Assignment 5-3

Throughout this course I have unconsciously developed a pattern in my thinking about the need to give back to our individual communities. In difficult times giving back isn’t at the top of the priority list for very many people. However, it is more important to give back to our community in hard times than at any other time possible. During one assignment we were to choose 3 icons and explain why we chose them. I chose Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey and Steve Jobs. I chose those individuals due to the extraordinary amount of philanthropy work they do throughout the world. In another assignment we were to discuss rituals. One that thing that I chose to highlight as a ritual I would like see was developing a sense of giving back to the community. The myth of the American dream was another topic I chose to discuss in yet another module and to combine all of those into this assignment only seems natural.

Our society is currently very involved in a certain advertising method that some savvy retailers came up with as a way to track consumer spending habits. That innovative method is the rewards program, points card, or customer loyalty program. Whichever name you choose, they are all the same thing. For the remainder of this discussion, I will refer to it as a rewards program. According to Kim (2001), a rewards program is a promotional tool to develop customer loyalty, offer incentives to consumers on the basis of cumulative purchases of a given product or service from a particular firm or group of strategically aligned firms. The concept is simple and many companies obviously like the results. Evidence of this can be seen in practically everyone’s wallet or on their keychain.

The concept for the rewards program that I propose as my cultural artifact is the A.U.T.A. Giveback program card. This proposed program would be for the purpose of the giving back the rewards in the form of a monetary contribution to the participating communities chamber of commerce or port authority. The contribution derived from the program would be for the sole purpose of promoting a youth entrepreneurship and community awareness program. The aim of this program would be to promote to the individual young people of the participating communities the need to be entrepreneurial, as well as, the importance of giving back to their community. The acronym that I chose, A.U.T.A., stands for Always Understand The Alternative. The alternative in this case is the realization that the entrepreneurial spirit is vital to every child’s success in the future and without that understanding they are less likely to be fulfilled by their livelihood and the world will suffer as a whole.

The concept of a youth entrepreneur program isn’t anything new. The problems with most of those programs that are out there are that they are operated only in large communities while leaving many small, rural communities out of the loop. The young people of rural communities are most often left with the prospect of struggling to go to college and the possibility of never returning to their hometown. This is in part due to the fact that the education they go to college for, more often than not, doesn’t offer them a career in their hometown community. Their post-education lives are then going to the benefit of a community other than the one they grew up in. Most of the kids in my hometown can’t wait to get “outta here” after they graduate. They see the lack of opportunity as a motivator to go to college and never return except to visit family. Actually, there are probably more young people from smaller, rural communities that either choose not to go to college or simply can’t afford it in the first place.

I currently work for myself as a Small Business Finance Consultant and I see more people that are entrepreneurs that don’t have a college education than those that do have one. My observation is that many young people have a desire to work in their hometown but aren’t lucky enough to be able to work in a family business or have the role model necessary to teach them those skills. They should be afforded some type of education that teaches them about how to develop and run their own business. Currently, the only option available to students in rural communities is that they might choose to attend a Vocational School that has a business program. Unfortunately, the students that go to a Vocational School are often stereotyped as the ones that couldn’t make it at the traditional high school, and, consequently, most students don’t choose that path. Here again is an example of a stereotype that is detrimental to the educational advancement of a certain group of students.

The primary icon of this program is the rewards card itself. The proposed rewards card program features either a standard Visa-type card or, alternatively, a simple rewards card as is shown in figure 1 below. The option of a straight rewards card without the credit option would be available for those who do not wish to actually apply for a new credit card. Either card would garner the same benefits for the program. The participating retailers in the community would be donating a portion of their proceeds not to exceed 3% of the sale amount to the program. These funds would essentially be a discount for the consumer that is directly deposited in the program’s account for use in the youth entrepreneurship program. This very simple concept has the potential to provide a very valuable service to the communities in which it is implemented.

Fig. 1

I think that the creation of this program is a shot in the arm to helping the children in small, rural communities learn about the American dream and perpetuate the myth to yet another generation. Although the myth of the American dream can give false hope to some, others latch onto the inspiration and truly make the most of the opportunities that are offered to them. Entrepreneurship is at the center of the American dream because the primary goal of so many Americans is working for themselves and doing what they enjoy in order to provide for their family. It could be said that the American dream is more of an attitude rather than a set of ideals. American history is full of stories from people all over the world coming to America to live their lives to the fullest and seize the opportunities that this country offers.

Many rural communities contain populations of children that are somewhat disadvantaged in the fact that they aren’t encouraged to excel beyond their ability and eventually become willing accept their fate of working at a menial job for minimum wage. Sexton and Bowman-Upton (1991) define entrepreneurship as the process of identifying opportunities, gathering resources, and exploiting these opportunities through action. For the purpose of this discussion youth entrepreneurship is defined as adolescents using this process by working in non- structured (for example, babysitting, yard work) and semi- structured (such as, paper courier, contract worker) work environments.

Acquiring the skills, being proactive, and exploiting opportunities is a difficult thing to instill in a generation of children who would rather play video games than learn new life skills. I want people to look at this program and realize that technology has made the children of today too lazy and unmotivated to do anything but get to the next level in their favorite video game. Instead of buying them video games and further their expectations of entitlement, parents should go back to instilling the values that made this country what it is. I firmly believe there are a lot of children out there that could be far more productive than they currently exhibit.

There are stories of many entrepreneurs that spent their childhood being encouraged to excel and think outside the box. It is in those stories that reside the heroes that the children of today should be excited about. One of those heroes could be Bill Gates who is one of the most famous child entrepreneurs in the world. There are many more examples that I could mention but that is exactly my point; childhood success stories are still possible and very plentiful in our history. Hero is a relative term and, to an impressionable child, a hero that is an entrepreneur is valuable to every one of us.

I envision this program highlighting those stories in depth during regular educational sessions, summer camps, and ongoing meet-ups at the chamber of commerce or community center. I have included below, in fig. 2, a possible schedule of an event for the introduction of the program and signing up participants that is based on that of the Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour (2009).

Event Introduction
A.U.T.A Program Staff Member Intro to event, what is entrepreneurship, intro of the speakers, and corporate partners (5:00 – 5:15pm)

Inspirational Keynote 1
Successful Young Entrepreneur ‘How they did it’ story with lessons learned (video or in-person guest)(5:15 – 5:45pm)

Workshop
Workshop, Facilitator, and Entrepreneur Dream / idea creation with action plan and accountability.(5:45 – 6:45pm)

Networking Break / Exhibits
(6:45 – 7:00pm)

Inspirational Keynote 2
Successful Young Entrepreneur ‘How they did it’ story with lessons learned (video or in-person guest)(7:00 – 7:30pm)

Speed Networking
Attendees share their ideas with each other and partner up
(7:30 – 7:45pm)

Networking Break / Exhibits
(7:45 – 8:00pm)

Extreme Entrepreneurship Panel
Moderator, Student & Alumni, and Entrepreneurs Panelists choose 1-2 questions to answer and open up for questions
(8:00 – 9:00pm)

Fig. 2

Empowering and inspiring today’s youth to become the leaders and innovators of tomorrow is no small task. Employing all available public relations outlets will be vital to get the word out about this program. The media plays a great role in garnering the attention of the public for essentially no cost. This will initially be the primary mode of disseminating the information about the program. It will be vital to have a grass roots effort in coordinating the participation of the local businesses that will provide the outlet for funding this initiative past its inception. After the program has the support of the local businesses, funding for the educational programs and resources will make the program self-sufficient. I also believe there is funding available through federal and state grants that will prove very beneficial in getting this program launched successfully.

The future of America can be bright if we can teach tomorrow’s leaders and innovators how to exploit the opportunities available in the marketplace. As it has been for many decades, small business is vital to providing new wealth to our economic system of capitalism. In the story of this program, history repeating itself is essential to teaching the lessons of this country’s best and brightest. America can continue to lead world through innovation but we can only do that by tapping every young person’s vitality and by instilling the inspirational messages of self-made success. I hope this program can spread to every small town and community throughout America and be an example of excellence. Our economy and our future well being very much depends on it.

According to an article in Home Business Magazine (2009), a vast majority of the new jobs in America are derived from small business. Below are some interesting facts about small business and job creation that were contained in that article.

• Small businesses created 65% or more of America’s net new jobs in the last year.
• The United States saw an estimated 580,865 new small firms with employees start up in the last year.
• Small businesses are 97% of America’s exporters and produce 26% of all export value.
• Small businesses employ 50.1% of the United States’ non-farm private sector workers.
• Small businesses make up 99.7% of all United States employers.

Those insightful facts outline the huge responsibility of small business in America. We must
nurture and develop tomorrow’s business leaders from today’s young people. We have, not only the ability, but also, the responsibility to instill the values that make America the destination of people around the world who want the freedom to make their own future and realize their dreams. The American dream can live on but we must feed the dream through leadership and foresight. As was so correctly stated in the iconic song created by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie titled “We Are the World”, we must never forget that the children are our future!

References
Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour. (2009) Event Format. Retrieved August 7, 2009, from http://www.extremetour.org/about/event-format.php
Jackson, M., & Richie, L., (1985) We Are the World [Record] United States: Columbia.
Kim, B., Shi, M., & Srinivasan, K. (2001, Spring2001). Reward Programs and Tacit Collusion. Marketing Science, 20(2), 99. Retrieved August 7, 2009, from Business Source Complete database.
Sexton, D. L., & Bowman-Upton, N. B. (1991). Entrepreneurship: Creativity and growth. New York: Macmillan.
Small Businesses Drive the U.S. Economy. (2009, January). Home Business Magazine: The Home-Based Entrepreneur’s Magazine, Retrieved August 8, 2009, from Business Source Complete database.

Assignment 1-3

Analysis of “The Daily Show and Philosophy: Moments of Zen in the Art of Fake News.”

This article pays attention to the cult classic that is shown on Comedy Central network 5 nights a week, namely, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. The main theme of the article is reviewing the book that dissects the particularities of a show that views the news in a new and different light. One of the things that the article picks up on is the ability to draw in students, in particular, and help them develop their critical thinking skills. By looking at things from a different viewpoint things that seem so ordinary take on a whole new perspective. The show uses makes use of critical thinking skills by recognizing rhetorical red herrings and other logical fallacies that are present in everyday news and happenings. Also, the use of irony and various viewpoints of the truth make for some very interesting paradoxes.

Of particular interest is the presentation of the “fake” news of the day. Fake is a relative term and especially so when dissecting the views and musings of Jon Stewart. His style has often been compared to that of Socrates and him being referred to more than once as the modern day Socrates. The political humor that the show uses is also compared to that of Samuel Adams and Benjamin Franklin. Stewart’s use of humor in relation to politics is to show how politicians are trying to hide, spin, or manipulate the facts to suit their cause. Even the mainstream media is a subject of debate with Stewart as he openly criticizes them and their coverage of the important happening throughout the world.

The article speaks to Stewarts’ ability to raise the level of discourse in the media and tamping down the rabid partisanship in the country. The article also points out the perspective of how Stewart doesn’t have the traditional interview method of attack and defend. Instead, he employs the problem solving values of conflict resolution. It also notes that Stewart is less concerned with what people think and more with how to produce a productive dialog. The shock value of his style also adds to the comedic purpose of the show.

In conclusion to this analysis of, “The Daily Show and Philosophy: Moments of Zen in the Art of Fake News”, it should be pointed out that doing the “fake” news is nothing new. For years prior to the premier of the Emmy award winning variety series, The Daily Show, a comedic version of the world events was played out weekly by the cast of Saturday Night Live. The difference is that Jon Stewart brings in actual politicians and figures in the corporate world for the purpose of exploiting their one-sided views. In fact, one of show’s previous correspondent reporters, Stephen Colbert, has taken on a parallel show that is equally successful. It would appear that America is growing more in love with the “fake” news than the traditional news programs.

Just in the last 10 years, the country has experienced an onslaught of news programs that totally inundate the airwaves 24/7. Perhaps it is that very flood of partisan viewpoints on the network news programs that makes The Daily Show and The Colbert Report such a hit. The popularity of the “fake” news could be that there are just so many more choices today than there were in previous channel lineups. According to the chart below from Journalism.org (2006), the facts are that the traditional nightly news broadcasts are steadily on their way down, and they have been for quite a while. No matter what the reason is, the popularity of the “fake” news is on the rise. Long live the critical thinking skills that Stewart and Colbert exercise. We need some levity in an otherwise depressing display of the world’s daily events and occurrences in recent years.

Source: Nielsen Media Research (2006), from Journalism.org

References

Network TV Audience Trends. (2006, March). Retrieved on August 4, 2009 from http://www.journalism.org/node/1197

The Daily Show and Philosophy: Moments of Zen in the Art of Fake News. (2008, August). Journal of Popular Culture, Retrieved July 9, 2009, doi:10.1111/j.1540-5931.2008.00544_15.x

The iPhone vs. BlackBerry War Heats Up

This week some long awaited features were announced that will make the Mac loving BlackBerry user stand up and cheer. It was announced by RIM, the developer of the BlackBerry, that it will be releasing a version of the BlackBerry that is fully compatible with the MAC operating system right out of the box. Prior Mac users that opted for the BlackBerry over the iPhone had to rely on the PocketMac application for compatibility between the devices. This new feature will strike at the heart of the iPhone and give some fuel to the fire in the battle for mobile phone supremecy. Another feature that will be released at the same is the touch screen track ball that has been much requested. This will give an end to the problems related to the current track ball wearing out from requiring so much use in the various modes of operation.

Probably more groundbreaking news yet, an unnamed BlackBerry exec has “leaked”, in a recent interview, that it is looking putting out a front facing camera that will be targeted at the users beckoning for mobile video conferencing. In what seems to be aimed at giving the iPhone a one-two punch, these new apps will apparently start a new battle in the war. It is never good to expose your battle plan but RIM execs don’t seem to care that they are foretelling of details about what’s coming in early 2010. Mobile videoconferencing is very much aimed at the business user although it will definitely have its consumer based attractions. This could very well be the start of the next big thing in the world of mobile communication. While iPhone does also have a front facing camera, the apps to exploit its usefullness have yet to surface.

Wars are often based on misdirection and misinformation but this war seems to be continually waged in the media by “leaking” information to entice the customer base. The leaking could also be a tit-for-tat announcement since some “spy” photos of the newest version the iPhone has a front facing camera. Propaganda is rampant in wars around the world but in the mobile phone war it seems to be the rule of the industry. In any case, let the war roll on and innovation be the fuel. The consumer and the business world will benefit in the end if we can keep up with the changes. Who knows, maybe a video projector might be built into the everchanging myriad of options availible. Us mobile professionals that are cramped for space in our briefcase can only hope and dream.

Where’s My Camera???

This week I was posed with a question from my cousin that I found quite interesting. Why don’t all BlackBerries have cameras built into them? Interestingly enough, I found out that, in fact, all BlackBerries don’t have cameras built into them. The other odd thing that I discovered from a Verizon rep was the reason for this seeming oddity in today’s cell phone offerings. I was told that business owners and corporations that provide the BlackBerry to their employees don’t want the liability of the user taking pictures that could potentially be used against them in the future.

Even though a lot of consumers really find the use in a cell phone that takes pictures, the business world evidently has a totally different viewpoint on the issue. The issue is that many organizations such as financial institutions, medical facilities and government agencies actually ban digital cameras from their premises. This equals the necessity of the business owner of a BlackBerry to hand it over at time of entry or risk violating the rules of the institution it seeks to do business with. This is also a compromising position for the business person if valuable or even confidential information is stored on their phone.

I think one reason this might actually be a real issue is that if your company requires you to carry a BlackBerry and you really do find the need to regularly need a camera then you would have to carry your own, second, phone. What a hassle this is to carry a seemingly unnecessary second phone just to have a camera to send photos from? However, some have tried to speculate that the reason for no camera is that it takes up too much memory space or some other space related issue on the phone. This is really not the true issue. The business world is full of liability related rules and regulations. This, apparently, just happens to be another one in the mix.

Week 3 Analysis – History Repeats Itself and Then Some

This week BlackBerry made the news by repeating history as well as making history. RIM experienced a little Déjà vu this week when it again was forced to settle a major patent lawsuit. Research In Motion (RIM), the maker of the BlackBerry, settled a lengthy patent dispute with Visto, a tiny tech company, for $267 million. This is only the most recent legal action that RIM has had to settle to avoid being potentially shut down altogether. According to the Wall Street Journal (2009), although the settlement only accounts for about 15% of their cash holdings it does pose some cause for concern as well as hope for the future. Past actions against the company were for smaller amounts but helped aid in the settlement of this case. Despite being a large cash outlay for RIM, its stock reacted positively since this was the last of the possible disputes over its technology holdings. This should mean even greater growth of the brand now that the possibility of more lawsuits has passed.

History was also made this week in a bizarre case of a young woman Twittering from her BlackBerry during a bank robbery in New York City. The 26 yr. old could not call her family members due to the fact that she had lost the trackball on her phone. So she resorted to Twittering the proceedings to let her family, friends and followers know she was alright. This, was more than likely, the first account worldwide where an individual actually used a BlackBerry to communicate during a crime. “No, i didn’t hit the floor. i didn’t even notice and he was two people in front of me.”, she Tweeted at one point, as it was reported by Noveck (2009) of the Associated Press. Although the story got lots of publicity, that the young lady got some nasty replies that she should have done more to help the situation instead of making fun of it. On the bright side it was noted that she did get an increase of 200 followers to her Twitter account by the end of the day.

While the BlackBerry continues to make history in a wide range of ways, the fact remains that it is a cultural icon that is only getting more stable in its footing and prepared for ever increasing growth. As was highlighted last week, new apps for the BlackBerry are emerging daily. This week it was also announced by Donnell at PCmag (2009), that the popular iPhone app from Slacker will give BlackBerry storm users the first version of its free internet radio service. The service will feature the ability to cache the music so listeners will enjoy uninterrupted listening even when they don’t have a signal to their phone.

Donnell, W. (2009). Like It or Not, Slacker Coming to BlackBerry Storm, 2009. Retrieved July 18th, 2009, from http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2350375,00.asp
Silver, S. (2009). RIM Settles Patent Battle With Visto, 2009. Retrieved July 18, 2009, from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124775322296051701.html
Noveck, J. (2009). NYC Bank Heist makes for an unexpected Tweet, 2009. Retrieved July 18, 2009, from http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hmiT98vuDvnymhjsTySDIX-wDxvwD99EENDG0

Week 2 Analysis

This week I would like to expand on not just the BlackBerry but on the apps that make the device the mobile convenience that has become. An “app” is a program that has been developed by an outside source that uses the BlackBerry or other mobile device’s operating system to perform a task. The apps that are available for the BlackBerry are somewhat similar to those of the iPhone. While there have not been nearly as many apps developed for the BlackBerry as there have been for the iPhone, they do have some pretty useful tools for the mobile business professional with more coming out regularly.

One of the ones that I found most interesting is for a customer relationship management (CRM) program called Salesforce. It allows the BlackBerry user to keep up to date on all of their customer data, contact information, order history and other valuable information in their client’s file. The program will aid assisting any productive sales force in becoming second to none if they spend a lot of time in the field traveling from meeting to meeting. This application allows the user to integrate their Outlook email program to the SalesForce database for email communication on the go.

Another app that is widely popular is the MySpace app. It allows the user to keep up with their MySpace page no matter where they are traveling. Additions or updates are able to be uploaded just the same as if the user were at their regular computer. Telling customers and followers of recent developments or changes to service have never been so easy. Uploading photos is a snap and practically instantaneously viewable on your MySpace page.

One other app worth mentioning is called Viigo. With Viigo you can tell the application what you want to stay updated on such as the stock market, sports scores, flight schedules, or just news headlines. The program updates the requested information regularly without prompting it to do so. Now you can follow a friend’s Twitter account and the baseball game all while your on a blind date that you found on MySpace.

Apps aren’t the only reason to have a BlackBerry but they sure make having one much more entertaining and practical. Being mobile and still connected allows today’s busy users to get more done in less time. Just don’t do it while your driving!

BlackBerry Connection (2009). Take a Tour of BlackBerry App World. Retrieved July 12, 2009, from

http://www.blackberry.com/newsletters/connection/business/i209/app_world.shtml

Analysis of Contemporary American Icons

The three icons that I chose to represent in this segment are Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, and Steve Jobs. Oprah is undoubtedly most well known for her warm personality but probably more important is her ability to continually command attention. The next icon on my list is Bill Gates. Bill Gates is probably one of the most well admired entrepreneurs in the world. Finally, Steve Jobs is on the list due to his artful ability to innovate and remain competitive, as well as, relevant in the electronics world. Each of these figures are entrepreneurs in every sense of the world, but in my mind they are also American Icons due to their ability to rise above the tremendous challenges that each have faced throughout their careers.

Despite being wealthy beyond most people’s imaginations, these three people have not only shaped what it has meant to persevere through challenge, but also be extraordinarily innovative in their respective careers at the same time. Many people may not think of them as being a great leader but more so of remarkable character. Each of them commands the respect and admiration of many people throughout the world who continue to follow and seek their vision and hope for the future. Huge responsibilities are their appetizers as they continually look to feast on the opportunities of tomorrow.

I chose these three individuals as my focus, not since they are wealthy or great business minds, but because each of them embodies the philanthropic qualities necessary to be deemed truly successful. These three individuals are of particular interest to me since they are such esteemed givers. In a poll given by the Reputation Institute (2008), they were each listed in the Top 5 most admired CEOs due to their charitable giving, business success and the sense that they are truly authentic, trustworthy and sincere. It is only the right of the truly successful to claim the title of philanthropist after they give of themselves in a sincere act without the promise of material reward.
The old motto goes “Doing well by doing good”, but my thoughts are that this is a little off base. In my mind, “doing good” arises out of “doing well”. Social responsibility is an important quality and one to be admired. It is that same responsibility that makes America great in the eyes of people around the world. We would all be well served to strive to give away a million dollars instead of striving to make a million dollars. No one asks how much you have when they ask for a donation, only how much you can give. If someone can afford to give great amounts of money to charity, their wealth is counted in dollars but measured in goodwill. Philanthropic acts are a result of acquired wealth and could be stated that with great wealth comes great responsibility.

Medland, M. (2008). Philanthropic Roles Help Elevate Corporate CEO’s on Most-Admired List. The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Retrieved July 9, 2009, from http://philanthropy.com/news/updates/6067/philanthropic-roles-help-elevate-corporate-ceos-on-most-admired-list

Hello world!

The item I chose as the basis of this discussion of Pop Culture is the BlackBerry. This mobile computer/phone has revolutionized the business world. The BlackBerry has vastly improved the accessability of sales professionals and mobile professionals around the globe. The BlackBerry was introduced intially in 1999 as a two-way pager. Its popularity saved it from extinction after a nearly 6 year Patent Infringement Lawsuit where even the U.S. Dept. of Defense intervened saying the BlackBerry was critical to national defense since many there were so many government users.

Research In Motion, the developer of the Blackberry, reported on May 30, 2009 that it now has over 28.5 million users. Anytime an item has this widespread acceptability, it can garner a lot of power and attention. Even the likes of TIVO is joining forces to offer its subscribers the ability to program their TIVO units directly from their BlackBerry.

I know of many organizations such as State Farm, since my Uncle is an Agent, that require each agent to have one for unparalleled access to information in today’s mobile environment. The popularity of such devices gives rise to more demanding customers and soon come to expect instant feedback since they know you are “connected” to their information. Customer expectations can make or break a mobile professional. It all depends on their ability to meet the clients needs in an acceptable time frame. The BlackBerry helps in that task but there are limitations to its capabilities. Basically, it still can’t make the calls or send the emails for you!

Blackberrys, just the same as countless other items, garner Pop Culture status due to their immense following of consumers and businesses alike. Pop Culture is often times created simply by word of mouth and takes on a snowball effect. Even mass media can aid the progression from the conceptual idea to reality. When an item is so popular that practically every newscast, television show, radio talk-show or movie mentions it, that item is on its way to gaining what every business wants, “Top Of Mind Awareness”. It is quite important for the business world to gain TOMA for ultimate success. In that respect, the BlackBerry is and also helps create TOMA by keeping businesspeople connected to clients.