospital after being in a coma on a life support machine. The room was clinically white and totally unfamiliar. Youre in hospital, said my mum, who was sitting red- eyed at my side. Standing at the edge of the bed were two policemen waiting to speak to me. Id been found at the bottom of the car park, after falling 20ft from the top floor, and was lucky to be alive. Id split my skull, broken my neck and dislocated my shoulder. Almost immediately Id fallen into a coma, during which Id had a blood clot on my brain. The swelling was so bad I had to be put on a life- support machine and have part of my skull removed to help reduce the pressure. (WHATS YOUR DAUGHTER DRINKING 26) Though I’d personably never experienced this intense of a negative impact from drinking, the shock that I could have experienced it was quite an influence on me. I had been someone who drank very little, but I did drink, caving into the same social and peer pressures that were described in the article. I wondered how many of my friends and drinking companions were bound to meet such a terrible fate due to their recklessness. More importantly, this recklessness was socially acceptable behavior – drinking being glamorized from every quarter of the media-driven world. The evidence was clear to me from personal experience and from studying the article and other sources where the truths about alcohol consumption were made available. The facts were strikingly opposed to the social myth. Rather than promoting glamor, fun, and social revery, alcohol was responsible for (or at least involved in) some of the most atrocious social syndromes in our world: suicide, crime, early pregnancy, unemployment, divorce, chronic health problems and emotional instability. All of these aspects are apparent in the selected article and it seemed the girls’ story was a microcosm of the ills that accompany alcohol abuse. Making the decision not to abuse alcohol seemed fairly easy for me, although trying to make my friend understand this decision or even encouraging them to examine the perils of alcohol abuse for themselves before experiencing them directly proved to be much more difficult. Because the consumption of alcohol is so deeply ingrained into our social fabric- and this influence extends back through time in history as well- I found that one person’s experiences, whether dramatic and nearly fatal as the girl in the article’s, or more mundane, such as my own, seemed to exert little or no influence over those who were determined and convinced that drinking was fabulous fun and glamorous. This is a paradox because the devastating impacts of alcohol abuse are deeply personal in nature: impacting an individual’s health, relationships, personal responsibilities, and emotional well-being, but the media-driven image of alcohol is abstracted into the universal, meaning: the purveyors of alcohol labor to create and image for alcohol-consumption that presents a picture of social inclusiveness, normalcy, and even tradition. People raise toasts at special, memorable occasions; they commemorate special years and epochs in with wines and brandy and even the most scared and hallowed holidays, such as Christmas and New Year’s Eve involve the socially instituted drinking of alcohol.Now that I have stopped to examine the influence of drinking on my personal life I find it very difficult to regard others’ drinking as harmless or simply a recreation. I realize that, rather than considering the possible negative effects of drinking, most people who abuse alcohol are searching for the â€Å"myth† of drinking which is fostered from social institutions and corporations and media outlets. Those who abuse alcohol find themselves so intellectually, emotionally, and socially immersed in their abuse that they are unable to consider the possible bad effects of their behavior. When someone, such as myself, tries to point out these negatives, the counter-argument is so heavily backed up by other people and established social behaviors, that the person pointing out the dangers can be easily ridiculed and dismissed. This means that my decision not to abuse alcohol will be an ongoing process. No doubt, I will be confronted with pressure to drink and pressure to abuse alcohol for the remainder of my life. It s a friendly gesture to offer someone a drink and it is socially acceptable to accept this offer, whereas it can be socially off-putting to refuse, as though you are refusing someone’s friendship. Nonetheless, my personal well-being, health and emotional development are as important to me as social acceptance.   There is a socially accepted â€Å"picture† or image of the drinker: a fun-loving, friendly, free-spirted person, but there is also this picture, from the article: A few days later, I asked for a mirror. Holding it up to my face, I shrank back in horror. Doctors had shaved all the hair off the top of my head, leaving my long locks trailing at the back like one of those evil-looking wigs from a joke shop. There was a huge scar on my head where theyd removed part of my skull and my head was lopsided where it was missing. (WHATS YOUR DAUGHTER DRINKING 26) For me, there is no confusion over what it means to abuse alcohol, and no uncertainty as to whether or not I will do so in the future. Some people drink in an attempt to find courage; others Seeing Yourself in Social and Historical Context   like me have found courage by not drinking and that includes the courage to face those who may ridicule or ostracize somebody because they have made an informed decision to not abuse alcohol. I can only hope that my own experiences while much more mundane than those recounted in the article may someday help inform another about the perils, often lethal, which accompany alcohol abuse.   If so, I will have succeeded in understanding how one’s subjective experience connects to the social whole and the historical confluences of society– in this case helping to exert a positive influence in an area where so many negatives are socially accepeted.