Week 4 Reading Reflection

Chapter 5

1) Something that stood out to me the most in this chapter is that despite social and political unrest in Africa, there are still a small number of entrepreneurs attempting to start business there. This intrigued me because, as an entrepreneur, you can start your business anywhere you want. And you probably would want to choose a place where there is an opportunity to earn profit (which to me is not a third world country). It seems that there would be a lot of risk involved with starting a business in a developing continent such as Africa.

2) One part of the reading that was confusing to me was the two hemispheres of the brain. Throughout my schooling, the psychology of our brains has always been something that confusing me and I do not really understand how it all works. The book described how the right brain helps us understand analogies, imagine things, and synthesize information while the left brain helps us analyze, verbalize, and rationally approach problem solving. In my opinion, a lot of these functions overlap so how are we able to distinguish what our right brain does and what our left brain does. This is something that greatly confuses me. 

3) First, I would ask the author about the "arenas of creativity." Does creativity start with the arena such as idea, material or event (as told in the textbook) or does it start with the individual? In my opinion, you do not decide to be creative because you want to make a new product or start a new event. Instead, a creative person stumbles upon creating something new and innovative as a result of their thinking process. 

Second, I would ask the author about where the misconceptions about innovation came from. In my opinion most of them should not even qualify as a misconception because it is common sense that they are not true. For example, "innovation is planned and predictable." This has never been something to be believed as true and I am not sure who wrongly stated this for it to even be considered as a myth. I think the author should cite who has claimed to have spoken these misconceptions before writing them down as misconceptions.  

4) I disagree with the author about the fact that mental habits can block or impede one's creative thinking. While this may partially be true, in the end, creative people are always going to be creative. There will always be less creative people. I don't think this can be blamed on negative mental habits, I think that their minds just work in different ways than creative people's.

Top 5 World Problems

Climate change has had an immense impact on the polar bear population.

Top 5 Problems (most serious to least serious):
1. Terrorism. I chose this as the most serious problem because of how apparent it has been within the last few years. It is something that not only effects our country, but the entire world is in danger. It causes fear in the people of society and this is something that is extremely hard to fix. As terrorist groups continue to cause harm, fear will increase across all nations.
2. Climate Change. I chose this as the second most serious problem because it is another issue that effects people world wide. It is also something that is extremely hard, almost impossible, to control. It seems our world has put such a negative impact on earth that it is going to be hard to turn it around.
3. Racism. This is another issue that is hard to fix because it has to do with the way minority groups feel and it is difficult to change feeling.
4. Unemployment. It seems this will always be a world issue. Although the overall percentage often decreases, it is never steady. It seems difficult to control since it is always a fluctuating percentage. It is a direct representation of the state of the economy.
5. Abuse of drugs and alcohol in youth. I think this is an important problem, but not the most serious because it probably only effects a small portion, especially since the drinking age is much younger than 21 in a lot of countries. However, youth who do end up abusing drugs or alcohol are almost always steered down the wrong path of life. It is important to stop this before it starts.

Top 5 Solutions (most possible to least possible to implement):
1. Social media and privacy: forcing people to read terms and conditions by requiring a quiz after creating an account. I believe this is the most possible solution to implement because technology is so advanced that it would not be that difficult to create a quiz that pops up after accepting the terms and conditions. This would allow users to understand what privacy may be violated by using a given site.
2. Unrealistic portrayal of women in the media: censor advertisements more and create ads with "bigger" woman to change the beauty standard. In many ways, this solution is already being implemented so it will be equally as possible to continue. Many ad campaigns have featured plus size models. For example, Dove released a commercial campaign featuring only plus size models which . I believe ads like this will continue. Khloe Kardashian has also been an important role model for plus size. She has been an important figure who openly discusses her curves and "bigger" body.
3. Climate Change. While we may not be able to completely fix climate change, the solutions to simply unplug appliances, turn lights off, and carpool are extremely simple and easy. They end up making a large impact over time and could greatly help our planet.
4. Gender pay gap: women need to be more open to discuss their pay. If women are qualified enough, they should open up and discuss their discontent with their salary. Many women in the workforce have strong enough personalities and relationships with their bosses that they will be able to negotiate an equal pay to what their male colleagues receive.
5. Lack of human interaction due to technology: elementary schools must promote face-to-face interactions. While much of the older generations may be a lost cause, I think this solution should start with young kids and is fairly simple to implement. As opposed to using technology to teach grade school, teachers should promote the use of group work or interactions with staff members. Even adding extra recess time will help this technology issue. If it is engrained in young people's brains, they will be less likely to live on their phones in the future.

Week 3 Reading Reflection

Chapter 2 reading reflection

1. Something that surprised me and stood out the most during the reading is the Entrepreneurial Ego. This was a very bold title and made me want to read into it more. It surprised me that the author chose to describe the inflated egos of entrepreneurs as a destructive implication. In my opinion, entrepreneurs must have an ego and certain confidence about themselves in order to be successful. This is what sets them apart from others and gives them the ability succeed at running a business. I figured the author would have written this part in more of a positive sense that if entrepreneur's are not confident and do not have an ego, they will probably not succeed.

2. One part of the reading that was confusing to me was the fact that the importance of "fostering positive relationships in all areas of life" was a concept that just began to transpire when the number of female entrepreneurs grew. The text made it seem as if females hadn't begun to emerge as entrepreneurs, there would be less of a focus on the importance of strong relationships in entrepreneurial businesses. I am confused because I feel that this should be a core value of entrepreneurship despite the growing emergence of females and their "caring" nature.

3. The first question I would ask the author is why they wrote this chapter in a way that makes entrepreneurship seem negative. Seeing the title "The Dark Side of Entrepreneurship" doesn't really make me want to read more and definitely doesn't make me want to become an entrepreneur. The author used the term "destructive" to describe the dark side of entrepreneurship. Much of the chapter was devoted to all of the negatives that go along with being an entrepreneur such as risks and stress, and the entrepreneurial ego.

The second question I would ask the author is why all of the key terms contain the word entrepreneurial. It doesn't seem that any of them are specific to entrepreneurship, such as motivation, or cognition. These are all general terms that do not seem specific to the realm of entrepreneurship. I understand that these terms are in the context of the entrepreneurial world but I think the terms could be more specific to entrepreneurship instead.

4. I disagree with the fact that the author made it seem like being an entrepreneur and able to succeed at starting your own business is something that is a natural and innate ability. The entrepreneurial mind-set and all of the cognition theories made it seem like you are born an entrepreneur and are unable to develop these skills. I disagree because I believe someone can develop these characteristics based on the environment they grow up in or the workplaces that they are exposed to from a young age.

Identifying Local Opportunities- Gainesville Sun

1. Mayoral candidate Shepherd accused of stealing old pick up truck

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A66963CFABB800?p=AWNB

This article explains the story of potential Gainesville mayoral candidate Donald E. Shepherd Sr. who has been arrested on a grand theft auto charge.  A woman reported that he stole a truck without permission. Shepherd and his wife both claim he did not steal the vehicle. The woman declined an interview about the incident but the truck was gone from the woman's house and coincidentally was photographed in Shepherd's driveway days later. Shepherd helped the woman's family out frequently by cleaning the apartment and washing the supposedly stolen truck many times in the past. It is unclear whether the truck was stolen and investigation will continue in the coming weeks.

The problem here is that even though Shepherd may not have stolen the truck, his image will still be tarnished in his running for Mayor of Gainesville. People are probably going to view him differently after the incident. He will be ineligible to run for mayor if the charges of grand theft auto stand.

Donald Shepherd is the person facing the problem, as well as the woman who owns the truck.


2. Editorial: seeking clarity in hospital costs

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A7E65B56EA5158?p=AWNB

This article discusses the confusing and costly nature of hospital bills and how this effects patients. Legislation is attempting to give patients more information about hospital costs when they receive their bill. The proposal would require online pricing information on procedures that hospitals and surgical centers provide. As opposed to seeking funding for the issue, Governor Rick Scott is pushing to spend budget surplus. Instead of politically attacking nonprofit hospitals, the author of the article posed that Scott should work together with hospitals to ensure that enough information is being provided to patients.

The main problem here is that patients of hospitals are not provided with enough information on their hospital bill and end up paying the bill without fully understanding where all the costs are coming from. Legislation is hoping to pass a new bill that would provide patients with more detailed information, requiring hospitals to provide online pricing information.

The patients are the ones experiencing this problem.


3. Alachua County Commission votes to move toward civil citation for pot

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A9388B22ABFA00?p=AWNB

This article explains the Alachua County Commission's decision to allow police officers to issue a civil citation instead of arresting people for possession of small amounts of marijuana. Currently, if someone is charged with possession of marijuana could face up to a year in prison and a $1000 fine. The issuance of civil citations instead would keep those charged from having a criminal record. Many were in support of this change during a meeting on Tuesday. Sargeant Brandon Kutner explains that the provisions would give deputies another tool in dealing with marijuana possessions. Commissioners must still approve the ordinance after it has been drafted.

The problem here is that although commissioners may pass this provision to help police officers as well as young kids who may not deserve a criminal record, there are many adults in the community that are going to be angered by this decision. If marijuana possession becomes less of a criminal act, this probably means more people are going to use it. This would create even more issues especially with lack of police involvement.

This problem is going to affect parents of young kids who may decide to use marijuana if possession becomes less of an offense.

4. Bill would tighten rules for some abortion clinics

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A7E65B137F9B90?p=AWNB

A bill which may be passed in Florida would require abortion clinics to meet the same standards as surgical centers. Surgical centers have strict building code, equipment, and staffing requirementsAlthough the bill has not officially been passed, it cleared the Florida House committee on Tuesday. There are many critics of the bill passing who believe this will shut down some clinics. Others think it will make abortions safer. Texas imposed this same bill. Before passing, the state had 40 abortion clinics. Texas currently has only 19 clinics after the passing of the bill.

The problem here is that abortion clinics may be more difficult to access if currently operated clinics do not meet the standards and have to close down.

This problem will affect any women in Florida who becomes pregnant and wishes to get an abortion.


5. Environmental groups want water-bill veto

http://infoweb.newsbank.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/resources/doc/nb/news/15A69329CED42C50?p=AWNB

This article discusses the disagreement several Florida environmental groups have towards the passing of a water policy. The policy will be signed by Governor Rick Scott next week. The bill will establish water-flow levels for springs as well as set guidelines for the water-supply planning effort. This bill will hopefully aid the expected growth in demand of water in the next 15 years.

The problem is that environmental groups want to veto this bill. They claim the bill will take away from independence of water management districts due to the required permit approvals. Environmental groups are pushing for 17 amendments on the bill.

Those affected by the problem are the environmentalists and workers at the water management districts throughout Florida who will now have much more strict guidelines.

Very Short Interview No. 1

My father grew up with Mark Kurkoski, whose parents abandoned him and his two younger brothers. At age 14 he was forced to live on his own and take care of his siblings. From a very young age, Mark was an entrepreneur. However, in 1987, he decided to start his own used car dealership called Crestwood Auto Sales in Swansea, MA. Mark is an extremely driven, hardworking individual. He decided to enter the car business because he was well spoken, a strong communicator and strong ability to persuade. The car business was something that Mark felt was stable and gave him to best opportunity to succeed, although he knew it would be tough at first. 29 years later, Mark has started and maintained a 5 star rated used car business. After discussing the background of Mark's business, I asked him 3 general questions that would hopefully assist me in this course and help me gain a better understanding about what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. Since Mark's business is run in Massachusetts, I was obviously not able to do a face-to-face interview. We both had very busy weeks so we managed a short phone call interview on Wednesday Night. As we talked, I wrote down Mark's responses to the best of my ability.

Amy: What does it mean to you to be an entrepreneur?
Mark: Being an entrepreneur to me is working through adversity and creating a lot out of a little. I never set out to become an entrepreneur. The events that occurred in my life led me to become motivated to achieve something greater and to set a better example for my children than my parents did for me. After attending college, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. Further down the road, I decided to start my own business. The various obstacles I had faced in my life pushed me towards this decision. Ever since I was a teenager forced to provide for myself, I have always been highly motivated to lead a successful and fulfilled life.

Amy: What is the most important thing you believe I should learn from an entrepreneurship course?
Mark: An entrepreneurship course should attempt to educate students on the character traits necessary to be successful as an entrepreneur. Being an entrepreneur is about being honest and personable. You must be able to relate to many different types of people. Like any job, if there's someone you don't get a long with you have to learn to deal with them. You are going to be put in a situation or dilemma that you won't know how to fix; you have to figure out a way to change it or make the most out of the issue.

Amy: What is the most valuable lesson you have learned in your years as an entrepreneur?
Mark: The most valuable lesson I have learned is that you do not start a business overnight. Crestwood started as an idea, a belief, a desire to succeed. I worked long hours, made valuable connections with people who would help me down the road, and most of all believed in myself throughout the process. There are going to be days where you think you may have made a mistake in wanting to start a business. It takes an immense amount of time.


                                                                          Reflection
While I knew Mark and had spent time with him prior to this interview, I never knew about his work or how he got started as an entrepreneur. After hearing his story, and previously knowing his personality, it all makes sense why he has been such a successful entrepreneur over the years. The most surprising thing was that Mark was able to be so successful and gain so much respect from the community. Most people in his situation, being left by his parents, would be steered down a much more negative path of life. Mark chose to make something out of nothing and all of his hard work has paid off. This interview has showed me just how important perseverance is as an entrepreneur. Not everything you try is necessarily going to be successful right off the bat.

World's Biggest Problems

1. Problem:  Climate Change. This has caused seasons to shift, overall temperatures and sea levels to rise, and stronger storms. Many species of animals are threatened because of the extreme change in weather patterns.
Solution: Decrease the human carbon footprint by turning off lights and unplugging appliances when you leave home. Walk or ride a bike to class instead of driving a car or scooter.

2. Problem:  Terrorism. This has become a major issue not just within the U.S but globally as well. The rise of ISIS has caused international fear as well as deaths. Since the 9/11 attacks, this has been a rising issue. The attacks on Paris was the most recent.
Solution: Universal agreement on laws. There needs to be a strong governing force in each country that is going to control and find ISIS members and other terrorist groups.

3. Problem:  Social Media and Privacy. There are many features to social media sites that allow access user's information in terms of their specific use of the site. After finding this out, many users feel that their privacy is being invading because of the amount of information that can be extracted from their accounts.
Solution: Force people to read the terms and conditions by requiring a quiz on after signing up for a social media site. When terms and conditions change, existing users must retake the quiz.

4. Problem:  Racism. While racism has diminished over the years, it is still prominent in our society whether society admits it or not. There is a lot of discrimination occurring in secret that most people don't even know about.
Solution: People who feel they are victims of racism need to have a stronger voice and need to be heard/listened to instead of others shutting them down and acting like these problems do not exist. Everyone must be more comfortable talking about the issue of racism.

5. Problem:  Gender pay gap. Across almost all professions, men are paid than women for the same job. This is not going to change anytime soon and grows further apart with age. On average, women are paid 79% of what men are paid for the same job.
Solution: To start, women should be more comfortable discussing their pay with co-workers and colleagues. If they feel strongly about the issue they should confront their bosses to negotiate pay. The minimum wage could also be raised in order to help the pay gap.

6. Problem:  Unemployment. This is an economic problem in the U.S as well as internationally. There are simply not enough jobs for the amount of people that need work. Much of the time, workers do not have the proper skills needed to fill a certain position.
Solution: Create more jobs and teach skills, especially at the youth level so that they are able to learns skills necessary to fill job spots later in life.

7. Problem:  Unrealistic portrayal of women in the media. The beauty standard has become more and more skewed over the years. Models and female figures are shown with impossibly skinny bodies and perfect faces because of photoshop and other online technology. This is causing females of all ages to question their looks and even pay thousands of dollars to surgically fix things about their body to look the way females are shown in the media.
Solution: Censor advertisements more so that magazines are not able to use certain technology to alter photos of models. Also, create advertisements with "bigger" or normal sized women to show that the beauty standard should not be so extreme.

8. Problem:  Lack of human interaction due to technology. Relationships and social skills can be greatly altered by the lack of face to face conversations. It seems that everyone is always on their phones and never take the time to actually talk in person.
Solution: This problem starts with youth, so elementary schools and parents need to promote face to face interactions. Teachers should promote old school learning that allows young students to connect with each other instead of learning through technological means.

9. Problem:  Expensive costs of treatment for deadly illnesses (specifically cancer). Cancerous deaths are continuing to rise and it seems that current treatments are so expensive that families are often unable to afford it. There may be lack of access to treatments because of outdated technology or the cancer may be found too late to be treated.
Solution: Make cancer treatments more accessible, cheaper, or completely covered by insurance.

10. Problem:  Abuse of drugs and alcohol in youth. This is the leading cause of teen suicide as well as the leading cause of crime. It also has effects on mental health such as depression and anxiety.
Solution: Encourage treatment and make it more affordable and accessible. Encourage parents to confront their children about it. Require drug abuse prevention courses in areas where crime/drugs are more prominent.

Reading Reflection- Week 2

Chapter 1 reading reflection

1. Something that stood out to me the most are all the external factors that effect entrepreneur's development. Before reading this I had mostly just thought about the internal personal traits one needed in order to be a successful entrepreneur. You must be a leader, someone who is independent, and someone who is driven to complete tasks. I never thought about societal factors that could negatively impact your start up such as environmental factors, financial factors, and economic, cultural, or political displacement. The author greatly detailed how these external factors will influence the development of entrepreneurship.


2. One part that was confusing was the fact that the author said no gazelles end up surviving. Just the page before that, the author described gazelles as "leaders in innovation." He defines a gazelle as "a business establishment with at least 20 percent sales growth every year. The author described all the great and successful attributes of gazelles and then on the next page talks about how they most likely will fail. To me, this did not make sense and sort of startled me.


3. One question I would ask the author based on Chapter 1 would be: how did you come up with the 10 myths about entrepreneurs? I would ask this because I think many of them could be debated and that there are probably many more than 10 so why are these the most important and are they a result of personal experience?
A second question I would ask the author based on chapter 1 would be: why did you include the blurb about "the best business schools for entrepreneurship"? To me it seemed a bit random and unrelated to the rest of the chapter. The author did not discussing studying entrepreneurship at all in this chapter so it didn't seem to fit with the rest of the information presented.


4. I disagree with Myth 1: Entrepreneurs Are Doers, Not Thinkers. I think instead that entrepreneurs can be seen as doers and thinkers interchangeably. They are not one or the other because in order to be successful, their thoughts must be consistent with their actions. If one does not think, they will not do.

Bug List

1. When the Starbucks at the Hub puts too much cream in your coffee.
      This happens very often at this particular Starbucks causing me to go to a different one to get a good coffee. This usually happens because the employees at the Hub are UF students and aren't as good at making drinks as actual veteran baristas are.

2. When the computer lab is empty and someone choses to sit right next to you.
I do not understand why people do this except for the fact that someone may automatically use the same computer in a computer lab every day, regardless of how many people are in the lab. It may be instinct to always sit in the same chair.

3. When you have been sitting in the same seat all semester and someone who rarely shows up to class decides to sit in your seat.
This happens because the person doesn't know where classmates usually sit because they never show up to class.

4. When people are in a quiet area and their music is playing loud enough for others to hear.
Sometimes people are not very mindful of how loud their music is to others because they are just focused on doing their homework.

5. When people walk through campus with their head down looking at their phone and do not pay attention.
This bug exists because people do not use their phones while in class so once they get out and are walking to their next destination they are texting or checking social media.

6. When drivers don't use their blinkers or decide to use them at the last second before they turn.
The bug exists because drivers are often pre-occupied or just lazy.

7. Hand dryers in public restrooms that do not dry your hands enough and there are no paper towels.
It is eco-friendly to not have paper towels in public bathrooms and while it saves a lot of paper, it is a hassle to still have wet hands when you leave a bathroom.

8. People who clean up their dog's waste and then leave the filled bag on the ground.
The bug exists because

9. People who are on the phone when ordering or paying at a store.
This bug exists because some people may not have a lot of time during the day to talk to relatives or friends. Someone also may have called them for a specific reason at that exact time so it is important to stay on the phone.

10. When people talk during movies.
This bug exists because people like to comment about things that happen in the movie to their friends.

11. When people don't say "thank you" when you hold the door for them.
When people walk into a store they may not be focused on how or why the door is open because they are thinking about what they are going to buy.

12. People who chew loud or with their mouth open in a public place.
This is another case of people not being focused on a particular thing, causing it to be an annoyance. Some people are worried about eating their food and do not take into consideration how they are going about this in a loud manner.

13. Listening to people eat soup at Panera.
This bug goes along with #12 and has the same reason for why it exists.

14. When people get in the elevator first and do not ask you what floor you need to go to.
This bug exists because people may not be aware of who gets in the elevator behind them or because their thoughts are preoccupied with their own destination and not others.

15. When my brother leaves the toilet seat up.
This bug exists because my brother is not mindful of the fact that he is not the only ones using the bathroom.

16. When people use the incorrect form of "your" "you're" and "there" "their."
Most people know the correct form so this bug exists because of laziness or during informal conversations with friends where correct grammar isn't necessary.

17. When people tap their pen on their desk during class.
This bug exists because it is a common tick when someone is bored or thinking during class. Most people don't even notice they are doing it.

18. When teachers go past time in class.
This bug exists because teachers are not aware of what time it is or if they are aware, they want to finish their thought before ending class.

19. When everyone leaves their dishes in the sink and you end up having to clean them all because you know nobody else will.
This bug exists because my roommates sometimes are not home long enough throughout the day to do the dishes so they start to pile up.

20. When people FaceTime in public without headphones or use speaker phone.
This bug exists because some people don't think its a big deal to be loud and disrupt others in public.




                                                        Reflection
While this exercise was very easy at first, it did become difficult to think of 20 things that bug me throughout the day. Some days I was more tired than others so I would be annoyed with a lot more things than on a day when I had a good night's sleep. Being tired greatly affects your mood and the way you handle situations so I noticed a lot more details about how people act when I was tired. Overall, this exercise made me realize the large number of things that bother me about the way people act. The biggest observation about my list is that almost all of them involve people and the way they act as opposed to the way things are.

Entrepreneur's Mantra

Introduction

My name is Amy Arnold. I am a junior studying Sports Management with a minor in business. I am from Massachusetts and play lacrosse for UF. My ideal career would involve working in sports either at the collegiate or professional level. I have always been passionate about sports and would love to continue working with athletes once my athletic career ends. I have an older brother named Sam who lives in New York City. After college, I hope to travel more. The best place I have traveled to include London, Paris, and Cambodia. Next I would like to go to Greece, Spain, or Italy.

My Entrepreneurship Story

An example of entrepreneurship that I have experienced in my life is when my close family friend and my dad's childhood best friend created Aziza's Place in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Amjad Ghori created Aziza's Place in honor of his young daughter, one of my childhood friends, who passed away. Aziza's Place is a children's boarding school which gives an opportunity for higher education and a more stable place to live for kids whose families are unable to provide. The children live, learn, play, and are fed at the school. They are taught discipline, manners, and many life skills that create opportunities for them to succeed. Amjad has created a board of directors who help organize finances, funding, and new projects for Aziza's Place. They frequently accept paid interns who stay to teach and work with the kids for months or even years at a time. I have personally visited Aziza's Place two times and am able to understand how the children's lives have changed for the better because of the school. I have seen first hand how successful Aziza's Place was in its first few years as a start up school. The link to their website is: Aziza's Place

I chose to take this class as an elective because it is able to be applied to real life and is relevant to where my career will probably take me. This semester, I hope to learn valuable information about businesses as well as how they are run and maintained.

Test Post

Test post for ENT3003.