enterprise, entrepreneurship and entrepreneur

8/13/2019 Enterprise, Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneur

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Enterprise, Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneur

Madhusudan Jhunjhunwala, FounderGauri Shanker Business Services Pvt. Limited (GSBS), Secunderabad

Background

I have been asked to contribute an article for the Souvenir of Gitanjali Devashray. I have been

advised that I should write on a theme of my choice. I could treat this (choice) a privilege, or aresponsibility, or both. I would assume that this (choice) is both, a privilege as well as a

responsibility, for me. This is so, since it affords me an opportunity to share my views with

readers on a subject (Enterprise, Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneur)I am fascinated with

and, at the same time, it would also give our children some food for thought, engaging them in

an exploration of entrepreneurshipas a possible pursuit in future.

Children represent creativity, honesty, confidence and future. Each one of them is unique and

special, but not more so that others. Each one of them is capable of excellence in his/her chosenarea of competence. We need to remember that excellence is incomparable. If at all, an

excellence can only compare and compete with itself. We excel when we are given freedom tochoose; we dont when choices are either restricted or are forced on us. Our children need to

learn the concepts of enterprise, entrepreneurship and entrepreneurand why they are vital to a

society. They ought to learn about the creative challenges and rewards associated with the

pursuit of entrepreneurship.

Enterprise and its genesis

An enterprise is, truly speaking, an ultimate culmination of five basic individual personality

traits. They are:

1. Ones passion in ones own belief,2. Ones belief in ones own self,3. Ones unrelenting determination to shape ones own destiny,4. Ones own ability to innovate and5. Ones ability to not get mellowed down by environmental factors (beyond ones control)

Once these traits come together, undeterred by other environmental or any other factors, an

entrepreneur is born who then lays down the foundation of an enterprise. An entrepreneur does

not start an enterprise because he is motivated by philanthropic aspirations; he starts an

enterprise because he is compelled to create and preserve his own identity. It is another matterthat once having achieved his own private goal, he is inclined towards philanthropic motives. An

entrepreneur is always ahead of his time and so is the enterprise that he builds and leads.

The spirit of creation and service to society (by using our unique talents in the fields of our

choice) is entrepreneurship. As it appears, an enterprise is an individual initiative whose solepurpose is progress for the self. Preservation and promotion of ones own material, emotional

and self-esteem needs are at the core of every entrepreneurial endeavor. However, there is rarely

an endeavor or objective that can be singly achieved even though the inspiration behind thatendeavor is the aspirations of just one individual. This individual actually becomes a rallying


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Enterprise, Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurpoint for all the necessary factors needed for the attainment of the objective. Till such time these

factors remain in hibernation and the initiative of the entrepreneur motivates them to come out of

hibernation. It is thus that what is apparently an individual-centric exercise starts turning into a

collective endeavor called enterprise.

With the man was born the need. The primitive man felt the need for fulfilling his biologicalurges of hunger, shelter, clothes and sex much before he felt those of religion and politics. The

manner in which he set out to fulfill these needs gave birth to the concepts of consumer,

surplus, innovation, technology, knowledge and entrepreneur. The earliest man himself was

the first entrepreneur. All these concepts were later organized together in the form of an

institution called enterprise.

Evolution of Enterprise

It has made a journey from the cave age to the information age and is set to enter the age of

innovation. These innovations will focus on two things: 1. Exploration of the unknown and

beyond and 2. Battling the complexities of today to make them simple. Simplicity in human life

is going to be as important in the next age as it was in the cave age or at the dawn of humancivilization. The mankind will require enormous strength and energy to be devoted in pursuit of

unknown frontiers of this universe in order to find solutions to its pressing problems on this

planet. This exercise will be as novel as have been the inventions of steam engine or computer or

discoveries of various disciplines of science.

Nothing in this world has ever been devoid of emotions and contradictions and it will never be

so. Evolution is a universal law. Emotions and contradictions are the forces behind the progress

and development achieved by mankind. They are also the forces behind the evolution of all that

man has created. These forces are intrinsic to human nature and their imprints are unmistakablyvisible in all that one creates. These imprints are greeted by more emotional responses from

others, thereby providing a fertile ground for further contradictions. The world will come to a

standstill if emotions and contradictions disappear from our lives.

Entrepreneur and a professional manager

An entrepreneur must hand over his enterprise to professionals in the manner parents hand overthe responsibility of grooming their children to professional gurus after laying the foundations of

values, vision and goal for future. There is no dichotomy between an entrepreneur and a

professional. The fact is that the later is an extension of the former. As has been mentionedearlier, induction of professionals was an entrepreneurial necessity. The two roles got separated

for reasons of clarity and effectiveness within the enterprise. If the size and operations of an

enterprise is not very complex, it is possible for one to perform both the roles. However, it

requires one to develop and master two contrasting qualities entrepreneurial attachment andprofessional detachment. Further, having developed these skills, it is still more challenging to

develop yet another skill ability to balance the two during actual practice. Frankly, it is one of

the rare feats achieved by very few accomplished in the whole world of enterprise and

management.

Entrepreneurial challenges


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Enterprise, Entrepreneurship and EntrepreneurAn enterprise is always born in the times of acute adversity and crisis because it is during these

periods that human intellect compressed from all sides works at its best. Behind the growth and

sustainability of every enterprise lies the will to win against all odds.

Enterprises in their relentless march into the future continue to leave behind them an enormous

wealth of knowledge and experience which are leveraged by potential entrepreneurs who in turnutilize this wealth against the same enterprises who create them. Some ingenuous minds even

surpass them and leave them behind in the same march into future. This leads to the birth of an

increasing number of enterprise, entrepreneurs and professionals, each vying to be more creativeand value-generating than the other. Thus an entrepreneurial culture starts taking shape in a

society.

Tomorrow is an enterprises biggest opportunity and yet its biggest weakness. It is an

opportunity in that it gives a reality and recognition to our creativity, imagination and initiatives.

It is a weakness when we fall into the lethargic trap of tomorrow. It is a weakness if we are notable to peep into it and see it with clarity. Many organizations have fallen in this trap. Some

came out while the rest didnt. But very few could regain lost glories ofhey days. The only way

to escape this trap is to remain alert, agile, nimble, proactive and aggressive. The only power thatcan see the enterprise through its challenging phases is the power of NOW. But practicing it is

easier said than done.

Conclusion

Globalization and technology have created, and continue to create, abundant avenues where our

children can apply their unique talents in entrepreneurial pursuits creating infinite wealth for and

eradicating poverty from society. True entrepreneurship is about creation of value, and is

broad-based. It helps a society build its character and confidence. It fortifies the foundations ofdemocracy, creativity and meritocracy based on hard work. The Western societies, particularly

North America and Western Europe, have encouraged entrepreneurship in comparison to those

in the East. As a result, democratic values, innovation, meritocracy and hard work a form major

constituents of their character.

An entrepreneurial society is place of celebration, since it competes with self. It celebrates its

own excellence and excellence of others; it celebrates victory, whether own or opponents. In

this there is no place for mediocrity; there is no place for defeat; because this excels and helps

others excel; because it wins and help others win. We need to remember that the world is big

enough to accommodate as many successes as we can create.

If everybody in a society seeks a job, who will create one?

enterprise, entrepreneurship and entrepreneur

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