Environmental scanning

http://www.cod.edu

Local businessman

The Zobel-Ayala clan
This Hispanic clan has survived the Philippine revolution against Spain, the Philippine-American War, the bloody Japanese military occupation and other crises. They are entering the 21st century stronger than ever in the most strategic industries such as telecom (Globe Telecom), banking (Bank of the Philippine Islands and BPI Family Bank) and others. They remain the biggest landlords in the Makati financial district and have recently teamed up with immigrant taipan Jose Yao Campos of Unilab to gain control of the massive Fort Bonifacio project.
Although Jaime Zobel de Ayala once served as Ambassador to Great Britain during the Marcos regime, he eventually became closely identified with the People Power regime of President Corazon C. Aquino while his cousin Enrique Zobel backed Marcos.
 Gozon and Duavit familes
The Gozon and Duavit families control the aggressively expanding television and radio group of GMA Network Inc., which is now seriously challenging ABS-CBN’s No. 1 position. Though chairman Atty. Felipe L. Gozon’s brother-in-law Menardo Jimenez relinquished management to him and the Duavit family in 2001, the Jimenezes still retain substantial shareholdings. Jimenez is a director of San Miguel Corporation, officer of many corporations and his eldest son, PLDT official Menardo "Butch" Jimenez Jr., is being urged by top business people to someday run for high public office.
 Manuel "Manny" Pangilinan
The big boss of the country’s largest telecom firm Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) recently led several leaders of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and SGV Group founder Washington SyCip in a high-profile meeting with Fernando Poe on their proposed policies for whoever will become President after the May 10 election. After surviving a headline-grabbing corporate war with John Gokongwei Jr. for control of PLDT and disposing the Fort Bonifacio project at a huge sacrifice, Pangilinan seems to have reconciled with the clan of Indonesian taipan Liem Sioe Liong (Sudono Salim) and retained his top post in Hong Kong-based First Pacific conglomerate. With Pangilinan spearheading First Pacific in investing in PLDT, it may eventually become a major success.

Evaluate the different entrepreneurial characteristics under PEC's.

Characteristics/qualities of a successful entrepreneur
Qualities or Personal Entrepreneurial Characteristics (PEC) of successful entrepreneurs refer to the desired traits, which enable an entrepreneur to do what is expected of him/her and succeed in business. It is the combination of these characteristics that is required to enable any one to perform effectively as an entrepreneur. It is possible for people to develop these characteristics and succeed in their careers as entrepreneurs. Successful entrepreneurs have common characteristics, which are divided into three clusters namely achievement, planning and power.

1. Achievement Cluster

Opportunity seeking

This refers to the quality that enables the entrepreneur to see and act upon new business opportunities even in situations where other people see nothing but problems/hopelessness only. It also encourages him/her to seize unusual opportunities for obtaining the necessary resources such as financing, equipment, land, workspace, technical assistance, etc, which will enable him/her to implement his/her business ideas.

Commitment to the work contract

This is the ability to accept final responsibility for completing a job for the customers. Customers expect entrepreneurs to perform and honour their commitments. It follows therefore that the entrepreneur should do everything possible to ensure that he/she fulfils the commitment with his/her customers. It means joining the workers to work with them to ensure that contractual commitments are fulfilled, the entrepreneur will do it.

Persistence

This is the quality, which enables the entrepreneurs to develop determination to have a thorough job done at any cost in terms of personal sacrifice. By doing this, the entrepreneur remains working towards the achievement of his/her set goals.

Risk taking

Entrepreneurs are people who prefer taking moderate risks. Before they commit themselves and their resources, they assess the risks that are associated with a business opportunity that they have selected, and their ability to manage them, the benefits that they will realise and the challenges that they will face from the venture to be undertaken.
Entrepreneurs can earn profits as a result of taking risks and the higher the risks, the higher the profits. However, entrepreneurs will always prefer to take on those risks that they can manage.

Demand for efficiency and quality

This is the quality that enables an entrepreneur to do things that meet or surpass existing standards of excellence or improve on performance by striving to do things faster, better and cheaply. By doing this, the entrepreneur remains ahead of others, makes more profits and retains a growing market share.

2. Planning Cluster

The planning cluster is made up of the following characteristics:

Goal setting

This refers to the ability of an entrepreneur to set clear and specific goals and objectives. These goals and objectives are normally high and challenging but at the same time, realistic and can be attained, given the resources that one has got at his/her disposal.

Information seeking

This is having the urge to look for the required information in order to make an informed decision, for example, selecting, starting and successfully managing the desired business. This calls for the concerned person to personally seek and obtain information regarding customers, suppliers, competitors as well as any other relevant information that is required to enable the entrepreneur make decisions and improve knowledge on his/her business.

Systematic planning and monitoring

This is the ability to develop plans that will be used in monitoring and evaluating the progress of the business. This helps the entrepreneur to carefully monitor his/her business’ actual performance against desired performance and turn to other alternatives whenever the need arises; so as to achieve his/her set goals.

3. Power Cluster

Persuasion and networking

This is the ability to link, convince and influence other individuals, agencies and other groups in order to maintain business contacts at a high level. This will help or work for the cause of the business in a positive manner to accomplish own objectives.

Self-confidence

This refers to having a strong belief or confidence in oneself and the ability to complete a difficult task or meet a challenge.

Inventions of Necessity: Synthetic Rubber

Natural rubber is an elastic hydrocarbon polymer called polyisoprene and is found in the sap (latex) of certain trees. Synthetic rubber is made from polymers that are engineered synthetically by a process called polymerization, which is a chemical reaction produced when two or more molecules combine to form larger molecules with repeated structural units. 



sources: http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/Esheet.php?DocID=190

Personal Enterprenuerial Competencies (PEC's)

Achievement Cluster
I. Opportunity Seeking and Initiative
Does things before asked or forced to by events
Acts to extend the business into new areas, products or services
Seizes unusual opportunities to start a new business, obtain financing,
equipment, land work space or assistance
II. Risk Taking
Deliberately calculates risks and evaluates alternatives
Takes action to reduce risks or control outcomes
Places self in situations involving a challenge or moderate risk
III. Demand for Efficiency and Quality
Finds ways to do things better, faster, or cheaper
Acts to do things that meet or exceed standards of excellence
Develops or uses procedures to ensure work is completed on time or that
work meets agreed upon standards of quality
IV. Persistence
Takes action in the face of a significant obstacle
Takes repeated actions or switches to an alternative strategy to meet a
challenge or overcome an obstacle
Takes personal responsibility for the performance necessary to achieve
goals and objectives
V. Commitment to the Work Contract
Makes a personal sacrifice or expends extraordinary effort to complete a
job
Pitches in with workers or in their place to get a job done
Strives to keep customers satisfied and places long term good will over
short term gain
Planning Cluster
VI. Information Seeking
Personally seeks information from clients, suppliers or competitors
Does personal research on how to provide a product or service
Consults experts for business or technical advice
VII Goal setting
Sets goals and objectives that are personally meaningful and challenging
Articulates clear and specific long range goals
Sets measurable short term objectives
VIII. Systematic Planning and Monitoring
Plans by breaking large tasks down into time-constrained sub-tasks
Revises plans in light of feedback on performance or changing
circumstances
Keeps financial records and uses them to make business decisions
Power Cluster
IX. Persuasion and Networking
Uses deliberate strategies to influence or persuade others
Uses key people as agents to accomplish own objectives
Acts to develop and maintain business contracts
X. Independence and self-confidence
Seeks autonomy from the rules or control of others
Sticks with own judgement in the face of opposition or early lack of
success
Expresses confidence in own ability to complete a difficult task or meet a
challenge

sources: http://wiki.answers.com

Enterprenuership

Entrepreneurship is the act of being an entrepreneur, which can be defined as "one who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods". This may result in new organizations or may be part of revitalizing mature organizations in response to a perceived opportunity. The most obvious form of entrepreneurship is that of starting new businesses (referred as Startup Company); however, in recent years, the term has been extended to include social and political forms of entrepreneurial activity. When entrepreneurship is describing activities within a firm or large organization it is referred to as intra-preneurship and may include corporate venturing, when large entities spin-off organizations.

source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entrepreneurship ^[1]