Chapter 1 – Decision to become an entrepreneur
Introduction to entrepreneurship
Learning objectives
- After studying this chapter you should be ready to =
1. Explain entrepreneurship and discuss its importance.
Entrepreneurship is the process by which individuals pursue opportunities without regard to resources they currently control.
2. Describe corporate entrepreneurship and its use in established firms.
Corporate Entrepreneurship is the conceptualization of entrepreneurship at the organization level. Entrepreneurial firms are proactive, innovative, and risk taking. IN contrast, conservative firms take a more ''wait and see'' posture, are less innovative, and are risk averse.
3. Discuss three main reasons people decide to become entrepreneurs
The three primary reasons that people decide to become entrepreneurs and start their own firms are as follows: to be their own boss, to pursue their own ideas and to realize financial rewards.
4. Identify four main characteristics of successful entrepreneurs.
The four main characteristics of a successful entrepreneur are: Passion for the business, product/customer focus, tenacity despite failure, and execution intelligence
5. Explain the five common myths regarding entrepreneurship.
The five most common myths regarding entrepreneurship are that entrepreneurs are: Born, not made; that entrepreneurs are gamblers; that entrepreneurs are motivated primarily by money; that entrepreneurs should be young and energetic; and that entrepreneurs love the spotlight.
6. Explain how entrepreneurial firms differ from salary-substitute and lifestyle firms.
Entrepreneurial firms are the firm's that bring new products and services to market by recognizing and seizing opportunities regardless of the resources they currently control. Entrepreneurial firms stress innovation, which are not the case for salary-substitute and lifestyle firms.
7. Discuss the changing demographics of entrepreneurs in U.S
The demographic makeup of those launching entrepreneurial firms is changing in the US and around the world. There is growing evidence that an increasing number of woman, minorities, seniors and young people are becoming actively involved in the entrepreneurial process.
8. Discuss the impact of entrepreneurial firms on economies and societies.
There is strong evidence that entrepreneurial behavior has significant impact on economic stability and strength. The areas in which entrepreneurial firms contribute the most are innovation and job creation. Entrepreneurial behavior also has a dramatic impact on society.
It's is to think of new products and services that have helped make our lives easier, that have made us more productive at work, that have improved our health and that have entertained us in a new way.
9. Identify ways in which larger firms benefit from the presence of smaller
entrepreneurial firms.
Entrepreneurial firms have a positive impact on the effectiveness of larger firms. There are many entrepreneurial firms that have built their entre business model around producing products and services that help larger firms increase their efficiency and effectiveness.
10. Explain the entrepreneurial process.
The four distinct elements of the entrepreneurial process, pictured in Figure 1.3 are deciding to become an entrepreneur, developing successful business ideas, moving from an idea to establishing an entrepreneurial firm, and managing and growing an entrepreneurial firm.
Review questions
All indicators point to entrepreneurship continuing to spread throughout the world. The primary reasons are:
(1) the downsizing of large firms, which have placed a large number of people off the job market that would rather start their own firm than work for another large firm;
(2) the push for improved efficiency and effectiveness on the part of firms and individuals, which has provided entrepreneurs the opportunity to meet needs;
(3) the rapid pace of change that is taking place worldwide, which provides entrepreneurs additional opportunities to meet needs; and
(4) the increasing recognition that entrepreneurship is the engine that fuels economic growth and prosperity worldwide. Most students will argue that there is no reason to think the appeal of entrepreneurship will subside over time. The need to solve problems and meet unmet needs is universal worldwide.
2. What key insight does the GEMS study provide us about entrepreneurship?
The key insight provided by the GEM study is that entrepreneurial activity is taking place across the world. In addition, although the highest rates of entrepreneurial start-up activities occur in low-income countries, where good jobs are not as plentiful, the rates are also impressive in high-income countries such as France, United Kingdom, and the United States.
The GEM study also identifies whether its respondents are starting a new business to take advantage of an attractive opportunity or because of necessity to earn an income. The majority of people in high-income countries are drawn to entrepreneurship to take advantage of attractive opportunities. The reverse is true of people in low-income countries, who tend to be drawn to entrepreneurship primarily because of necessity.
3. What evidence is available suggesting that the often reported statistic that 9 put of 10 new businesses fail is an exaggeration? What is a more realistic failure rate for new firms?
The evidence according to Brian Headd is that after four years 50 percent of new businesses are still open. 33 percent have failed, and 17 percent are closed but were considered to be successful by their owners. To be successful business, the firm have to have a solid business idea, good financial management, and effective exaction to maximize chances for success.
4. What is entrepreneurship? How can one differentiate an entrepreneurial firm from any other type of firms? In what ways is an entrepreneur who just launched a restaurant different from someone who just took a job as the general manager of a restaurant owned by a major chain?
The word Entrepreneurship derives from the French word entre, meaning ''between'' and prendre, meaning '' to take ''. The word was originally used to describe people who '' take on the risk '' between buyers and sellers or who ''undertake '' a task such as starting new venture. In general, entrepreneurship is associated with the task of identifying opportunities and putting useful ideas into practice.
Entrepreneurial firms, which are the focus of this book, bring new products and services to market by seizing opportunities. The person who just launched a restaurant is bringing a new product or service to market, and is assuming the risk associated with doing that. The person who just took a job as the general manager of a restaurant isn't bringing something new to market. Although the person is assuming employment risk, he/she isn't assuming the risk of owning a business.
5. What are the tree main attributes of firms that peruse high levels of corporate entrepreneurship? Would these firms score high or low on an entrepreneurial intensity scale?
Tree attributes of firms that peruse high level of corporate entrepreneurship are proactive, innovative, and risk taking. And they will score high on an entrepreneurial intensity scale.
In contrast, conservative firms take a more ''wait and see'' posture, are less innovative, and risk taking.
6. What are three primary reasons people become entrepreneurs? Which reasons is given most commonly? Which reasons best describes why you may choose to become an entrepreneur?
1. Be Their Own Boss. Many entrepreneurs want to be their own boss because either they have had a long-term ambition to own their own business or they have become frustrated working in traditional jobs.
2. Pursue Their Own Ideas. Some people are naturally alert, and when they recognize ideas for new products or services, they have a desire to see those ideas realized.
3.Realize Financial Goals. People start their own firms to pursue financial rewards. This motivation, however, is typically secondary to the first two and often fails to live up to its hype.
7. Some people start their own firms to pursue financial rewards. However, these rewards are often far fewer than imagined and / or expected. Why is this so?
Because majority of entrepreneurs does not make more money than people with traditional jobs.
8. What are the four primary traits and characteristics of successful entrepreneurs?
1. Passion for the Business.
The number one characteristic shared by successful entrepreneurs is passion for the business. This passion typically stems from the entrepreneur's belief that the business will positively influence people's lives.
2. Product/Customer Focus.
An entrepreneur's keen focus on products and customers typically stems from the fact that most entrepreneurs are, at heart, craftspeople.
3. Tenacity Despite Failure.
Because entrepreneurs are typically trying something new, the failure rate associated with their efforts is naturally high. Developing a new business may require a certain degree of experimentation before a success is attained. Setbacks and failures inevitably occur during the process. The litmus test of entrepreneurs is their ability to persevere through setbacks and failures.
4. Execution Intelligence.
The ability to effectively execute a business idea means developing a business model, putting together a new-venture team, raising money, managing finances, leading employees, and so on.
9. Why is passion such an important characteristic of successful entrepreneurs? What is it about passion that makes it particularly compatible with the entrepreneurial process?
The passion that an entrepreneur feels for his or her business typically stems from a belief that the business will positively influence people's lives. It is important that this passion exist because the process of starting and building a new firm is demanding.
Passion is particularly important because, although rewarding, the process of starting a firm or building a business is demanding. Absent passion, the demands would outweigh the potential rewards for people who are not passionate about what they're doing.
By avoiding some of these five ''passion reasons'' it would make it much more difficult in the process of starting a firm.
10. Why is a product / customer focus an important characteristic successful entrepreneur?
Although all parts of the entrepreneurial process are important, ultimately if a new business does not have a successful product that is directed toward a receptive market the business will fail. A product/market focus also involves the diligence to spot product opportunities and to see them through to completion.
11. What is about ''tenacity'' that makes it such an important characteristic for entrepreneurs?
Because entrepreneurs are typically trying something new, the possibility of failure exists. The litmus test for entrepreneurs is the tenacity that they have to persevere through setbacks and failures.
12. What are the five common myth about entrepreneurs?
The five common myths about entrepreneurs are
1. Entrepreneurs are born, not made
2. Entrepreneurs are gamblers
3. Entrepreneurs are primarily motivated by money
4. Entrepreneurs should be young and energetic
5. Entrepreneurs love the spotlight
13. What evidence do we have that debunk the myth that entrepreneurs are born, not made?
The consensus of many hundreds of studies on the psychological and sociological makeup of entrepreneurs is that entrepreneurs are not genetically different from other people. Whether someone does or does not is a function of environment, life experience, and personal choice.
14.What are the four distinctive parts of the entrepreneurial process and what is the relationship among the parts?
The four distinct parts of the entrepreneurial process are as follows:
Part 1: Decision to become an entrepreneur.
Part 2: Developing successful business ideas.
Part 3: Moving from an idea to an entrepreneurial firm.
Part 4: Managing and growing an entrepreneurial firm.
Each part is intimately interrelated and interdependent with one another.
15. How would you characterize the risk-taking propensity of most entrepreneurs?
Entrepreneurs are moderate risk takers, as are most people.
16. What factors favor older entrepreneurs as opposed to younger entrepreneurs?
What makes an entrepreneur "strong" in the eyes of an investor is experience in the area of the proposed business, skills and abilities that will help the business, a solid reputation, a track record of success, and passion about the business idea. The first four of these characteristics favor older rather than younger entrepreneurs.
17. What did Joseph Schumpeter mean by the term creative destruction?
Schumpeter argued that entrepreneurs develop new products and technologies that over time make current products and technologies obsolete. Schumpeter called this process creative destruction. Because new products and technologies are typically better than those they replace and the availability of improved products and technologies increases consumer demand, creative destruction stimulates economic activity.
18. In general, what effects does entrepreneurship have on economies and societies through the world?
Entrepreneurship has a positive effect on both economies and societies throughout the world. For two reasons, entrepreneurial behavior has a strong impact on an economy's strength and stability. The reasons are innovation and job creation. According to the Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, small innovative firms are 16 times more productive than larger innovative firms in terms of patents per employee.
Small firms also create a substantial number of new jobs in the United States. In regard to the impact of entrepreneurial firms on societies, the new products and technologies created by entrepreneurial firms have a dramatic impact. Think of all the new products and services that make our lives easier, enhance our productivity at work, improve our health, and entertain us. Many of these products and services were created by entrepreneurial firms.
19. What are the changes to the demographic makeup of entrepreneurs in the United States that are described in this chapter?
Over the past 10 years, the demographic makeup of entrepreneurial firms has changed in the United States and around the world. Of the 27.5 million businesses in the United States, a growing number are owned by women, minorities, seniors, and young people. The changing demographic makeup of entrepreneurs is changing for two reasons.
First, the United States itself is changing, and is becoming a much more diverse society. As a result, the changing demographic makeup of entrepreneurs reflects society as a whole. Second, pursuing an entrepreneurial career is an exciting career choice, which is open to people across all demographic groups. As the ability to enter an entrepreneurial career becomes available to a larger number of people, it is not surprising that people across all demographic groups would be drawn to this alternative.
20. Describe several examples of the impact that entrepreneurial firms have on a society?
Makes our lives easier, enhance our productivity at work, improves our health and job creation.
Business plan: A written document describing all the aspects of a business venture, which is usually necessary to raise money and attract high quality business partners.
Business model: A company's plan for how it competes, uses its resources, structure its relationships interfaces with customers, and creates values to sustain itself on the basis of the profits it generates.
Corporate entrepreneurship: Behavior orientation exhibited by established firms with an entrepreneurial emphasis that is proactive, innovative, and risk tasking.
Entrepreneurial firms: Companies that bring new products and services to the market by creating and sizing opportunities.
Entrepreneurial intensity: The position of a firm on a conceptual continuum that ranges from highly conservative to highly entrepreneurial.
Entrepreneurship: The process by which individuals pursue opportunities without regard to resources they currently control.
Execution intelligence: The ability to fashion a solid business idea into a viable business is a key characteristic of successful entrepreneurs.
Innovation: The process of creating something new, which is central to the entrepreneurial process.
Lifestyle firms: Businesses that provide their owners the opportunity to pursue a particular lifestyle and earn a living while doing so (ski instructors, tour guides)
Moderate risk takers: Entrepreneurs who are often characterized as willing to assume a moderate amount of risk in business, being neither overly conservative nor likely to gamble.
Passion for their business: An entrepreneur's belief that his business will positively influence people's lives; one of the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs.
Product customer focus: A defining characteristic of successful entrepreneurs that emphasizes producing good products with capability to satisfy customers.
Salary-substitute firms: Small firms that yield a level of income for their owner or owners that is similar to what they would earn when working for an employer (restaurants, retail stores, hairstyling)
Triggering event: The event that prompts an individual to become an entrepreneur ( losing job, inheriting money, accommodating a certain lifestyle)
Value: Relative worth, importance, or utility.
