Using the techniques for generating business ideas which you have learned from the previous activity, as well as from the lecture given in class on 18 July 2008, produce a draft business plan according to the format given by C. E. Yandle. [Click here for the format]
Upload your output in PDF format in the proper Yahoogroup File directory.
Watch the video of the lecture given by the CEO of Aramex entitled, “Competitive Strategy: Entrepreneurship and Brand Building” and answer the following questions:
Submit your answers in PDF format and upload them at the Files section of the YahooGroup.
“Natural computing was recently defined as a novel paradigm for computation where nature is taken as an example to define computational architectures and algorithms capable to solve problems efficiently and while being based on a low complexity description of its structure.” (Dogaru, 2008 ) [Read more from Springer]
“Natural Computing is defined as computing taking place in nature and human-designed computing inspired by nature. Research in natural computing is genuinly interdisciplinary and it is also using a wide variety of formal techniques.” (Rozenberg, 2006) [Read more]
“Natural Computing is the field of research that works with computational techniques inspired in part by nature and natural systems. The aim of such research is to develop new computational tools (in software, hardware or wetware) for solving complex, usually conventionally-hard problems.” [Read more from Wikipedia]
“Generally, the start-up phase of a company begins with the germination of a concept or a business idea and lasts till it has been able to successfully commercialise the idea for the initial scale of operations. Knowledge industry businesses such as IT, ITES, Biotechnology, CROs, media etc. fall under this category. Other businesses which are process-driven or investment driven such as FMCG, Pharmaceuticals, Auto ancillaries or other conventional manufacturing units have to survive the initial implementation and market risks to come out of the start-up phase.” (Subramanyam, undated) [Read more]
“Launching a business is not as risky as you might imagine. There’s a huge distinction between risk, which can be characterized as the possibility of loss, and uncertainty, which refers to the lack of knowing what lies in your short- and near-term future. In many ways, launching a business is less risky than sticking it out at an uncertain job in today’s fast economy. Just look at the continued layoffs from established companies, which even in the best of times are striving for ways to streamline staff in the name of efficiency.” (Ehrenfeld, 2001) [Read more]
The required readings above will be supplemented with a lecture on Business Idea Germination. The lecture notes can be downloaded from the yahoogroup Files section.
Answer the following questions and submit your answers in a PDF file, which you need to upload to the folder Activity No. 2 inside the Files section of the yahoogroup site. Use the same filename as required in the previous activity.
“Entrepreneurship is a mindset. It is a thinking process. It is a way of looking at the environment. The non-entrepreneurial mind looks for problems and finds them. The non-entrepreneurial mindset solves problems by making decisions. The non-entrepreneurial mindset anticipates all the problems and prepared for them. In contrast, the entrepreneurial mindset seeks opportunities, screens opportunities and seizes opportunities. Instead of seeing the danger in a crisis, opportunities are seen. Instead of making decision to solve the problem, opportunities will be pursued. Instead of making a plan to prevent problems, a set of opportunity seizing tasks are started and an initial plan to swiftly convert the idea into a reality is made. The key words in seizing are initial plane. This plan is ready to be changed on the fly when the seizing is not fast enough.” (Ferreria, 2005) [Read more from OFW-Connect]
“An entrepreneur is a great strategist and a master at getting others excited about helping them grow their business. They know they need to develop multiple profit centers in their business, not just one or two, so they’re constantly looking for creative opportunities to do so. And some of those profit centers need to be passive income that is not dependent on their time. In other words they’re not always selling time for money. In addition, the entrepreneur knows how to make the most of ever opportunity to bring in new prospects, convert them to paying clients, and get them to buy repeatedly. That means carefully planning, strategizing, measuring results against expectations and re-adjusting. It means taking calculated risks and learning from the ideas that fail—and there are always ideas that fail.” (Pettit, 2005) [Read more from SmarTrack]
“Small and home-based businesses fall by the wayside for a variety of reasons. Caused by factors such as, under-capitalization, miscalculated market potential, ineffective marketing to poor management and operation. For whatever reason, owners of these businesses have failed to think creatively and strategically to allow their businesses to overcome the challenges that came along the way.” By adopting the right entrepreneurial mindset, one can improve his chances for success. (Pleshette, undated) [Read more from PowerHomeBiz.com]
[Lecture Notes can be downloaded from the Yahoogroup Files section]
After the short lecture which will be delivered by the lecturer, students enrolled in the class will have to perform the activities as outlined below. To get credit for your work, please follow instructions carefully, particularly the matter on how your output should be submitted.
Join the ICSM414 official mailing list by sending an email to icsm414-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. Your lecturer will approve all subscription requests in due time.
Be sure that you have StarOffice 8 (or other version) installed in your machine. Call the attention of the laboratory custodian if there are problems.
The expected output for this activity is a PDF file which you must upload in the Files section of the yahoogroup, inside the folder “Activity No. 1″. Your PDF file name must indicate your family name followed by the last four (4) digits of your ID number, separated by an underscore. For instance, if my name is John Doe and my ID number is 2008-1-0000, then I should use the filename doe_0000.pdf.
Access the website of the Brigham Young University Center for Entrepreneurship (BYU CfE) and answer the following questions, encoding your answers in a StarOffice Writer 8 document showing proper numbering.
“There is currently no agreed upon definition of the range of topics which form the area of human-computer interaction. Yet we need a characterization of the field if we are to derive and develop educational materials for it. Therefore we offer a working definition that at least permits us to get down to the practical work of deciding what is to be taught: Human-computer interaction is a discipline concerned with the design, evaluation and implementation of interactive computing systems for human use and with the study of major phenomena surrounding them.” (Hewett, et. al., 1996) [Read more from ACM SIGCHI]
“Human Computer Interaction can be defined as a goal-driven communication between humans and computers as information processing systems. Human and computer information processing systems differ in the way they grasp/import, process and export information. Obviously there are enough traps in information exchange. The focus of HCI is the optimization of the communication between human and computer. Historically and with some exceptions, computer system developers have not paid much attention to computer ease-of-use. The future goal is to shift from technical to human-centered interaction.” [Read more]
“Human Computer Interaction (HCI) is about people interacting with technology. It looks at how technology is designed, and how it should be designed to make it easy and interesting for people to use. HCI is an inter-disciplinary discipline comprising experts from many fields, like engineering, computer science, psychology, graphic design, ergonomics and others. HCI is concerned with the design, evaluation and implementation of interactive technology. It aims to ensure that technology matches people’s needs, capabilities and limitations, regardless of whether people work in groups or alone.” [Read more from CHISIG]
“Entrepreneurship is a way of life. It is a driving force that compels you to do more, move faster, and go farther than anyone else, even in the face of high risk and uncertain outcomes. Unmistakably, the rewards of entrepreneurship, especially in the technology arena, can be great. But it is not an easy road to travel.” (Aggarwal and Esposito, 2001).
“Throughout the theoretical history of entrepreneurship, scholars from multiple disciplines in the social sciences have grappled with a diverse set of interpretations and definitions to conceptualize this abstract idea. Over time, some writers have identified entrepreneurship with the function of uncertainty-bearing, others with the coordination of productive resources, others with the introduction of innovation, and still others with the provision of capital. Even though certain themes continually resurface throughout the history of entrepreneurship theory, presently there is no single definition of entrepreneurship that is accepted by all economists or that is applicable in every economy.” (Burnett, 2000).
“A technology entrepreneur generally seeks to solve a problem that exists in the market. Whether that means developing a better communications resource tool, a better optical switching device, or a better bioinformatics system, a void is always identified and then attempted to be filled. A second objective of the technology entrepreneur is to build long-term value. Sustainability is crucial. A third objective of the ntrepreneur is to have freedom. Being your own boss has definite appeal. Glass ceilings cease to exist and achievement is limited only by imagination. Entrepreneurs are motivated by having control over their work and the flexibility to pursue their dreams. But freedom always has a price. With greater personal freedom, comes greater uncertainty about the future, particularly in relation to finances. Greater personal freedom also means a less structured environment, in which greater self discipline is required in order to thrive. Entrepreneurs are willing to accept these risks, though, because of their absolute conviction that they have what it takes to overcome any odds.” (Aggarwal and Esposito, 2001)
“Technopreneurship is not a product but a process of synthesis in engineering the future of a person, an organization, a nation and the world. Strategic directions or decision-making processes are becoming more demanding and complex. This requires universities, and in site professional development programs and training to produce strategic thinkers who will have skills to succeed in a rapidly changing global environment.” (Cereijo, 2002)
