INTERNATIONAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

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International Entrepreneurship
Assignment

Student ID: B00803190

Module Title: International Entrepreneurship
Module Code: BMG936 CRN 67390
Module Leader: Dr Imani Silver Kyaruzi
Module Tutor: Tonisha Tagoe
Course Title: MSc International Business

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A Case Study of Bill

Gates
Assignment 1 - Part A

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1. Introduction
In order to develop the economy, entrepreneurs contributions to the country’s GDP is vital
for economic development as successful entrepreneurial ventures generate employment,
improve the living standard, promote social changes, generates wealth for the owners or
fosters innovation or which ultimately changing the dynamic of the business environment.
The term “Entrepreneur” is a French word which means that someone those undertakes and
the term “Entrepreneur” can be defined as the person who set up a new venture or
enterprise by in order to generate profit or wealth for the entrepreneur, however, these
entrepreneur takes financial risks by investing in new ventures or enterprise. Thus,
entrepreneurial ventures not only generate wealth for the entrepreneur but also, contribute
significantly to the GDP, involve in community development, fulfil the customer’s needs by
bringing innovation products or promote research and development (Eurofound, 2012).

2 Discussion
Bill Gates is one of the successful and prominent entrepreneurs in the worlds as Bill Gates
interest in computer programming from earliest childhood which inspired Bill Gates to
engage in entrepreneurial ventures. Bill Gates is an intelligent, visionary and self-made
person who created “Micro-soft” ventures with partner Paul Allen. Due to technological
innovation, aggressive business strategies, forward-thinking and learning from the mistakes
helped Micro-soft to grow its ventures rapidly under the transformational leadership of Bill
Gates.

2.1 The Motivation that Encouraged Bill Gates to be

Entrepreneur
In order to set up an entrepreneurial venture, there are various factors that motivate the
entrepreneur such as familiar influences, educations, past experiences of entrepreneur,
autonomy or other push factors i.e. market opportunity. However, some entrepreneurs are
naturally made as these peoples like Bill Gates was motivated due to interest in computer
programming as Bill Gates was passionate about programming and technology from
childhood which influenced Bill Gates to set up entrepreneurial ventures with childhood
friend Paul Allen. According to Carter and Jones-Evans, (2012); successful entrepreneur like
Bill Gates has certain traits, for examples, passion, dedication, self-confidence, risk takers,
persistence, creativity or personal belief as these traits helped Bill Gates to become one of
the successful entrepreneurs in this dynamic business world.

2.2 Tech Entrepreneur

Bill Gates is a technology entrepreneur who started working with the computer when Bill
Gates was just 13 years old. Moreover, Bill Gates recognized that ventures or business is
money game with different risks, hence, innovation and aggressive tactical business plan is
the key to be successful business entrepreneurs. Therefore, Bill Gates created a technology-
based business as Bill Gates realized that technology will change the future of the business,

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as a result, Microsoft has changed or transformed the technology world by launching

Microsoft Windows, MS-Dos or other innovative computer programmes which changed
the way business conduct its business operations. Under the leadership of Bill Gates,
Microsoft expanded its business operations and built business reputations by creating
competitive advantages which ultimately helped Bill Gates to be one of the successful
entrepreneurs in this world (Baumol, Schilling and Wolff, 2009).

2.3 Entrepreneurs Made or Born

Over the past few decades, many researchers argued in regards to whether entrepreneurs
are born or made. However, successful entrepreneurs driven by motives and has certain
traits which make these entrepreneurs successful such as one of the key traits of successful
entrepreneurs is creativity, like Bill Gates identified that technology is the key which will
transform the business world, thus, Microsoft stepped into the unknown in order to create
opportunities. Some of the traits of successful entrepreneurs are:

Vi
si
on
S e lf -
Pa
m o tiv
ss
a te d
i o
n

R isk
- C re
ta k e a tiv
r i ty

❖ Vision: One of the key traits of Bill Gates is a clear vision as Bill Gates has a
clear purpose of the business, goals or objectives and how these objectives will
be accomplished in the future.

❖ Passion: This is another key trait of Bill Gates as due to passionate about the
ventures that Bill Gates engages in, as a result, it drives Bill Gates to reach its
desired vision successfully.

❖ Creativity: Innovations or creativity assist the successful entrepreneurs to solve

the complex problems successful which are the key traits of Bill Gates as it enables
Microsoft to be one of the top technology firms.

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❖ Risk-taker: Successful entrepreneurs are risk-taker which helps the entrepreneur

to learn a valuable lesson; as a result, it allows the entrepreneurs to find
alternative ways to do things.

❖ Self-motivated: Bill Gates was self-motivates which assisted to overcome any

obstacles or self-motivated entrepreneurs gives strengths to take on new
challenges; as a result, it enables Bill Gates to reach its vision successfully.

According to Burns, (2014); Successful entrepreneurs are not born as these entrepreneurs
start with a particular motive in mind due to passionate and changes motives constantly
while the entrepreneur grow. No humans are born with the abilities or skills, as a result,
successful entrepreneurs are made due to individual passionate, experiences, interest or
educations which ultimately assist to be successful entrepreneurs. Moreover, Bill Gates was
successful as Bill Gates never stopped learning, trust own ideas, result-oriented and
optimistic as these traits helped bill gates to be successful which ultimately unlocked new
opportunities for the Microsoft.

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3 Conclusion
Bill Gates interest in computer programming from childhood which inspired Bill Gates to
engaged in entrepreneurial ventures. Bill Gates is an intelligent, visionary and self-made
person who created “Micro-soft” ventures with partner Paul Allen. Due to technological
innovation, aggressive business strategies, forward-thinking and learning from the mistakes
helped Micro-soft to grow its ventures rapidly under the transformational leadership of Bill
Gates. Successful entrepreneurs are not born as these entrepreneurs start with a particular
motive in mind due to passionate and change motives constantly while the entrepreneur
grow. No humans are born with the abilities or skills, as a result, successful entrepreneurs
are made due to individual passionate, experiences, interest or educations which ultimately
assist to be successful entrepreneurs. Moreover, Bill Gates was successful as Bill Gates
never stopped learning, trust own ideas, result-oriented and optimistic as these traits
helped bill gates to be successful which ultimately unlocked new opportunities for the
Microsoft (McDougall, and Oviatt, 2000).

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Assignment 1 - Part B

1. Introduction
According to Eric, (2011); the term “Technology Entrepreneurs” can be defined as the
investment in a project or an entrepreneur who set up a technology-based venture such as
Microsoft, Apple or Samsung Electronics etc. Thomas, Robert and Michael, (2009); stated
that “Technology Entrepreneurship” referred to when an entrepreneur sets up a new
technology-based enterprise or ventures where the entrepreneur has full control over the
ventures. This venture can be small and mid-sized enterprise (SME) or large enterprise and
these ventures generate employment, improve the standard of living, involve in
community development or contribute significantly to the country’s GDP.

2 Technology Entrepreneurship Features

Technological entrepreneurship can be divided into two categories which are technology
developers and technology users. Technology developer’s entrepreneurship develops the
technology for others and technology users see and determine how this technology can be
used in order to fulfil the needs of market or customers. The main features of technology
developers entrepreneurship are that innovation and creativity as these features play an
important part in the success of this entrepreneurship. However, value also plays a
significant part such as technology products or services must bring value in order to satisfy
the needs of market needs. Moreover, technology user’s entrepreneurship uses
technologies to improve the efficiency of the services that offer by the ventures.

Technology entrepreneurs play key part to foster innovation as these entrepreneurs take
innovation to the market which ultimately satisfies the needs of market. In today’s digital
age, technology is vital for the human’s as technology is essential in this modern digital age
which bring numerous benefits for the peoples, business such as reduce costs, saves time,
increase the operational efficiency, access of vital information or build relationship which
ultimately making the life easier for peoples or the organizations. Bill Gates created a
technology-based business as Bill Gates realized that technology will change the future of
the business, as a result, Microsoft has changed or transformed the technology world by
launching Microsoft Windows, MS-Dos or other innovative computer programmes which
changed the way business conduct its business operations. Under the leadership of Bill
Gates, Microsoft expanded its business operations and built business reputations by
creating competitive advantages which ultimately helped Bill Gates to be one of the
successful entrepreneurs in this world. Bill Gates was passionate about programming and
technology from childhood which influenced Bill Gates to set up entrepreneurial ventures
with childhood friend Paul Allen.

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3 Conclusion
The evolution of technology has changed the business world as technology became
essential in modern life for everyone or for human life. Thus, more and more entrepreneurs
setting up technological-based ventures due to high demand of technology. According to
Eric, (2011); the term “Technology Entrepreneurs” can be defined as the investment in a
project or an entrepreneur who set up a technology-based venture such as Microsoft, Apple
or Samsung Electronics etc. Under the leadership of Bill Gates, Microsoft expanded its
business operations and built business reputations by creating competitive advantages
which ultimately helped Bill Gates to be one of the successful entrepreneurs in this world.
Bill Gates was passionate about programming and technology from childhood which
influenced Bill Gates to set up entrepreneurial ventures with childhood friend Paul Allen.

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References-Harvard Styles
❖ EUROFOUND (2012); BORN GLOBAL: THE POTENTIAL OF JOB CREATION IN NEW INTERNATIONAL
BUSINESSES, PUBLICATIONS OFFICE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, LUXEMBOURG
❖ MCDOUGALL, P. P., & OVIATT, B. M. (2000); INTERNATIONAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP: THE
INTERSECTION OF TWO RESEARCH PATHS. ACADEMY OF MANAGEMENT JOURNAL, 43, 902–908
❖ MCDOUGALL, P. P., OVIATT, B. M., & SHRADER, R. C. (2003); A COMPARISON OF
INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC NEW VENTURES, JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP,
1, 59–82
❖ CARTER, S., & JONES-EVANS, D. (2012); ENTERPRISE AND SMALL BUSINESS: PRINCIPLES, PRACTICE
& POLICY, 3RD ED, PRENTICE-HALL; LONDON
❖ DEW, N., READ, S., SARASVATHY, S.D. AND WILTBANK, R. (2009); “EFFECTUAL VERSUS PREDICTIVE
LOGICS IN ENTREPRENEURIAL DECISION-MAKING: DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EXPERTS AND NOVICES”,
JOURNAL OF BUSINESS VENTURING, VOL. 24 NO. 4, PP. 287- 309
❖ LOANE, S., BELL, J., & CUNNINGHAM, I (2013); “ENTREPRENEURIAL FOUNDING TEAM EXITS IN
RAPIDLY INTERNATIONALISING SMES: A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD, INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS REVIEW,
VOL. 23, (2), PP. 468- 477
❖ BURNS, P., (2014); NEW VENTURE CREATION: A FRAMEWORK FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL START-UPS,
PALGRAVE MACMILLAN, BASINGSTOKE
❖ BAUMOL, W. J. SCHILLING, M. A. AND WOLFF, E. N. (2009); THE SUPERSTAR INVENTORS AND
ENTREPRENEURS: HOW WERE THEY EDUCATED? JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT
STRATEGY
❖ READ, S. (2011); EFFECTUAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP, ROUTLEDGE, LONDON
❖ THOMAS, D. ROBERT, H. AND MICHAEL, L. (2009); TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEURSHIP, 1ST
EDITION; ACADEMIC PRESS
❖ ERIC, R. (2011); THE LEAN START-UP: HOW TODAY'S ENTREPRENEURS USE CONTINUOUS
INNOVATION TO CREATE RADICALLY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES, RANDOM AUDIO PUBLISHER
❖ THE SECRET OF SUCCESS FROM THE STORY OF BILL GATES
AVAILABLE FROM www.medium.com (ACCESSED ON 10 JULY 2020)
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Appendix
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