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E140B
Assignment 5
Motivation and Values
"Built-to-last" vs "Built-to-flip"
or missionaries vs mercenaries is a recurring debate in the field of entrepreneurship. With that in mind, what are your gut impressions
about the motivations of the people around you? Think back to our readings by
Jim Collins and others as you ponder these questions:
-
What kind of hours do people put in at your
startup? Of the people that put in long hours, what do you think drives them to do so?
- Why are employees working at your company and not some place else? How
dedicated are they to staying and what's the turnover like (in spite of,
or despite the economy)?
-
Do people talk much about expectations for the company's future?
When they do so, do they focus on the more obvious milestones and
financial goals, or do they talk about missions and visions set forth by
the management?
Key Question:
With the reality check of your startup experience in hand, what are your thoughts
on the "BTL vs BTF" question? Are flippable companies an essential
component of the innovation engine that drives the new economy or are they a threat
to the soul of the entrepreneurial economy? Is this discussion relevant (or out of touch)
with the reality you see around you today?