No questions asked, the entrepreneur is an agent of change that may influence in almost every aspect of a country or region. However, they need a favourable environment that provides them with the necessary security for them to develop correctly. As an example, we may mention the cases of Italy and Japan, two current powers that, defeated in the Second World War, were able to reconstruct in a few years time, partly due to the entrepreneurs who made the reactivation of the economy possible hand in hand with the development of both countries. But this was only possible thanks to the support of the State which was precisely trying to generate an entrepreneurial culture.
Now, which is the reason why there is more entrepreneurship in the developed countries such as the United States than in the developing ones as Argentina or Chile? Ideas, projects exist in every country, the difference between one group and the other lies specially in the support that they receive to be carried out. This is why it would be interesting to consider what is that really makes the entrepreneurs able to act. The best way to analyse it could be from the personal experience of each one. Have you ever been entrepreneurs? Which were the incentives that lead you to be so? Or, on the contrary, which were the causes why you did not manage to succeed in it? The answers to these questions may give us a more clear perspective about the current situation of each of our countries and help analyse the similarities and differences between them, regarding the encouragement of an entrepreneurial culture.
Dear Mr. ALexandro,
A great piece of editorial, i especially liked the comparison regarding developed vs. developing countries and the difference as you stated lies in the support that they receive for their idea to be carried out. This is a good statement, but i believe, the difference lies first of all in the culture and in the encouragement of entreprenural spirit. For example, lets take U.S.A and One of the Developing Coutries like Chile, Africa, CIS… In USA, from Kindergarder, children are encouraged to be free, in the whole context of this words. They are encouraged to have their ideas and opinions, are encouraged to be express themselves through games and numereous plays within the kindergarden and are taught to be free in their actions and independent in their decision. This leitmotive goes through the all years of high school and college, where you are encouraged to be creative, encouraged to be enterpreneural and independent in your decitions, through in class projects, college to college competitions, and student elections or just sport games. All of this encouragement later on will result in the formation of enterprenural spirit, which in my belief and personal experience, most of US Students possess, than its matter of individual, how she/he will use this spirit, but the fact stays fact, the enterprenural spirit is encouraged their from childhood.. Now, lets take any of the developing countires… Does any of the above noted was a characteristic of the developing countries 10, 20 years ago? my answer, and probably, yours as well, if you come from developing countries, would be no… ..So, just food for thought, is it encouragement that comes when you are ready to start your enterpreneural activities, or is it the encouragement that begins from your childhood and that becomes a part of your lifestyle?…
I like this post very much! I think that the entrepreneur is the starting engine of any country and they must be helped, not left aside (something that nowadays happens in many countries)
Dear Mr. Nino,
I agree with you. Probably, the encouragement which begins from your childhood is more important because you are prepared for everything. Now, the problem is that it needs to be planned, because it is something that cannot be changed in a blink of an eye; it took many years for the USA to form that mentality and I think we should do something to make it possible in developing countries.
Nino,
I really like what you wrote and completely agree.
I’ve come to similar thoughts lately, and think that the place where this “encouragement” is most lacking and most needed is the University.
I’ve met a lot of talented and gifted people, whose potential is being wasted because no one gave them the first push they needed in order to take off. I really think that once this initial push happens, they will gain enough momentum to end up being unstoppable. But as long as this does not happen, we’ll be wasting all the potential this people have. To top if off, I think us students can encourage other students but only to a certain extent; as long as teachers, authorities and even family don’t catch up, the road will be pretty much uphill.
I do think that the first step is to become a living example for others, pushing through when most say it’s not worth it or plain useless. But I think there’s more that must and should be done. This is a pretty big challenge we are facing in developing countries, so I’d love to hear everyone’s opinion on what can we do.
Dear Mr. Alejandro and Martin,
Thank you for your feedback, they are very intersting and I believe we all agreed here on two things: Yes, the enterpreneurship should be encouraged from early years and yes, we all have to do something to empower this change and increase enterprenural spirit! As for the plan Mr. Alejandro, I strongly believe, that the first step toward empowering this free spirit and spirit of enterpreneurship lies in modification of education system!
Ps: Mr, Aljandro, its Ms.:)
For my part, the reason is that developing countries have lacked competitive environment for many years. And it is in COMPETITIVE environment that entrepreuneural spirits are likely to develop. Than, it is the issue of competition.
But, on the hand, everything should be done within reasonable limits because these highly competitive spirits lead to dis-integratedness of the society, and to the lack of unity… These are virtues that the modern society is losing, and in fact, we sometimes behave as enemies.
The rating system in modern universities, that increases competition, encourages students to study more; improves students’ performance and level of knowledge and really makes them more ambitious and entrepreuneural. But on the other hand, students lose credibility to each other, become individualists, and can’t make friends in such conditions. As a result they feel deeply depressed. We should somehow prevent this tendency!