Nature vs nurture PDF

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2a)Accor di ngt oexi st i ngt hought ,ar et heact i onsandt hought sof successf ulent r epr eneur sapr oductoft hei rnat ur eornur t ur e? 2b)Focusi ngonaknownent r epr eneur( x) ,i l l ust r at ehow nat ur e,nur t ur eoraf usi onofbot hseem t ohaveenabl edent r epr eneur shi pi nX’ s cases The nature vs nurture argument is one that has been ongoing for decades and one that will never be solved. It can be applied to every discussion or choice that we make and therefore plays a part in businesses and the individuals within them. Entrepreneurs are studied regularly to examine whether a formula exists to ensure that you will make a successful business and become a millionaire. We study entrepreneurs to find out whether they have something in common, whether it be genetic or in their upbringing. A nature argument for this question would be that everything is predetermined by genetics, and therefore the success of the business start up is guaranteed. But many can see this as highly improbable and illogical, and life’s events will also determine a person’s outcome.. It is clear to scientists, psychologists (and to most of us) that humans have certain ways they act in order to protect themselves and survive; this has been developed through evolution. For example, when touching something hot we reflexively move away to prevent a more severe burn. This behaviour is, arguably, in our nature rather than a learned behaviour. But can we take these well known observations a step further to suggest that entrepreneurs are already genetically programmed to act as they do and have the characteristics necessary to be successful in the business world. The nurture argument is possibly more convincing, arguing that we develop into the person we become through our surroundings, teachings and the examples we are exposed to. Childhood, society and events that happen shape us as a person and will give us the characteristics which make us what they are. In the case of an entrepreneur they may have been encouraged as a child to take risks, or to start, in a very small way, with entrepreneurial business ventures as a very young person. The example of par-

ents, guardians and other role models is key.All these small factors and events in their lives make them who they are and will essentially define what kind of business man or woman they become.

A typical entrepreneur is a white, able bodied and young man. On one hand they are usually white men, this could mean that genetically white men are programmed to have the right characteristics, original ideas and a strong drive to succeed in the business world. It is true that men are now twice as likely to be entrepreneurially active (Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, UK Report 2011) and women entrepreneurs make less money and tend to have small businesses. This could be explained by different genetics and that men are made to be better at start up’s than women are or it could be that our society nurtures men into becoming successful entrepreneurs. However, is it not also true that white western men statistically come from the wealthiest sectors of our society and therefore have the advantages others do not. Despite many successes in promoting females in business there is still much to be done and such changes take generations to make a statistical difference. Women are held back by attitudes and family ties. A stereotypical young boy tends to be one that runs around, jumps off trees and is more daring. Whereas a girl plays with dolls, is less active and daring., Of course these examples aren’t always the case but offer the “stereotypical” girl and boy child. When applying these stereotypes to entrepreneurs and the characteristics successful ones usually have, the young boy’s qualities fit the mould. Bruni et al 2004 talks of how femininity is associated with weakness and masculinity is seen as power in the business world. “Without risk-taking, the prospects for business growth wane” (Ward, 1997: 323), entrepreneurs are always described as risk takers. It could be that we as a society are pushing young boy into being risk takers unconsciously. Women are more likely to be offered business bank loans and also more likely to turn them down (ibid Carter & Shaw 2006). This shows that our society does try to nurture women entrepreneurs by aiding them financially. However it could be more a sociological barrier that women have preventing from reaching

their goals; as explained above with small children being treated differently due to their gender. Women's equality has changed drastically in the last hundred years. It could be argued that our society is still coming to terms with gender equality. This will resonate in all aspects of businesses and entrepreneurial start-ups. Hugh Hefner is a example of a successful entrepreneur. With many men seeing him as a role model, with his playboy mansion, parties and playboy bunnies. He is a thing of legend famously quoting - “Someone once asked, 'What's your best pickup line?' I said, 'My best pickup line is, 'Hi, my name is Hugh Hefner.’. Is his success attributable to nature or nurture? Hefner was brought up in Chicago and showed potential for creativity from a young age. He focused on extra curricular rather than academic studies, even though his IQ of 152 is above average. From a young age he was drawing cartoons for the school magazine . This creative impulse could suggest that he was likely to have a career in publishing. Even when serving in the war in 1944 Hefner found a way to use his creative abilities , publishing a cartoon magazine. After the War he attended the University of Illinois in Champaign where he earned his bachelors degree in art. After numerous jobs in publishing and magazines Hefner took the plunge to start his own magazine in 1952. However, this bold move failed and by 1952 he took a job as the newsstand promotion director for a company in order to be able to support this family. “The notion of the single man began in the 1950’s. The idea of the bachelor as a separate life was new and obscure.” - Hugh Hefner. He recognised post war changes, and that people were more open about not only relationships but also about sex and sexuality. Sparked with this new found interest that society was less rigid and close minded with all things sexual, Hefner had another go at starting his own business. With help from his friends and a bank loan in 1953 he invested $8000 into starting Playboy. The first issue, featuring Marilyn Monroe, sold 50,000 copies. By 1960, sales were over a million a month and Hefner held his first Playboy party; said to be largest and greatest weekend of jazz ever recorded. He has gone on to throw weekly parties at his playboy mansion and opened a casino in Las Vegas for his 81st

birthday. Playboy is now estimated to be worth $4bn. Whether Hefner was born to become the creator of the playboy enterprise is debatable. It can be seen that he was born with a creative streak and from a young age his expressed this through cartoon drawings and a keen interest in publishing. However, this interest may have been ignited by his parents when growing up. His parents were conservative, Methodist people but supported Hugh even though they sometimes did not see eye to eye on the methods of reaching his success. He has the characteristics of the average entrepreneur; being a white able bodied man. Whether these factors gave him the genetics to succeed or our society sees these qualities as positive and nurtures them into a successful entrepreneur. Undoubtedly, he had the perception to recognise a new market and shrewdness to take advantage of that opportunity. Demographic factors like age, race and gender seem to be much more important in explaining why some people are successful entrepreneurs than psychological ideas like risk tolerance, opportunity recognition (Shane 2008:42). Hefner had the right qualities to become a successful entrepreneur but he also was a risk taker. He also saw the opportunity offered by the sexual revolution and was the first to publish a lifestyle magazine of this kind. Let us imagine Hefner had been born a girl: it would be hard to see that the playboy magazine would exist or be what is it today. In the era that Hefner developed the playboy brand, women were not seen as equal. It would have been more difficult to raise a loan or be taken seriously in this type of publishing. There is more gender equality since then but it can still be seen and it may be that nature sets out a course for people to become successful entrepreneurs but nurture hinders the chances as our society has already presupposed what a entrepreneur looks like, sounds like and is. Women account for only 17% of business owners, ie. owners/ managers/ employers (Labour Force Survey 2008). Overall both sides of the argument have solid points and evidence to support them. The nature argument would explain why there is a higher percentage of white, able bodied men en-

trepreneurs than less abled, mixed race women. Personally I believe that it is an impact of both nature and nurture. People are born with the potential to be successful in certain areas. However, the way that they are nurtured will define them and the choices that they make to complete this potential. For example if Hugh Hefner was born today and tried to set up the Playboy magazine, he would still have his creative qualities and skills in publishing but his opportunity with the sexual revolution would no longer exist. He also would struggle to find the market, due to a decline in mens magazine sales and an increase in online websites. He still to this day is changing the playboy brand with the way society sees things. As this year will be the last fully nude issue, due to an increase in feminism and the view of playboy being repressive of women’s equality and the decrease in sales due to online websites. I do not believe that Hefner was born to set up the Playboy brand but I do think he was nurtured in a way that led him to have the right qualities and drive to become a successful entrepreneur.

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