Assignment 6

Being asked to watch a 3 minute length video in YouTube in which a certain person is giving a lecture about something, thinking that I have to make a 1000 word reflection about it I decided to compare my personality from before watching the video and after watching the video. My first impression about the video in which I decided to imagine the video’s content without watching by making use of the title “Make Meaning in Your Company”, I was expecting about a person talking about the different roles that employees are to partake, the different ways that they are to tread and different methods they have to master in which they can always do and be better. My impressions where all about how an employee would become the “next big shot in the company” and then I decided to read the description of the video. It was stated in the video description that the speaker was the founder and Managing Director of Garage Technology Ventures, Guy Kawasaki and he was giving something more than what I was merely expecting, it was his belief that the companies that aims to give a positive change are the same companies that tend to be more successful.

I was short on important details and yet I still decided to take a chance and gave of an answer, I was ultimately wrong. That’s what I get for settling down with the shallow details and not seeking a deeper explanation about the video, this was also the point of the video we were asked to watch, to seek for a deeper meaning and reason not only the answer.

At the start of the video Mr. Guy Kawasaki was talking about the core and the most primary essence of entrepreneurship and he stated that it’s not just making money; to rise to the top or to just suddenly become famous. It’s about creating a fundamentally founded company anchored in principles and disciplines that shall embody the ideals of the company which is at the same time to be shared by the employees. The speaker himself said that he was able to test and prove this scenario on his own experiences on the companies he has founded and to other that he has funded.

This statement hit me with a big realization in life, around me a new idealization has been going around and that is that “no one gets rich just by being an employee, be an entrepreneur for a greater shot in becoming rich”. This statement has been going around for quite some time now and people get too attracted in becoming an entrepreneur, but are these people on the correct path?

Mr. Guy Kawasaki also explained thoroughly and generously set out examples of ways on how to achieve the “to Make Meaning as a company” core, first of this is the goal to increase the quality of life, followed by the goal to right a wrong and lastly the goal to prevent the end of something good. These were the goals cited by Mr. Guy Kawasaki and compelled those people who were listening to him that at least have one choice from the options, if they found themselves without any choice he asked them to rethink if they are on the right track.

Reality-check these people who believe that getting rich fast by becoming an entrepreneur fail to understand and realize the true importance of entrepreneurship, there are just simply and foolishly trying to find a short and direct answer to their need which is to be rich. In addition to that these people get contented and settle down with the shallow details of being an entrepreneur, and they are kept not oriented with the greater realization that entrepreneurship brings.

The saying that “many who get rich are entrepreneurs” is indeed very correct in fact there are already concrete examples to prove this theory, but the truth is that this statement is already an outcome or a byproduct of companies and entrepreneurs who are successful on their different founded organizations. Where I am going at is that I would like to explain on the simplest sense that people should not dwell and study the answer only, they should also study how to properly get to the answer and that is by getting, knowing and understanding the reason of how do certain companies and entrepreneurs get rich. Do they really only think about gaining money? Or is there something of much importance that they observe and respect?

There are people only think entrepreneurship as a way out of poverty but this way of thinking just merely scratches the surface of the greater idea and that is to seek greater meaning of entrepreneurship, to not just be contented and settle down as long as you gain high income but to commit great help in seeking and providing a positive change where ever this company strives and settles down. Like other companies of course they are to gain money but what creates a unique, positive and special reason why a certain company is different from the other is the commitment to change the world and make it a better place to live in not to anchor itself in material disciplines.

I have also reflected on the examples presented by Mr. Guy Kawasaki and compared if these were evident nowadays, I was somehow struck that many entrepreneurs and also companies are being born not following this example instead they are going for what is a big hit in the market, they don’t care a single thing about creating and leaving a positive change on the paths they take. Sometimes companies or entrepreneurs who only care about making a lot of many and left with no other goals go out of business almost immediately because of their own doing. They go with the trend without following ethical or business disciplines and this causes them problems as they go along, not to mention some of these companies and entrepreneurs desire for money makes them do things that are down and dirty just to survive creating an unethical environment for business which often kills or puts the business trend out of place.

Luckily there are also companies who follow Mr. Guy Kawasaki’s example, they do believe that entrepreneurship is giving the services that the customer pays for but also doesn’t stop there they tend to learn new things to help increase the quality of life for every people in the world, they also are diligently observing the wrong things that may have become a part of our daily lives and they strive to provide a solution and correct it and lastly these companies and entrepreneurs sees the best things that are already part of our lives that are in the danger of being forgotten or destroyed and they persevere to prevent those things from ending.

In conclusion I believe that what Mr. Guy Kawasaki desired to say is that, there is more to the world of entrepreneurship than just merely making money, it is supposed to be a lifetime commitment which aims to provide the best solutions and services to the people not just because they paid for it but because it is the right and best thing to do.

Assignment 5

On the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of the President on July 23, 2012, he presented changes that seemed to be impossible in the past but was now achieved or is currently in the processes of achieving of our country, the Philippines. He presented these changes because he believes that the Filipino people must take pride on and must be informed about what is new of his/her own country. On these changes he presented, I noticed that some of it is technologically inclined in an attempt by the government to assure that the Filipino people are given the appropriate services and protection. It was clear that certain ideas, perspectives and solutions proposed by the area of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is widely observed and accepted by the government as a big help in implementing the perfect change for the lives of the Filipino people.

A notable catalyst for change that the President mentioned in his SONA are certain methods and programs in which the main concern is to maximize the potentials of an individual and their opportunities in life, a program which he concretely used as an example is currently being offered by TESDA and is an idea derived from the area of ICT, it is the TESDA Specialist Technopreneurship Program. The purpose of the program is to train individuals in the environment and disciplines of technopreneurship, in which as of the modern age is one of the proven income generating areas of industry in the Philippines, combining of course the use of modern technology and the knowledge of entrepreneurship. By providing a program the government can improve the quality of life of their people by opening new opportunities especially for those people who were enrolled in the program. The benefactors can of course be employed, are now able to provide the basic necessities of their family, are also able to help their fellow countrymen by sharing their knowledge, and most especially they are able to contribution to the economy of the Philippines.  

Another change pinpointed by the SONA of the president is that, now the government is taking their time in identifying and fixing dangerous roads with the use of modern technology. I do believe that although he only expressed the plans and explained it using the country’s roads as an example, what the president does really want to exemplify is that the government is taking extra precautions when it comes to the safety of the Filipino people, not just when roads are involved but also to the different structures erected in different places throughout the country private sector or government owned. This action made by the government is to assure that they can improve the quality of life of our countrymen by assuring that the services they provide to the Filipino citizens, may it be on the form of different roads and structures will do good and benefit the people in the best positive way there is, reducing or if possible preventing any negative things or events from occurring by the utilization of modern technology.

The SONA also talks about a new project developed called Project NOAH. Project NOAH which stands for Project Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards has been pushed in consideration that one of the greatest factors that affects the way of life in our country in the most destructive way are the natural disasters. For quite some time now the government themselves, accepted the fact that indeed their previous actions corresponding to how they prepare, assess and help certain areas in our country when a natural disaster strikes when evaluated as a whole is not that effective. The president raised an idea that something must be done to minimize the hazards brought by natural disasters and somehow to improve the ways of life of the Filipino people in relation to safety. Thus, the government decided that their greatest weapon is information. By creating a new systematic, well-coordinated scheme in which data from past calamities and new information acquired is then simplified to an average persons’ understanding making sure that it doesn’t need a rocket scientist to make people understand what impending disaster or calamity might be coming and how to prepare for it. Another purpose is to bring the simplified but powerful information closer to the people, by making it available through the internet which makes it available throughout any time of the day. The government confirmed that nothing can be done on destruction and loss of property but what is important is the conservation of life through proper risk management.

The government indeed has taken a few notches ahead in creating commendable changes, and behind these notable and exemplary changes are more technologies just waiting to be harnessed and be developed to something that can further aid the government on their goal of improving the life of every Filipino citizen.

Assignment 3

Last July 16, 2012, Monday our instructor continued teaching us about the roots of the subject Technopreneurship, the SEED Curriculum. He also taught us about the alternative mindset and the concept of job creation.

I learned that there were many things that were done and accomplished before reaching the current status of the Technopreneurship course, one of the milestones to be achieved for the Technopreneurship course is to be able to identify a course model. This is where the SEED Curriculum comes in, the course itself is said to follow the SEED Curriculum Model.

It was explained to us that the SEED Curriculum was based on four main concepts that are identified to surely provide progress on the individuals that are introduced and presented with the curriculum.

The four main concepts that make up the Seed Curriculum are the:

·         Self Mastery

·         Environment Mastery

·         Enterprise Mastery

·         Development of a Business Plan

The Self Mastery talks about being a person who is knowledgeable not only about the things that are surrounding him/her but, but most especially about his/her own self.

The Environment Mastery talks about the ability to generate business ideas through observing, identifying and being aware about the environmental opportunities that may come his/her way.

The Enterprise Mastery talks about how to properly run a business by being knowledgeable about the different business principles and disciplines.

Development of a Business Plan includes the writing and making of the business plan itself. The presentation and the defense so as the revisions and improvements that are still to be added and done to the business plan.

These are the four (4) concepts that make up the SEED Curriculum, the model of the Technopreneurship course.

At the same time I have learned that the Technopreneurship course is a big help in presenting different ideas and concepts that can prove effective when applied, these ideas and concepts can really help us determine the points to consider, improve and provide alternatives to past loop holes and identify how to make a better permanent solution out of these factors determined. Two (2) examples of these ideas were presented to us in the form of the Default Mindset and the Alternative Mindset, and its contrast.

I have learned that the Default Mindset or also called formally as the Employment Mindset instills this idea which is to “go to school, get good grades and land a high-paying job”.  For how many years now, this mindset has been used as the center of basis of getting a better future. It is so often used in families here in our country and the ones who especially follow this mindset are the parents. It is a common practice that parents strive hard to be able to send their children to school, with that the parents unknowingly uses the Default Mindset especially in advising their kids about their future, again to “go to school, get good grades and land a high-paying job”. A simple mindset that is thoroughly and concretely presented by the parents and which their children carry until they go to college.

Throughout the years the Default Mindset became a living part of the environment of every school, every family and every student that has been nurtured in this kind of setting, but this kind of mindset as productive it may be is equally destructive. First and foremost it is productive because in the mildest sense, students who really have good grades are sought after by big companies, it has been evident through time that after these good performing students  graduate in their each respective educational institutions they are immediately scouted and presented with a proposal for work with the following incentives and benefits. Of course the students who are nurtured with the Default Mindset think that, this is it, this is what it means to “land a high paying job”. In this kind of setting the educational institutions that harbored and trained the students to their best are of course, proud for a job well done. The parents would also feel that they have at last achieved the dream of every parent, and that is to support and guide their children to the heights of success. Lastly to the students themselves who became young and successful professionals, it is a setting of “living happily ever after”. Indeed the Default Mindset has provided the perfect setting, in which it seems that the only products are success and positive aspects, but the problem would start as soon as the Default Mindset proves itself to effective. As said the Default Mindset has long been existing and the most often mindset applied by the students, in connection with it being the longest existing mindset it would also be and acceptable that the problems it has caused has also been long time existing and becomes more serious as time passes by. This problem should be evident but because of the long time it has been present it is sometimes mistaken as an acceptable part of the cycle. The most evident and can also be considered as a serious of these problems is a situation called “brain drain”. Brain drain is a situation in which there is a decline or depletion of intellectual or technical personnel. Reality speaking our city, Davao City has been long suffering from “brain drain”. Of course the city itself takes pride on its outstanding students who in time became successful on their chosen fields, only that sometimes the scenario is that the best students employed by companies on other cities and not in Davao, with this the industries left in Davao for long has been left in a striving state and is unable to develop any further. The scenario becomes clearer when the best students from Davao has been able to help in the development of other cities and what is left of Davao is to be labeled as a mere human resource provider. What are the things to be done and how would it stop this “brain drain” and finally bring Davao City to the lime light not as a city of human resource providers but as a fully developed city with industries booming with the use of their own products of globally competitive students which when refined becomes world class professionals.

As said the Technopreneurship course presents ideas in which can be used to provide as a long term solutions to different problems, with the problem presented by the Default Mindset in the “brain drain” of different places especially here in Davao City, the technopreneurship is also able to provide a concept of long term solution and that is the Alternative Mindset.

The Alternative Mindset or also known as the Technopreneurship Mindset presents a mindset which is wrapped to the opportunities provided by technology and instills the idea which is to “go to school, get good grades, and create your own company” not only that the Alternative Mindset provided more concepts like the utilization of knowledge and skills paired with core values and the passion to create and innovate the way of technology. The Alternative Mindset also urges a new meaning to the technology development of Davao City, and creates a new concept that in the technological development of Davao it is a good opportunity to contribute and be involved in it. The Technopreneurship course is behind in the mindset, but just what is technopreneurship. As I have learned technopreneurship is still entrepreneurship in a way in which the basics of entrepreneurship discipline and management is combined with the technology opportunities and ideas. The idea that as the modern world learned to apply, rely and add more uses for technology, so as should be that the training for IT students and courses should include and openly adopt the technopreneurship tracks in which new disciplines and the mindsets are included, as for an example the Alternative Mindset.

With the current problem of “brain drain” that the Default Mindset drags along the Alternative Mindset offers a new, possible and long term solution. It has been foreseen that Davao City is beginning to nurture itself as an IT capital or IT hub for Mindanao, or if possible throughout the country, and to gain this title it is only just to work out the “brain drain” problem. The Alternative Mindset offers to help graduates in becoming technopreneurs by aiding and providing them with technology business incubators as these new start-ups learn to strengthen and pursue their own technology based business plans and create their own name in the world of technology based business industry. Utilizing its own local graduates in creating companies and guiding them into making globally renowned business plans to help them in attracting venture capitalist in and out of the country to invest money on their technology products. In this kind of setting in no time certain start-up IT companies are able to become stable and mature IT enterprises. These companies will gain income and help for the further development of Davao City, it can also aid by providing jobs to local citizens and other IT graduates without having to go to other cities. Making a name for IT enterprises here in our city is one of the top priorities that can ensure investors to help further in expand and achieving a heightened economic growth of Davao City. These solutions are provided by the Alternative Mindset solving the problem about “brain drain”, which is preventing a large number intellectual and technical capable individuals from forcibly vacating the city due to work, instead the idea is for work to be brought or made here in the city itself not just to prevent these intellectual and technical capable individuals from going out of the city but it can provide a number of different opportunities rooting from the sense of creating availability of jobs from itself with in the city. With these Davao can be the home of effective and efficient IT graduates and professionals thus making us known throughout the country and the world, and that is what we want to be properly credited for what we have achieved.

I was also able to learn the Concept of Job Creation.

The Concept of Job creation can still be rooted from the Alternative Mindset or the Technopreneurship Mindset which is true aim to urge the IT students and graduates to create their own IT companies on their own locations or for our instance here in Davao City. As provided by its concept of “go to school, get good grades, and create your own company”. This is also based in the ideas which are presented by Technopreneurship course. The Technopreneurship course together with its SEED Curriculum as a model aims to help train and develop students in the proper discipline and make them ready in indulging to technology-based enterprise management, may it be as company or enterprise leaders or as technology-based company employees. The first step is by building a secure foot hold for IT graduates, by determining that intellectual and technical capable persons are rightfully trained in creating technology based enterprises not on other places but here in Davao; therefore as a result new companies are born here in Davao, creating new job opportunities that are made available for local graduates. The IT education and institutions here in Davao City also would like to contribute in helping the start-up graduates in their aim to build their own company, they provide them with technology-based incubators in which they can use to make a better and a globally renowned technology-based business plans which then can attract, impress and convince venture capitalists to invest on the technology-based products that they have. It may take time but as at least the IT industry of Davao City is progressing surely. The idea of also of making Davao as an IT hub or IT capital here in Mindanao or if possible in the country helps in attracting not only IT based enterprises but also other business related companies. Which then can add to the possibility of providing available jobs that is up for grabs for not only IT graduates but also for the local graduates of other courses. The concept of Job Creation in regards with the Technopreneurship course is that it enables a place which is for us Davao City, to be able to sustain and create a name for itself by opening opportunities at the same time highlighting the assurance of availability of jobs and the good effect it has for the Davao City business industry, thus for generations to come this job concept is able to certainly answer the needs of Davao City.

Assignment 4

Sharing about my EQ

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I will be sharing to you my second EQ Test (Emotional Quotient Test) or better known as the Emotional Intelligence Test since I have doubts about the credibility and validity of the questions presented by the first website from which where I took my first EQ test.

After sometime looking for another website EQ tester I ended up with the website:

http://psychology.about.com/library/quiz/bl_eq_quiz.htm

In the website was a thorough explanation about the Emotional Intelligence ability of a person:

  

"Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to the ability to perceive, control, and evaluate emotions. Some researchers suggest that emotional intelligence can be learned and strengthened, while other claim it is an inborn characteristic. A number of testing instruments have been developed to measure emotional intelligence, although the content and approach of each test varies. The following quiz presents a mix of self-report and situational questions related to various aspects of emotional intelligence."

Source: http://psychology.about.com/library/quiz/bl_eq_quiz.htm

Underneath that explanation was a question:

What is your emotional intelligence quotient? Take the quiz to learn more.

I was presented with this first question. It was already noticeable that the questions where all about certain situation, scenarios and dilemmas and a group of choices was presented as of to how would I respond to the different cases presented by the quiz. Of course there is no correct or wrong answer in here, but answering truthfully and honestly will really help.

After answering all the questions I was then ready to view my results.

The IE test results for me were:

In my EQ Test I scored above average, as interpreted by the site people with above average EQ scores tend to be very good at interpreting, understanding, and acting upon emotions. The site also quoted that above average scorers are also good at dealing with social and emotional conflicts, doesn’t have a hard time expressing their feelings, and are able to deal with emotional situations.

Though the interpretation of the results wasn’t a perfect fit, there were areas in myself that was indeed dead-on accurate as presented by the results of the site. Answering all the questions honestly basing from what you really would do does greatly to clearly know yourself more.

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Sharing about my AQ

I took my AQ (Adversity Quotient) test guided by an article from #517 from Innovative Leader Volume 10, Number 2 which was published on February 2001 and was posted in a website:

http://www.winstonbrill.com/bril001/html/article_index/articles/501-550/article517_body.html

The article was entitled Your Adversity Quotient by Paul Stoltz, Ph.D.

I was reading the direction when I came to understanding why is there a need to take an Adversity Quotient, it was explained in the article that the purpose of the adversity quotient is to know the extent of the effects of every adverse event we experience on an average day. It helps us evaluate ourselves if we are bad in handling adverse events to the extent that it is badly consuming us or is it for the better that it helps us perform well by leading us to a stronger performance. Thus by taking an Adversity Quotient we are able to rate ourselves on how valuable we are at work by determining how ourselves unconsciously react to these adverse event.

A simple explanation was placed before proceeding to the Adversity Quotient questions.

“Imagine the following events as if they were happening right now. Then circle the number that represents your answer to each of the related questions.”

A sample of a question is:

You suffer a financial setback.

To what extent can you influence this situation?

and I was to answer it by rating my response 1-5 depending also to the type of response definition which for this case is; the "not at all" and "completely".

Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 Completely

There were 20 questions all in all. I continued answering until I have finished every question and I was surprised by how the scoring of the AQ is done.

A table was provided with 4 columns represented by the letters C,O,R and E, and I am to insert my answer for each question sequentially placing each by row which means I have to place 4 answers per row.

C	O	R	E
1.	2.	3.	4.
5.	6.	7.	8.
9.	10.	11.	12.
13.	14.	15.	16.
17.	18.	19.	20.
Total for C:	Total for O:	Total for R:	Total for E:

I can find out my ARP score by (Total of C + Total of O + Total of R + Total of E)*2 = ARP Score.

The article quoted that the average ARP score is 147.5. The higher you get the better.

My results where:

Total of C: 21

Total of O: 16

Total of R: 17

Total of E: 17

(21+16+17+17)*2= 142 my mark was below average.

I need to work out areas in my life to improve myself, but how will I know what areas will I improve? Fortunately it was also explained that the corresponding letters in each column signify the four CORE dimensions:

The four (4) cord dimensions from Your Adversity Quotient by Paul Stoltz, Ph.D.:

C = Control

To what extent can you influence the situation?

How much control do you perceive you have?

Those with higher AQs perceive they have significantly more control and influence in adverse situations than do those with lower AQs. Even in situations that appear overwhelming or out of their hands, those with higher AQs find some facet of the situation they can influence. Those with lower AQs respond as if they have little or no control and often give up.

O = Ownership

To what extent do you hold yourself responsible for improving this situation?

To what extent are you accountable to play some role in making it better?

Accountability is the backbone of action. Those with higher AQs hold themselves accountable for dealing with situations regardless of their cause. Those with lower AQs deflect accountability and most often feel victimized and helpless.

R = Reach

How far does the fallout of this situation reach into other areas of your work or life?

To what extent does the adversity extend beyond the situation at hand?

Keeping the fallout under control and limiting the reach of adversity is essential for efficient and effective problem solving. Those with higher AQs keep setbacks and challenges in their place, not letting them infest the healthy areas of their work and lives. Those with lower AQs tend to catastrophize, allowing a setback in one area to bleed into other, unrelated areas and become destructive.

E = Endurance

How long will the adversity endure?

Seeing beyond even enormous difficulties is an essential skill for maintaining hope. Those with higher AQs have the uncanny ability to see past the most interminable difficulties and maintain hope and optimism. Those with lower AQs see adversity as dragging on indefinitely, if not permanently.

Seeing that I garnered bitter scores in the Endurance, Reach and especially lowest in Ownership areas, I must begin to work out on these 3 specified to improve myself.

Assignment 2

Technopreneurship

Assignment 2

After watching the movie 3 Idiots, your reflection on the 3 characters, which one would you choose?

The film 3 Idiots really made a big impact in my life, not just because it was a very funny yet touching movie but because it happened in a very familiar setting and atmosphere, the setting was in education institution in the final years of being a college student. 

I for myself was very moved by the story and how different scenes connected to each other as the story went on, I felt every little thing that was portrayed to the point that I felt I was immersed into it, a part of me thought that maybe it’s because I have experienced some of the things that happened in the story that I find myself in a very familiar scene, having fun with your friends, the academic challenges accompanied by pressure and the bitter taste of failure. 

The plot of the story was very well made but what struck me the most is the portrayal of the three main characters, the story went on narrating the lives of three (3) different students coming from different ways of life each with unique backgrounds; they have their own problems and personalities that greatly contributed in to deepening their bonds. It was their doing in the story that made me reflect about what difference and similarities they have compared to me.

The first student in the movie is Farhan Quereshi; he came from a middle class family. It was stated in the story that as soon as he was born, it wasn’t only his name that was decided by his family but also his future which means his career path to take in college was already decided also by his family and that is to be an engineer. Though not that rich, his family was able to provide him with things that they believe would greatly help him in his studies. In the end he found the courage to speak out and quit his engineering studies to follow his very own dream. 

First reflection to this character is that his ability to choose his own path to live has already been taken away to the point that a friend of his quoted “he chooses to die before he can live” which for me means that “he has to keep going in a life he never intended to take, with his own dreams and goals dying in the process because he expects and hopes that by following his parents’ will at least he can make them happy and he considers that as a fact and a chance for him to live” in which I take as a very honorable act but a very wrong choice since no person could excel on things he doesn’t even love or have the slightest compassion for. Though I was a lot different from him since I was allowed to decide which career path to take, I was still faced with the fact that there were times when I was like him, easily directed in what I should do and what I shouldn’t do but when I realize that I am just wasting my time following others I immediately decide on what I would really do based on my understandings and following my heart. Farhan’s story was also close to mine most especially in the way his family exerts effort in an attempt to provide everything that Farhan might ask for, just like Farhan I am very thankful to my family for even though we are not rich they support me with everything they can as I continue my journey in my own educational conquest. I have been looking to the memories of the past as of to what were the things in those times that are still present today, and I believe that one of those things is the willingness of my family to provide me with enough materials to work with and the undying support to keep me standing strong. One of Farhan’s dilemmas is when he was faced by the fact that if he follows his own decision his family would be the lime light of unfavorable looks and rumors, it was one of the things that prevented Farhan from following his dreams but when he was enlightened with the idea that this problem can only be handled by him and his family and no other than he finally found the courage to speak out but what really gave him the happiness he was seeking was the unconditional support and understanding presented by Farhan’s family after he finally followed his dream. There were times also when I find myself in a place where people are talking behind my backs and I became subject to unfavorable circumstances, at times like this I just face the fact that I wasn’t born to please everyone and that I was also born to be happy. Shrugging all of my worries and bad feelings I just do what I want to do and what I am happy to do.

The second student presented in the movie is named Raju Rastogi, it was mentioned in the story that he was a very bright student is his earlier years yet as he journeys on to his career path, his problems became too much to handle. His father became a paralytic and is need of very expensive medication routinely; his mother is always tired fighting of poverty from totally eating their family and lastly the need for a dowry to get his sisters’ marriage on its track and running all of these factors contribute to Raju’s dilemma of fearing the future, it caused him to believe more and pass his problems and challenges to his deities that comes his way. He became a person who always plays safe, and never tries to go beyond of what he knows he is capable of.

I at most amazed of the life of Raju in the story, for me he was the one who was faced with so many challenges, difficulties and obstacles in which he is to decide for an answer immediately. Raju’s fear for his future was very understandable in my part because I am also faced with future duties and obligations that in the present I must get ready to take them and I am having a hard time in focusing of getting ready in the present because I believe that some duties that I am to take is too much for me to handle, just like Raju I also turn to my God for help and guidance but unlike him I don’t depend on my God too much. I learned that I just have to have faith on him, but I still have to work out my part of the bargain and that means working hard is still in my “to-be-done” list. No matter how hard I pray if I just leave and rely everything to my God without doing any work, then I will surely fail not just in my job or studies but also in how I perceive and understand as of to what really is God’s role in my life. Raju was clearly having a hard time balancing his life, he was way too much focused what will come that he was letting down his chances of making a better tomorrow. He garnered low scores and marks no matter how hard he studies, and me looking closely to his character I believe it’s not because of any other factors. Raju’s problem lies in his actions. Raju is also easily threatened when it comes to taking risks especially when it will surely have irreversible effects in his future, one thing he should really now is that the world is full of decisions and risks to take. Raju was known to be a person who would prefer to be always in the safest side, even if that side is not the right and better side. He is way into the act of assuring himself that he would be able to accomplish the future that is waiting for him by always picking a safe place to hide, by always playing safe Raju failed to test himself as of to what he is capable of, to what extent can he go, what are his new limitations and boundaries, the strengths that he could work out to achieve a better tomorrow, and finally a chance to find out and fix his weaknesses that might cause his dreams to crash down, all of these he failed to know by always playing safe. It was very understandable that one fears of taking risks in life, but the main point is that our life is connected by different results and we are to arrive in them by making a stand when we are faced with decisions in life, in which in Raju’s life was pretty lacking with that is why when faced by a very disturbing problem added by the pressure he was already feeling. He decided to end it all there and then and opted to commit suicide. 

The last of the three friends was a student with a real name of Phunsukh Wangdu, also used the name Ranchhoddas Shamaldas Chanchad when he was still studying for a special reason. He was considered to be the brightest and most brilliant among the three. It was cited in the movie that he loves going to school to learn new things and was very famous in applying his learning in his life. He was a pretty frank person, always speaking his mind and would get to trouble with his friends even mentors in his college. It was then revealed in the later part of the story about the true role he took when he started studying, he believes that forcing students to partake in a survival race of life is not helping them get to success instead it was another factor that will just add pressure to the minds of the student. He also believes that limiting the teachings of mentors in books suppresses the capability of the students to find out more of what is outside the book. He also believes that simplifying lessons are to be done if the mentors want their student to understand more about the subject, lastly it was also said that he went to college not to earn a degree but to study which is one of his ideas that greatly conflicts with his other 2 friends.

Reflecting on the life that was lived by Phunsukh Wangdu or Rancho as a student there are ideas in which he simply follows in his life, he doesn’t complicate stuff and most of all he has that attitude in him in which he believes he can do anything as long as he can tell his heart that everything is well hence his very popular quote “aal izz well” (all is well) define. He understands intricate stuff since he deals with it as simple as possible, he doesn’t fight complicated things with complicated solutions, and instead he tries to find ways in which he can understand, solve and teach it to the others in the most easiest and effective way. I was amazed by what he showed in the movie, especially in times when he would be confronted by certain mentors to the point that often in situations or circumstances he is subjected to embarrassment in front of the whole class, yet he is still able to hold on to his reins regain composure and begins to speak out and turn this supposed to be embarrassing situation to a moment where he is still able to explain his side and instill in the hearts of his classmates and even in some of his professors why is thinking goes against or otherwise of what they believe. Thinking me undergoing the same task is a very uncomfortable thing, imagining in a certain moment when you and your professors have a disagreement is already enough for me to fear that my whole existence in the school is threatened and something might happen, especially if after how many incidents I begin to annoy them hence in situations like this I would rather prefer playing safe just a normal student sitting down in a corner quietly, but Rancho he never quits he never settles down until his thoughts are heard and answered, and unless proven why he is wrong he continues to believe in it. Truly how can a very unbelievable guy exist? He argues with his professors and proves himself right by acing tests and topping the grade rankings.  

Rancho as a friend was loved by almost everyone he knew especially his two (2) friends Raju and Farhan, it’s because he tells the truth to them on questions that they needed to understand, especially questions that concern mostly of their life, choices that even if they already know the right answer they still wanted someone to give them a special reason as to why choose it. Of course there are times in our lives that we are faced with decisions that even if we know that we wanted to choose a certain answer we still feel that it is our responsibility to choose the other, the type of friend that Racho is that he gives an answer for that questions by making us realize what we really wanted and are happy to do compared to what is needed to be done because of obligations. I was also very admiring the character since he is willing to do anything for the sake of friendship; He was also a person who easily sympathizes with other people even in an atmosphere where thinking of others could simply mean that you are already jeopardizing your own studies. He decided that he will not become like everyone, he chose to be different and stood up for what he believes in, and by that action alone he was already able make a big difference for himself.

Being asked which character that I really like then I my answer would be Raju Rastogi. It is because he was the one who overcame so many challenges and obstacles; he was also the character that I think that went on a very long, painful but very rewarding change in his life. I mean I really saw how he changed for the better, comparing him of course to his old self. I also like Raju’s character because I feel like I have experienced the things that he also experienced in the movie, in my present situation I am already bombarded with various duties and obligations that I must fulfill in the future, I know that it is essential for me to do well in my current studies so that I can pave a way to a brighter future but it came to me that being so anxious to finish my current obligations is just a foolish thing to do, and I do believe that anything done in a rush doesn’t result to better things instead there is a big chance that it will result to problems. It was also shown that Ranju attempted suicide; I mean he committed suicide and yet he survived which I believe became his new battle scar. A scar that forever will remind him of that fateful day when he was presented with two (2) options, to voluntarily expel himself to the institution he attends hurting his family or to expel his friends saving himself, by that action of him it portrays that he doesn’t want to hurt any of his love ones may it be his friends or his family, though it may seem reasonable excuse I believe that what he has done is a very foolish thing to do but what was in his action of committing suicide did I like? Of course I didn’t like the fact that he committed suicide but looking to that aspect since he did, I just went on thinking and pondered thoughts in what way and how would this action of him committing suicide affect his life and that is what actually I liked. Raju became a different person. He began to think about things differently, he treasured his but that wasn’t the greatest effect on him, the change greatly happened within him and it was on his attitude. 

He began to treasure his attitude more than anything else and it has a very special reason, it is because that he believes that he was able to create this new version of him, this so called “better Raju” because of his past experiences and with the help of his friends. It was all proven when he stood for what he believes in when he was scouted by a company for an interview, he was offered by the company to change himself and only after that he would be generously accepted. Of course Raju, like anybody else was looking for very big opportunities like this but without any doubt he immediately declined the deal. Raju believed that being accepted in a company in which he is to change himself would result to a fake Raju, it was a very simple fact for him, it means he would be returning to his past with a status much worse than before it would render everything he had done, everything he had experienced and everything he had spent time on wasted on the spot; in a way, what is the essence of achieving your lifelong goal if you yourself is not complete, it means achieving your lifelong goal is achieving it fully and completely may it be your goal especially your personality none of it must be broken apart, lost or given up because of a deal, the goal and the personality and it means both strictly on its 100%. It was proven by Raju when he rejected the deal that he is now able to stand up on his own two feet, support his own decisions and that he was already leaving his worst attitude, which is that he always plays safe. He finally voiced out his own opinion based on his own knowledge and experiences in his life and that made me acknowledge his character more.

Assignment 1

Technopreneurship

Assignment 1

1. What are the factors that contribute to be success and failure of Steve Jobs as a technopreneur?

Steve jobs was considered as an icon of greatness and brilliance in his technopreneur life, but before achieving the height of his career he first passed on a number of failure before gaining success and there are many factors that caused these things.

Steve Jobs’ failure can be attributed from these following factors:

• He lets his private life interfere with his responsibilities in work. It was shown in the movie that he would often throw tantrums in his workplace when in a bad mood.
• He is known as bad boss, he takes time to abuse and belittle his workers driving them to their breaking points, these actions of his are clearly not a healthy thing for his relationship with his employees which can affect the quality of work his employees render.
• Steve Jobs easily gives his trust to different people, it was shown in the movie that he is a brilliant and smart man, yet he trusts people when they talk confidently. Even though if he has the every reason to suspect the person he is talking to, he would often dismiss it all and he doesn't even bother to dig on the suspicious matter deeper. It is most likely that Steve Jobs himself shrugged all of his sentiments until his suspicions are alarmed again.
• He was also a workaholic person and not into the mildest sense. Though everybody treats him as a genius it was somehow clear that Steve Jobs was having a hard time balancing his life, it was shown that as CEO of Apple he worked for long hours which was also shown in the movie, this side of Steve Jobs was proven when he got ill, he still stayed on his position as CEO of Apple until giving it up weeks before his death.

In times that Steve Jobs failed there are also success attributed to different factors that he had accomplished, it was a greater proof that he had more redeeming qualities that really helped him reach the height of his carrier.

• One thing that made Steve Jobs known throughout the world is that he has an amazing eye for looking into stuffs with potentials we see ordinary and small things but he sees those things in a whole lot of different view and can identify what things can be made into bigger opportunities.
• He is a very flexible person that even with just a simple idea, he can guide a gigantic company in a journey, putting every man into use so that in a small ample of time, from a mere small idea it becomes a piece of technology superb in its tangible and intangible ways.
• Though a billionaire and is one of the most respected icons of the technological industry there is one thing that beats Steve Jobs into submission, and that is time. He strictly disciplines himself to give proper and due respect, and importance to time and date schedules. He thinks that by minding his time, he can make better ways of using his resources for something more productive he is also able to get ready for unseen things that may come affecting their work.
• He chooses simple but important reasons in creating new projects or technologies. He believes that creating beautiful and cool products are not the only factors to be used as primary reason why a customer buys a product. He believed that the product itself must be able to become a part of the customer’s life. It should also be able bear and reflect the different identities, personalities and preferences of its users. Most of all he makes sure that the concept behind each technology that they develop is as simple as it can be, so that customers would wonder as to of how simple the device would together with its capabilities.
• Steve Jobs is very critical thinker type of person, before developing a certain product or technology, he makes sure that he can still develop something that would complement to the first product they did, he makes sure that in every product he couldn't just make money once, he can still make money twice by presenting an “extension” of the first product that has been sold. Making the customers think that by buying another product from Apple would work better with other devices bought from the same company and that causes his customers to become patrons of the same brand, and that is the Apple brand.
• Steve Jobs has always been very peculiar when it comes to choosing his employees, for him it is not enough that his employee is the best in a number of fields, they must also be unique in different ways but is still able to work as a group. His employees should also have a thing for brilliance, and must always be ready to commit more things than a normal employee would for a normal company. In a sense the Apple Corporation is not just a normal company; therefore the employees must prove themselves that they are more than just the average employees.
• Steve Jobs is a very goal oriented person. He speaks his mind and is quite frank to his employees about what he thinks of the current status of a project. If the project doesn't fit to his goals in mind then it is automatically trashed. He doesn't even consider products that are close enough to his goals he wanted products that are dead-on accurate to his goals.
• Steve Jobs was also a very hands-on person, though being a CEO of the Apple Company meant that he have a lot of assistants following him where ever he goes, he still chooses to do every work that he can still handle, he tends to get himself involved in every little thing that is currently happening in Apple that’s why he is able to know and manage every single thing in in the said company. It is also for that reason why his employees have high regards and respect to his abilities.

2. How do you see yourself as a technopreneur?

Being a technopreneur one must be knowledgeable of the current trends of the society, the willingness to start a revolution, the impregnable heart to be criticized and humiliated, goal oriented and a passion to continue of work, a lot more.

The life of being a technopreneur being reflected to mine, if that was really possible then I would be on the average part with a big chance of being one of the best out there. I can see myself as an average technopreneur with a chance of being the best out there because, let’s face it every one of us must be bad in certain areas of their life and I have a lot of those.

I was able to say that I am an average with a shot of being the best because as of my current standing there are so much to learn for me, too much to change and improve, and too much to follow and perfect not to mention I still have to through so much hardships building my own strategy that I would be following as I take my chances to be the best out there.

As a new and striving technopreneur I can take pride that I already have some of the points that can help in identifying candidates a very good technopreneur, the open-mindedness for what technologies might be unimportant today will become the basis of tomorrow, because in technology there is no stopping and telling as to of how technology would really change and develop. With that there is no exact time pointing as of when a new era of new technology end and another would be born therefore willingness to start a revolution is there, of course just like anybody else I have a fear of trying something new but I do believe that my excitement is greater and weighs more than my fear.

Though not the best among the best I am confident of my current ability to talk in front of people, I mean there’s no other choice I need to get the job done since it is understandable that a technopreneur does a lot of talking in many places, places full of people without even one familiar face and in addition to that the questions that these unknown people would be throwing right off the bat directly to you. Of course getting nervous is an expected thing to happen for a newbie that is still searching for his right place.

Another thing about being a technopreneur is that nothing really stays the same of what they venture and invest in; it is constantly changing and ever dynamic. That’s why technopreneurs should always be updated of something new; for we’ll never know what signs could signal an end of a technological era.

Technopreneurs are also quick to react in different scenarios, comprehending and understanding what is currently happening and what needs to be done as quickly as possible, well I be honest I think I’ll be having problems with this because I tend to always choose the wrong priorities of what needs to be done first and I end up, making more mistakes rather than continuing the work. Still I guess experience will eventually carve this kind of lessons in my heart about what to do first and is it really the best thing to do.

One of the best thing I can think of in my life as a technopreneur is that I get to meet more people in different walks of life, of course you are expected to adjust as fast as possible and then again you will often get partnered with different sorts of people, soon enough you find yourselves with your mates to separate treading to a multiple of different paths meeting somewhere in between. As technopreneur say it “today’s friends may become tomorrow’s enemies”, and yet the word enemies here retain only in work and nothing more bears personal from that, for whatever happens a true technopreneur retain their respect, admiration and friendship with each other and that is what I consider as one of the best things in being a technopreneur.

My life as an average technopreneur would be littered of mistakes and trials, but I still do believe that this is the best way of learning for no one can really become a somebody by just always learning from the experts, books or lessons, but the true and unforgettable lessons are those coming from the mistakes I for myself would commit. Nothing would beat how experience would instill in your mind the exact feeling when you have created that mistake.

Time will come that I would have thought that I have already passed by every single trial and obstacles around; still people will always find something to criticize on, for technology is not something that moves along with time, it actually moves against with time, for as time gets older the technology gets younger and the world would still be the same craving for technopreneurs to refine and develop this new technologies.

Chances are that I may fail or I would become one of the best technopreneurship out there but I was able to prove one thing, by becoming a technopreneur it really is a new door or window or whatever you may call it for many possibilities and opportunities, if it really is that being a technopreneur was never going to work for me. I was glad that I chose this kind of career path, for this career path opens up to a highway of possibilities who knows, I still have the mark of being a technopreneur and that is, to never give up that easily. I might be dragged by faith to some other funny places but I will always remember this.

It may be very hard to become a technopreneur but it’s harder to leave something you know that you are having fun doing, in the end it all matters on what choice to make, what decisions to stood by since being technopreneur speaks about building something all your life and whether you stay there to watch it succeed or have already given up chosen another career, one thing is for sure. Once you have been a technopreneur, you’re not just a mere nobody you are already somebody, because it’s not that easy to refine and harness technology.

That is something I found out and made sure, whether I truly become a technopreneur or not.

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

If given the chance to choose whether take the same career path that Steve Jobs took then I would definitely take it.

Why would I take a career path that Steve Jobs took? Basically it’s because of four (4) reasons; first reason is it is simply just one of my dreams and I want to follow it. In the movie they were first nobodies, they were just visionaries who wanted to give something to the world, they wanted to bring computers closer to the people, and by doing so they committed the biggest risk of their lives.

I mean for me, I’m just not in for the money that Steve Jobs was able to earn when he was on the height of his career. I for myself would want to do something risky in my life, something crazy and show it to the world that who would’ve even thought that this once crazy idea would become the biggest dream come true.

I was so attached to the story of how they made a name for themselves; they passed to the lowest point of their lives, testing their bonds and friendship and slowly but surely create a name for themselves. I was told how many times already that if you want to be great you must first take the risk, be different, be unique and by doing that so you’ll be creating a new identity of yourself and with that don’t you ever dare to let it go, because once everything is gone, nothing will be left but your identity. Every great person passed in a dark alley like this in their lives, and when you decided to pass in that dark alley, you don’t stop, you don’t go back you walk no matter how fast or how slow as long as you keep on going you’ll reach the other side, as long as you keep going. I want to experience things like this that’s why I want to take the same career path of Steve Jobs, I mean taking it as a sign as the biggest first step that I have done in my life and that is to decide what to do.

Second reason is that his career path is created of almost entwined and unending mind games.

Of course venturing in the career that Steve Jobs took is a lot of harder, thieves are all on the loose copying and stealing things that you have spent almost all of your lifetime to build, yet what really interested me is that this not just a mere battle of showing who is the most superb maker of devices and the best harnessers of technology, the career of Steve Jobs pinpoints deeper than that, it was a battle of wits and ideas of basically the two simple persons leading two big companies, and whoever falters first and let’s his guard down is looted, well not literally looted I mean technologically looted.

It is a raging battle fought almost every day for how many years now and not everyone in the world knows about this it’s like a very big mind game I want to experience how exciting to deal with scenarios and things like this.

Moving on to another reason is of course the money, you earn billions and billions of money every day, you research on new technologies that might have potentials, you are able to erect different branches of your offices all over the world and most of all you were able to put up your very own customized office nearest in the area in which a few years ago you were just nothing. It makes you feel appreciative and thankful for what you have now, and in somewhat way you feel more pumped up, you feel that want to keep going, getting more determined to work for the best.

Of course nothing beats a job where you virtually do the things that you absolutely love and you get paid by millions its way too cool to be called as a job. This is one of the best ways of enjoying a life.

After all those reasons comes my most important of all, I want to take the same career path that Steve Jobs took because I want to see my goods, my products, my designs and my technology being used by the people. I want leave a trademark or something that is going to be used throughout the world.

I want to experience being in a place where no one would know me and secretly observe how the people make use of the technology we have provided them. I want to see for myself the technology that helped shaped the lives of its users and how it became simply part of their lives. I want to feel how good it is to accomplish something you have desired for a long time, how it feels to accomplish it the first time, to accomplish it the second time, to accomplish it the third time and soon to accomplish it over and over again.

Lastly I just wanted to experience how it feels to be genuinely thanked by the people, to know that there are millions and millions of people who are patrons of your brand, avid customers who comes back and back again. These customers following your brand are more than just the ordinary business strategy, or any other gimmicks to be used as feature for another technology magazine. It’s all about the just and pure thought of being thanked by these people camping out of your retail stores once a new device goes for sale, it really makes me wonder about that feeling and how it really feels. For indeed if you have everything money, glory, fame you begin to seek contentment and satisfaction in simple stuff. You begin to understand that simple stuffs are harder to be taken away compared to all your achievements like money and fame. With that you begin to acknowledge that nothing could be as heartwarming as a simple thank you from your customers added by we’ll be waiting for the next product.