Summary Sociology 110 September 1 Prof Aldrich

Sociology 110 Professor Aldrich & Ms. Davis
September 1^st1998, Summary

Team Work: Assignment for teams involved answering three questions:

1. Define the concept of nascent entreprenur

Adult Population->Nascant Entrepreneurs->Fledging Organization->Established Organization

Definition of Nascent Entrepreneur: someone who initiates serious business activities intended to culminate in a viable business activity.

Things that they do: (1) Idea

(2) Act on it: inquire about a license or a space, hire employees, apply for/ take out loans, save money, buy equipment, do research in the library, observe similar businesses

2. How many entrepreneurs are there in Chapel Hill?

We decided that we could either use the average of between 4 and 6 percent of the adult population OR a lower estimate (taking into account the youthful, inexperienced, and non-wealthy population, AND multiply that percent by the estimated populatin of Chapel Hill

Variation in a college town:

Higher rate? young, ambitious

Lower rate? lack of experience, money, and time

Local rates may vary by population characteristics.

3. How could you find out?

We did not answer this question, but an answer can be found in the Aldrich reading.

Why might this be called a disorderly process? There is no particular order of activities that nascent entrepreneurs must follow: some might buy equipment first, others might construct a detailed business plan first.

Fish Ladder example: Nascent entrepreneurs must pass through a series of steps or obstacles before they have a fledging business. Some survive and arrive to the top; others do not.

Reproducers versus Innovators Reproducers start businesses that are not new. They provide an existing product or service and/or conduct business in a pre-established manner.

Innovators introduce a new product or service or a new way to conduct business. They may start a new industry. They are a source of variation.

1. When determining whether a new business is an innovator or a reproducer, context matters. While the sports bar and smoothie store are new to the area, they are not entirely new ideas because these businesses existed in other regions of the country.

2. When determining whether a new business is an innovator or a reproducer, one needs to consider the issue of continuity and discontinuity. How different is this business?

3. New organizations rather than established organizations typically develop the innovations.

Why is the issue of Reproducers and Innovators important?

1. Reproducers reinforce the status quo. Innovators add variation and prevent stagnation.

2. Why is there so much continuity? Because most new organizations are reproducers.

How Connected Are We? Assuming you know 100 people, and each of those persons know 100 people, and each of those persons know 100 people, and each of those persons know 100 people, and each of those persons know 100 people, you can reach the entire world through those five stages of contacts.

100 X 100 X 100 X 100 X 100 = 10,000,000,000

The entire world's population = 8,000,000,000

Why do we not feel this connected? Why do we not feel more connected?

1. Overlapping ties: My friends know some of my other friends. There are overlaps in the 100 people we know.

2. Boundaries and barriers inhibit networking: There are language, economic, cultural, social, religious, and geographical barriers that limit access to people who differ from me in these respects.

3. Uncertainty & ignorance: It is difficult to know which of my 100 people knows the person I am looking for. It is difficult to make connections. If I speak directly to someone who knows someone, who knows someone, who knows someone, who knows someone I know; it is the same as talking to a stranger.

4. Entropy: If a message is passed through all of those chain links, some of the content can be lost.

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