Leaders
After viewing the movie Pirates of Silicon Valley, I believe that both Steve Jobs and Bill Gates can be considered entrepreneurs. An entrepreneur is an individual who takes calculated risks to start and manage a business. Both Jobs and Gates took risks to start their respective businesses, Apple and Microsoft, and managed them to become some of the most prosperous organizations in the world.
Steve Jobs, the originator of Apple, was an entrepreneur who was willing to take risks, think outside the box, and challenge the status quo. He was a disruptor who believed in creating products that people did not know they wanted, but that they would eventually love (Audretsch, 2019). Steve Jobs was driven by his passion for technology and his forward-thinking vision for Apple. He was a visionary leader with a clear and ambitious vision, and he was not afraid to take risks to make it a reality.
Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, was also an entrepreneur who took risks to start his business. Gates was always looking for new ways to innovate and was willing to take risks to make it happen (Audretsch, 2019). He was not afraid of failure and consistently sought methods to improve his outcomes and stay ahead of the competition. Gates was also driven by his passion for technology and his vision for the future of Microsoft.
Companies
Some of the factors that may have contributed to Microsoft’s success and Bill Gates’ becoming one of the world’s wealthiest individuals include his risk-taking attitude, innovative mindset, and ability to adapt to changing markets. Gates was willing to take risks and try new things to stay ahead of the competition. He was always searching for ways to innovate and improve his products, and he was not afraid to invest in new technologies and products.
Additionally, Gates was able to adapt to changing markets quickly, allowing Microsoft to stay ahead of the competition (Audretsch, 2019). In my opinion, the key factor that supported Microsoft’s success was Gates’ risk-taking attitude. He was keen to take gambles and try new things that other companies were unwilling to try, and this allowed Microsoft to stay ahead of the competition.
Apple has stayed true to Jobs’ founding philosophies, and it has been successful in doing so. Apple still values innovation, quality, and simplicity in its products, a philosophy instilled by Jobs from the beginning. Apple has also stayed true to Jobs’ vision for the company, which is to create products that people love.
I do believe that Apple is a better organization today without Jobs. Although Jobs was an innovator with an excellent vision for the company, he was also a challenging leader who could be harsh with his employees and the management team. This hindered the company’s growth and its ability to innovate. Without Jobs, Apple has been able to focus more on innovation and has created better products.
Ethics
The ethical issues identified in the movie were primarily related to the competition between Apple and Microsoft. Microsoft used its position of power to try to gain an advantage over Apple, which included copying and stealing Apple’s ideas and technology. Additionally, Microsoft was accused of using its market dominance to try to force Apple out of business (Audretsch, 2019). I believe these ethical issues occurred because Microsoft was trying to gain an advantage over Apple and was willing to do whatever it took to achieve its goals. Microsoft was driven by the desire to be the biggest and best at whatever cost, and this led to unethical behavior.
In my opinion, Bill Gates is the better “business person” of the two. He was willing to take risks and innovate, able to adapt to changing markets, and driven by his passion for technology. Additionally, Gates was able to remain successful for an extended period, which is a testament to his exceptional business acumen.
Reference
Audretsch, D. B. (2019). Have we oversold the Silicon Valley model of entrepreneurship?Small Business Economics, 56(2), 849–856.