Technopreneurship ( Assignment 1)

1.      What are the factors that contributed to the success and failures of Steve Job as a technopreneur?

In real world, we experience successes and failures.

We experience success if we strive hard for our goal with focus and desire. Success is indeed the result of positive outlook in life, patience and perseverance. As quoted by an unknown author, “Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success”. It is true because in order to attain success we should be patient enough, determined and work for it. We should also believe to our self and to our full power that we can do the challenge and fulfill our desired goal.

In addition, to attain success, we still need to value hardwork and learn to sacrifice. How can we become successful if we were just sitting at the side and wait something will happen? It should not be like that. We are making our self like a dressed chicken having no head, no visions in life.

 I believe in the saying “There is no glory without sacrifice” and as quoted by David Bly “Striving for success without hard work is like trying to harvest where you haven't planted”. In short, you have to work and work for you to be able to achieve your goals and satisfy your visions in life.

On the other side, if we have success there is failure.

Failure took place when we don’t try our best and we gave in to some problems, challenges and trials. As quoted by an unknown author, “the only real failure in life is the failure to try”.

Of course, failure usually happens when we don’t have focus and we are always thinking things were just easy but it doesn’t mean failures were all negative. In fact, through failures we learned and gain intelligence for as we failed, it will be charge to experience. Sometimes, before we attain success, we experience failures. And these failures will remind us to give more our best for the next. “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall” by Confucius.

Dealing to those successes and failures, there are factors that made it become a “success” and a “failure”.

Once you are technopreneur, it doesn’t mean that you own a business and have a comfortable life you are always experiencing success. There are points of your lives that you commit mistakes and fail. There are factors that affect what’s your standing now and what you are today.

Going back to the movie which was entitled “The Pirates of the Silicon Valley,” Steven Jobs in the movie became successful in the field of Technopreneurship but then failed at the end. As one of the viewer of the said movie, here are my perceptions why he became successful and failed at a certain range of time.

TRIVIA:

Question:

Why is it called The Pirates of the Silicon Valley?

Answer:

Bill Gates used other peoples' ideas like DOS and Apple's operating system. Steve Jobs and Apple acquired the mouse and GUI from Xerox without paying a dime or doing any work. They were like pirates.

            Silicon Valley is the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California, United States. The term originally referred to the region's large number of silicon chip innovators and manufacturers, but eventually came to refer to all the high-tech businesses in the area; it is now generally used as a metonym for the American high-tech sector. (http://ph.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100702193014AACeTDA)

The factors for his success are the following:

·         Hardworking – Steven Jobs works hard for the success of his visions. He, together with his friend Woz, was very eager to produce remarkably electronic products and have hard time negotiating their products to some ventures.

·         Persevere – Steven Jobs is very persevering in a way that he is very committed to his work. Though he was on a difficult race he still cross the finish line. For him, accomplishment of work is more important.

·         Focused – Steven Jobs was really focused doing his work. He was never tempted to be involved to some playful activities.

·         Innovative – Steven Jobs really posses this one. We can’t deny the fact that he was intensely having bright ideas in the movie. His works was called stylistically innovative works, very unique!

·         Persistent- Steven Jobs don’t give up. He was insistently repetitive and continuous to his work though his work at first was rejected and not recognized. He believes that he can really make what he wants.

·         Risk-Taker – Steven Jobs gambles his self for the betterment of his work. Everything he owned was put into risk just for progress and productivity increase. He even dropped out to his school for him to focus his time in developing a personal computer.

The factors for his failure are the following:

·         Abusive – Steven Jobs abuses the time of his employees. He even obliges his employees to work with no vacant hours. As a founder of the company, you should know how to respect others time. He was became an inconsiderate one.

·         Arrogant – Steven Jobs became rude to his employees. He was displaying a sense of overbearing self-worth. I think due to his big success, he was blinded by it. He likes to scream his employees when he doesn’t want the output.

·         Perfectionist – Steven Jobs aims that all will be on perfect side. The problem is he became an “over-perfectionist” in a sense that he seems like degrading his employee. He was stickler for neatness. He doesn’t consider what was his employees strength.

·         Impatient – Steven Jobs always lose his temper easily. I think that is the result when was engage into drugs. He is a short-tempered boss that is why he hated by his employees.

·         Oblivious – Steven Jobs was not aware at first that his employee was starting to hate him. He was so insensitive to the feelings of his employees every time he screams and acts like as if he was over-powered.

·         Irresponsible Father – Steven Jobs refused that the he was the father of the baby. I think he was unblessed by God that cause his failure.

In the year 1976, Steven Jobs started his time become a successful one wherein at the computer fair his work was recognized by many. That was the year where Apple I was developed.

But in the year in 1985, Steven Jobs was fired out by John Sculley from Apple Computer.

In the year 1997, Steven Jobs returned to Apple. That was the time also where it was announced the alliance of Apple and Microsoft.

            2. How do you see yourself as a technopreneur?

            Before I will answer that question, I would like to point and stress out some basic information about Technopreneurship. The information I will give you is my learning and understanding as I enrolled myself in the course IT Elective (Technopreneurship). These would help me determine myself if I will be a good entrepreneur someday.

As what I have learned to our last discussion in It Elective (Technopreneurship), Technopreneurship is a compounded word coming from Technology and Entrepreneurship. It is indeed in a process of entrepreneurship wherein technologies are involved.

One of the ideas of Technopreneurship is to change the usual mindset of a person into an alternative mindset. When we say usual mindset, the flow is – you go to school- gain knowledge- get a job- become an employee- and then earn money. That is the common mindsets of most people now even our parents who sent us to school. But through Technopreneurship, that mindset is reversed. From a usual mindset it turns to an alternative mindset. When we say alternative mindset, the schema is – first, you go to school- gain knowledge- and then own a business (company) - and become an employer. See the difference? That’s the power of Technopreneurship.

There are lots of benefits we can get in dealing with Technopreneurship. As what our professor has presented and taught us during our discussion, through Technopreneurship there is employment creation, promotion of technologies, capital formation and promotion of an entrepreneurial culture.

·         Employment creation – there is much employment opportunity for the people. Like for example you own a business. You need an employee who can work with you. You can help other people have a job and work for your company. As a result, the average of employment in the city could probably increase.

·         Promotion of Technologies- the more people who were engage in Technopreneurship, the more the technology will be recognized. In other words, technology will become famous in the eyes of everybody. They can see that working with Technologies is better and easy.

·         Promotion of an Entrepreneurial Culture- If most of the people get involved in the field of Technopreneurship, it is very possible that the entrepreneurial culture of a certain city will increase. It is because you can influence other people to be in the same field as means of source of income. Since you have seen by them in a good situation in the field, it is easy for them to be persuaded and have an interest to become a Technopreneur.

The term “technopreneur” by the way refers to the person, an entrepreneur, who is involved in high technologies.

To become an entrepreneur, you do not need a very high IQ (intelligence Quotient) but what you need most are the EQ (Emotional Quotient) and AQ (Adversity Quotient).  Yes, that is true. Though you don’t have high IQ (intelligence Quotient), the important is you are more specialized on how you react emotionally to various situations and how you deal with hardships.

In EQ (Emotional Quotient), it will test your abilities to perform under pressure, resolve conflict, and generally cope with challenges.

In AQ (Adversity Quotient), it will test you on how you cope with hardships or afflictions.

As an entrepreneur, you should know yourself clearly. You should know your visions and goals. Know yourself if you possess some entrepreneurial characteristics. These includes hardworking, self-confident, profit-oriented, goal-oriented, persistent, demonstrate initiative, builds for the future, responds to feedback, willing to listen, set own standards, cope with uncertainty, committed, builds on strength, reliable and has integrity and risk taker. (http://www.scribd.com/doc/19286668/Module-12Basics-of-Technopreneurship) If you possess mostly those characteristics, you have a capability to become an entrepreneur.

Another is you should be environmental mastered, enterprise mastered, and knows how to develop your business plan.

Environmental mastery is generating ideas and opportunities out from our environment. That can be done through serendipity walks, as you go along with crisis, trends and anything that we can get out from our environment. Describing those environmental mastered person, he sees much opportunities than thinking of the problem, he knows to understand where industry he is in, he is on top of the situation and etc.

An enterprise mastery refers to running ones business. It pertains to the knowledge of the different enterprise disciplines—creating the business, financial management, marketing management, operation management and etc).

Developing business plan refers to writing, presenting and defending the business plan. You add refinements to it and develop what have you planned before.

So if I ask myself now, do I have those characteristics? Do I possess the masteries (environment and enterprise)? Am I deserving become an entrepreneur? I can say that I have potentials in becoming an entrepreneur. All I need to do is to develop more those characteristics I have and learn to have those I don’t possess. I know as I become an entrepreneur someday, I will possess slowly those characteristics. Though I can’t really say that I can see myself engaged to that field, but for job sake I know this field would be really helpful to me. Maybe someday I’ll be working as entrepreneur does.  This field is in line to my course. And if time and opportunity will allow me,

·         As an entrepreneur, I would like to own big IT Company.

·         As an entrepreneur, I would like my IT Company be recognized throughout the world.

·         As an entrepreneur, I would like my IT Company being trusted by mass people.

·         As an entrepreneur, I would like to have branches in every region.

·         As an entrepreneur, I would like my IT Company an Eco-friendly.

·         As an entrepreneur, I would like to have a partnership with good Filipino ventures and capitalist.

·         As an entrepreneur, I would like to have a partnership with my IT friends and IT classmates.

·         As an entrepreneur, I would like to be recognized worldwide.

·         As an entrepreneur, I would like to see myself together with famous Entrepreneurs worldwide.

·         As an entrepreneur, I would like to influence other people using my achievements.

·         As an entrepreneur, I would like to have extended company out of the country, Philippines.

·         As an entrepreneur, I would like to engage myself in providing and developing IT hubs.

·         As an entrepreneur, I would like to see myself a good role model to others.

·         As an entrepreneur, I would like to hire deserving people to work with my company.

·         As an entrepreneur, I would like to screen thoroughly the interested employees with different exams/test.

·         As an entrepreneur, I would like to manage my It Company in good harmony with my employees.           

·         As an entrepreneur, I would like to see myself happy and contented.

·         As an entrepreneur, I would like to help promote entrepreneurial culture.

·         As an entrepreneur, I would like to help promote technologies.

·         As an entrepreneur, I would like to see myself with lots of opportunities.

·         As an entrepreneur, I would like to be not just hardworking but willing to listen with others concern.

·         As an entrepreneur, I would like to satisfy my one goal which is to have a charity.

·         As an entrepreneur, I would like to help those people who are in need.

            That’s what I see myself if I will become an entrepreneur someday. I know that with my thoughts, it seems that I am just imagining, exaggerating and hallucinating. But then, to tell you honestly, that’s what I want to have and gain when I will become an entrepreneur.

            I know it is hard and needs to have a step-by-step process but I can assure myself that in order for me to attain those, I need to work for it and strive hard. I should see myself as an ambitious one, but not too ambitious.

            I do believe with my strength and capabilities. In fact, I can site some characteristics which I possessed already.

·         I can learn easily. I am a fast learner especially if I see myself has interest with it.

·         If I know I’m committed, I do not do things which could break those commitments.

·         I am persistent. I am not that type of person that easily gives up.

·         I can work in good harmony.

·         I am approachable.

·         I can easily think practical solutions.

·         I can easily adapt environment.

·         I am reliable. Everyone can trust me. I am worthy of dependence and reliance.

·         I know how to listen others concern.

·         I am a risk taker too.

            Motivation will also help me become a successful entrepreneur someday.

3. Would you take the same career path that Steve Jobs took? Why or Why not?

The movie entitled “The Pirates of the Silicon Valley” is a 1999 film based on the book “Fire in the Valley: The Making of The Personal Computer” by Paul Freiberger and Michael Swaine. It is a made-for-television docudrama written and directed by Martyn Burke which documents the rise of the home computer (personal computer) through the rivalry between Apple Computer and Microsoft. The film stars Anthony Michael Hall as Bill Gates and Noah Wyle as Steve Jobs. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirates_of_Silicon_Valley)

Steve Job in the movie became successful in the year 1976, as he developed the Apple I together with his friend Steve Wozniak. On the computer fair, their work was recognized by lots of people and that was the start that lots of ventures and capitalists invested to their product. That was the start of his big success but as he became successful, he was blinded by it. He engaged his self into drugs that possibly affect his attitude and relationship with others. He likes to scream on his employees and become inconsiderate and abusive.

But if you don’t just look at the negative side of Steve job, you can see his positive characteristics like what I have mentioned on question number 1. Steve Job possesses the value of hardworking, perseverance, and persistence. He is also an innovative man and a risk-taker.  Those characteristics are the factors that made him become successful.

In the year 1985, after he was given a birthday blowout, he was fired by CEO John Sculley from Apple Computer.

In 1997, Jobs returns to Apple after its acquisition of NeXT, and Bill Gates appears live via satellite at a MacWorld Expo, during Jobs' first Stevenote keynote address, to announce an alliance between Apple and Microsoft. It notes at the end that Gates, at that time, was the richest man in the world.

Steve Jobs’s achievement and attainment is not a joke. It was really a big success. He was totally amazing because a person like him is a man with brilliant ideas, a man with unusual and incomparable skills and a man with a great legacy. I salute him!

For me, the legacy he gives us is the product that he invented before that we people took benefits. I know Steven Jobs’s were really famous because of it and he deserves it. In fact, it was not the product alone that he gave as a legacy but also the challenge he handed down to us  IT students.

 He is a good example to IT students like me who is interested to become an entrepreneur someday. Through his achievement, I get inspired and challenge that someday I can be successful too. There is nothing wrong in dreaming, as long as you put it into your heart and put into actions.

So if I will be ask if I would take the same career path that Steve Jobs took, my answer is “Yes, why not!” Since I am an IT student and my course is related to technologies, I can say that I am capable to that career path. But not the same as Steven Jobs like making hardware, software and etc. Because I know for this time, I cannot trust myself making hardware and software. I know my strength and mental capacity. I can work with the use of technologies, I can work with IT companies and I can work like an entrepreneur but not as geniuses can. When we say career path, it is a job responsibility in the same field (Technopreneurship) using technologies as you work. It does not directly imply that you have to deal with making hardware and software alone. There are lots of works in the field of Technopreneurship wherein I can possibly engage myself. For example, content writer, web developer, web designer and etc.

Honestly speaking, if I have the characteristics same as Steven Job, I will not think twice to make hardware and software. How I wish that I can be like Steven Job on positive side.

As an interested technopreneur, it is really an opportunity for me to work with technologies. Knowing the fact that our generation now is using technologies why I would keep myself to the opportunity where I could apply my learnings in school as an IT student.

In my course, Information Technology, I can say that I am very exposed to computers. Computers are part of technologies. Studying Information Technology is really very hard. I know there’s no such easy and simple course but if I am to compare my course to others, it’s really challenging and oblige me to have full effort. It requires me to have logical reasoning and critical thinking.

Defining Information Technology, it is the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of information systems. Information technology is a general term that describes any technology that helps to produce, manipulate, store, communicate, and/or disseminate information. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_technology)

In my course, I can say that I must have to possess patience, hardwork, perseverance, and ability to accept failures and a lot more. As you have notice, those characteristics I should possess is similar to entrepreneurial characteristics. That is why my course is much related to Technopreneurship. Because IT students like me, are most capable of doing what entrepreneur does. We have much the opportunities compared to nursing students, biological students, engineering students and etc.

In my course, I am slowly mold to become an effective IT person. I do believe that I will graduate on time no matter how long my course takes.

In contradiction, I know that we can be successful in a lot of way not just as Steven Jobs’s career path. We can be rich in a lot of ways. We can earn money though we are not an entrepreneur. It depends to ones way of living and choice of career.