Describe some of the characteristics associated with the entrepreneurial mind set from various scholars.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
The entrepreneurial mindset is a set of cognitive traits, attitudes, and behaviors that enable individuals to identify opportunities, take risks, and innovate. Various scholars have explored and defined the characteristics associated with this mindset. Below are some key characteristics highlighted by different scholars in the field of entrepreneurship:
1. Opportunity Recognition
– Schumpeter (1934): Joseph Schumpeter emphasized the importance of recognizing new opportunities as a fundamental characteristic of entrepreneurs. He argued that entrepreneurs are often able to see potential where others see obstacles, allowing them to innovate and create value.
– Drucker (1985): Peter Drucker highlighted that effective entrepreneurs actively seek out opportunities in the marketplace and adapt their strategies accordingly.
2. Risk-Taking
– Katz and Gartner (1988): These scholars describe risk-taking as an essential trait of entrepreneurs. They argue that entrepreneurs are more willing to engage in activities that involve uncertainty and potential failure, which distinguishes them from non-entrepreneurs.
– McClelland (1961): David McClelland identified a high need for achievement as a common characteristic of entrepreneurs, linking it to their propensity for taking calculated risks.
3. Innovativeness
– Timmons (1994): Bill Timmons posited that innovation is at the core of entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs are characterized by their ability to create and implement novel ideas, products, or services.
– Dyer et al. (2009): This research highlights that innovative thinking involves not only creativity but also the ability to act on ideas and transform them into viable business opportunities.
4. Proactiveness
– Lumpkin and Dess (1996): These scholars define proactiveness as a forward-looking perspective characterized by the ability to anticipate future challenges and opportunities. Proactive entrepreneurs are often seen initiating change rather than responding to it.
– Shane and Venkataraman (2000): They emphasize that proactive behavior allows entrepreneurs to create market opportunities rather than merely exploit existing ones.
5. Resilience
– Markman and Baron (2003): Resilience is described as the ability to recover from setbacks, failures, or disappointments. This quality enables entrepreneurs to persist in the face of challenges and continue pursuing their goals.
– Gibb (2002): Gibb emphasizes that resilient entrepreneurs remain motivated despite adversity, displaying tenacity and adaptability in their approach.
6. Vision and Strategic Thinking
– Baker and Nelson (2005): They argue that successful entrepreneurs possess a clear vision for their business and can strategically plan for the future, aligning resources and actions towards achieving long-term objectives.
– Sarasvathy (2001): Saras D. Sarasvathy introduced the concept of effectuation, which highlights how successful entrepreneurs use strategic thinking to navigate uncertainty and build their ventures through iterative processes.
7. Networking and Relationship Building
– Aldrich and Zimmer (1986): These scholars emphasize the importance of social networks in entrepreneurship. Successful entrepreneurs tend to cultivate relationships with various stakeholders, leveraging these connections for support, resources, and opportunities.
– Renzulli et al. (2000): They highlight that networking enables entrepreneurs to gain insights, collaborate on projects, and enhance their market reach.
8. Self-Efficacy
– Bandura (1997): Albert Bandura’s concept of self-efficacy refers to an individual’s belief in their ability to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments. Entrepreneurs with high self-efficacy are more likely to pursue challenging goals and persist in the face of difficulties.
– Chen et al. (1998): This study suggests that self-efficacy influences entrepreneurial intentions and behaviors, contributing significantly to entrepreneurial success.
Conclusion
The entrepreneurial mindset encompasses a range of characteristics, including opportunity recognition, risk-taking, innovativeness, proactiveness, resilience, vision, networking, and self-efficacy. These traits enable individuals to navigate the complexities of starting and running a business effectively. Understanding these characteristics can help aspiring entrepreneurs cultivate the right mindset to succeed in their ventures.
