Recently I attended a high level policy meeting, arranged by a scientific department of Government. The theme was promoting bio-entrepreneurship among the women. Multiple academic - science research organisations participated as stakeholders. But there were none from either management or from commerce.
The area concerned is mostly rural and the policy was primarily focused on promoting rural women for bio-business. The participants from stake holders institutions, who had presented how their technologies can help in the endeavour. Now these enthusiastic 'experts' for promotion of entrepreneurship may not be able to sell even a pin in market and depend on government funds for their own survival. They had no idea about 4Ps, market forces, SWOT & PESTEL analysis, generic strategies, STP, cash-flow management, Costing, Value chain analysis, competition landscape etc. And neither do they find need to learn.
Global scenario is that 72% innovations fail to monetise. And these experts were betting on entrepreneurship, based on only their technical knowledge of producing something, mostly at lab scale, with subsidised space, electricity, water and man-power !
The most horrific part was that the policy maker from the scientific departments agreed to some of these proposals, without taking assesment from business perspectives, and the gullible rural women may be trained to produce something which might not be commercially viable.
Large amount of public funds would be allocated to these R&D/academic organisations based on such presentations. And the more deserving areas of entrepreneurship would be starved out of funds.
Thus the question arises - "Are we obfuscating real entrepreneurship with technological innovations ?".
I do not think this is the case, sometimes it is the opposite!
You can be interested to the attached article.
Best regards,
Marco
Marco Vivarelli , I could not understand what you meant. Please cite the section of the article, which you think is relevant.
It speaks to competency and quality when it comes to government and government policy, regarding entrepreneurs.
Government typically struggles with entrepreneurship and dont understand it.
The same goes for government and innovation. What you are describing does not sound like private sector innovation, which is scrutinized much more by the market.
Agree. In France, we actually assist to the same scenario. Most of the public funds are devoted to labs, and or startups driven by technology but with no pertinent Business Plan and market analysis. This is the "wrong and current" strategy to face with the GAFA domination and to create what we call here, the next Unicorn. The doc shared by Brian is very pertinent as it shows that the entry barrier remains one of the key element to look after wether you are a start-up or a traditionnal entering a market
Catherine Nohra China , I am surprised that such thing happens even in France. Seems the unicorn syndrome has blocked the vision of governments across the world!! Don't they know that unicorns are rare, even in myths !!
Brian Barnard agreed. Indeed, an innovation, not scrutinized by market, is nothing but an academic gymnastic !! Actually quite often the government officials, draw salaries above the going market rate for their competencies. May be that causes them to discard the market itself.
Amidst the great euphoria over Silivon Valley, very few disclose that hardly 5% of tech start-ups are able to raise their first round of venture investment even at Silicon Valley.
So the relatively large number of success stories from Silicon Valley are mostly due to high base effect. 95% innovations fail in commercialisation, even at Silicon Valley - the most suppresses fact of entrepreneurship development !
Entrepreneurship is too much a fashionable gimmick the involvement of academic institutions have added the technological side to this otherwise "need-based" concept. One of the idea that really worked in a patriarchy based society was that of "restaurant for female" . It served the same food with same technology . The idea was that females will have a sense of empowerment . When i questioned the clients they expressed that male should be serving because it gives a more empowering sensation. Off course we need to investigate the cultural context of entrepreneurship. The remote controlled Bazuka sold to the state is hardly an option for a society that strives for the basics.
This questions whether true or strong innovation without entrepreneurship, or then business acumen, is possible.
I dont think government should lead entrepreneurship. They need to prove their commitment and ability first through their quality of service.
I see the solution as either a strong private sector initiative (led by entrepreneurs) leading entrepreneurship, and/ or entrepreneurship subject to both proper and meticulous entrepreneurship and innovation metrics to properly manage it.
Nasim Ahmad " male should be serving because it gives a more empowering sensation " !! LOL .. very interesting concept !!
Brian Barnard , actually, the political leaders, if not from leftist tilt, may understand the importance of entrepreneurship, as most of them are usually business personnel/ professionals. so, they try to develop culture of entrepreneurship in societies.
The problems happen at implementation level, which has to be done via salaried govt. officials, who never experienced the forces of market. Hence their implementation level ideas run against many of the basic tenets of entrepreneurship.
And when it comes to science based entrepreneurship - then immediately the experts from institutional R&D/ academia are asked to lead the projects. The tragedy is that these people with science background seldom had any learning of even basic economics, and business and management concepts are too far fetched for them.
The entrepreneur's role will never be replaced. Innovations are just tools.
@Ajoy, poor implementation is still poor policy and governance.
Why cant the politicians pick this up if they are so in touch with entrepreneurship, and properly manage it and correct it. Again, proper metrics should help with this - help with accountability. More difficult for government to argue numbers/ metrics away (although you will be surprised).
@ Ajoy , females across India and Pakistan serve and cook food in their households . So , when they go to the restaurant the best part of whole experience is that they don't have to cook and they are being served in their plates . I am not sure about India but in Pakistan we have male waiters in the restaurants.
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