Flash of Genius Take Home Test- Ch. 5

1. Where did Robert Kearns get the idea of intermittent windshield wipers?
   On his honey moon he tried to open a bottle of champagne but it hit his eye. Due to this he became interested in the human eye and one day when he was driving his car he thought why doesn't a windshield blink like an eye? This gave him the idea to invent a windshield wiper that would essentially blink.
   
2. Why did Kearns feel that ethics was important in engineering? What do you think? 
   
   He felt that ethics was important in engineering because an engineer made an artificial aorta and another engineer made the gas chambers for Auschwitz. Engineers may have to make a decision where they could invent something bad or something good. I believe that ethics is important in engineering but if you have to go down the bad path then make your invention faulty. If you can't stop it, at least you can delay it.
   
3. Why was Kearns wary of showing his invention to the engineers at Ford?
   
   He was wary because they were already working on their own version of what he invented but if he showed them they would be able to figure out his concepts and not need him in the picture.
   
4. List what you think the 5 biggest sacrifices Robert Kearns made to pursue his dream.
   
   1) His wife
   2) His family
   3) His job
   4) His friends
   5) Part of his sanity
   
5. What was initially motivating Kearns to pursue his dream and invent his wiper blades?
   
   Initially it was his family that motivated him and a new project to tinker on. He liked inventing things that helped the people surrounding him.
   
6. Why did Kearns continue to fight Ford against all odds and not accept the offers to settle?
   
   Kearns continued to fight Ford and not accept their offers because he did not care about the money they were offering; it was not what he was asking for. All he wanted was for the world to know that it was his invention and not Fords.
   
7. How do you think Kearns could have protected his invention better?
   
   Kearns could have protected his invention better by seeing multiple automobiles company's about his product and only showing them everything until after they have a contract that they agree on. This way no one would be able to know how his invention worked until after the contract was signed and Kearns would get the recognition he deserved and wanted.
   
8. Was the fight that Robert Kearns went through worth it?
   
   The fight that Kearns went through was worth it but not necessary. I believe that if Ford was smart they could have saved their millions of dollars and given Kearns what he wanted. Everyone would have been happy and maybe Kearns and his wife would have still been together. The fight was worth it because in the end Kearns got what he desired and should have had rightfully from the start.
   
9. What did you learn about being an entrepreneur from this movie?
   
   What I learned in this movie about being an entrepreneur is that you can't give up and you do have to take risks. You can't let people walk all over you if you have a good idea. You have to stick up for yourself and demand the respect you deserve.
   
10. Did this movie intimidate you from or motivate you to become an entrepreneur? Explain.
    
    The movie both made me want and afraid to be an entrepreneur. It made me want to be an entrepreneur because it showed me that having fun and doing work can exist together. Though, it also put me off from wanting to be an entrepreneur because I don't know if I could handle the stress and loss that Kearns had to go through.
    
11. After watching the movie, would you consider Robert Kearns a success in life or a failure? Why or Why not? Explain in detail.
    
    I believe that he was both a failure and a success in life. He was a failure because he put his work and stress before his family and loved ones. Due to this he lost friends, his wife, and almost lost his kids. Though, he was also a success in life. He didn't let Ford push him around because he was almost powerless against him. He took proper risks and was able to stand up for himself; while going through tremendous loss and anxiety. He was able to show the world what he did and because he didn't give up he was rewarded with a substantial amount of money. 

Heely's Wheel Shoes

Why this trend was important?	How it impacts the labour market	Targeted Clients
This trend was important during the time they were popular because they made it easier for people to get around. People found them fun, helpful, and stylish for that time period.	This corporation had a revenue of $5.60 million and it was most popular for their Heely’s Wheel Shoes. It impacted the labour market because it was an international business that had a wide range of employees from around the world.	8-12 year olds.

Founded	Plans released for new models	Rising popularity	Slow loss of popularity
1999-2000	2003	2003-2009	2009-Present

 

John Deere

The Story of John Deere

1.     He was born in Rutland, Vermont on February 7, 1804.
2.     He had a common school education and served a four-year apprenticeship learning the blacksmith’s trade.
3.     Business started to lack but many natives were going west due to rumors of prosperity and opportunities. He decided to go west to find work.
4.     Due to the need for a blacksmith being so high he built a forge and started helping out the community two days after his arrival.
5.     The tools they had been meant for light and sandy soil that was back east. The soil they were trying to fertilize stuck to the bottom of their plows quickly.
6.     John Deere thought he could solve their problem by making a plow with a highly polished and properly shaped moldboard and share ought to scour itself as it turned the furrow slice.
7.     Blacksmiths usually made their tools when the customer ordered them but Deere decided to make them before any customer placed an order.
8.     There were few banks, the transportation was bad, and there wasn’t much steel.
9.     He wanted to take advantage of the water power and transportation that location offered due to the Mississippi River.
10. In 1868, John Deeres company got renamed to Deere & Company because his business had been incorporated.
11. In 1911, the business brought in 6 noncompeting companies which made it into a full line manufacturer of farm equipment. The president at the time was William Butterworth; the third president of Deere & Company.
12. His strong emphasis on engineering and product development resulted in rapid growth of the company. He was a good president because he expanded the company quickly with determination.
13. The company did amazingly during the time of the depression and achieved $100 million in gross sales for the first time the in company’s history.
14. William A. Hewitt expanded the company even further and made the between 1955-1982 one of it’s greatest time periods of growth. The company had become worldwide and Deere became the number one producer in the world for farm equipment. Also, they became a major producer for forestry, construction equipment, and lawn care products worldwide.
 

The Social Network

1.      Mark’s passion was to be substantial in order to get the attention of the clubs. He’s prepared to sacrifice basically anything and everything.

2.      He got in trouble because he took photos that were not his without permission and used it to offend others. He violated individual’s privacy rights and distribution digitized images.

3.      It shows that he just wants to do something substantial and doesn’t necessarily care about the money.

4.     Harvard Connection provided an easier way to communicate and keep up with your friends than Myspace and Friendster.  It was also only used between the people of Harvard.

5.      Mark had a difficult time making and keeping friends so he used Facebook as a way to make himself better known, likable, and able to make friend. The Winklevoss twin wanted Facebook for the idea that it would make billions of dollars, whereas Mark valued having a friend more than money.

6.     Mark and Eduardo friendship was very trusting and communicative between each other. They rely on each other for the things that they lacked.  It broke down because Mark’s ambition caused him to become obsessive and value the future of Facebook rather than the future of their friendship. Evidently, Mark befriended Sean and was closer to him than Eduardo because Mark’s world revolved around Facebook. 

7.      A Friend wanted him to find out the relationship status of someone in his class. He then replied “I don’t know. It’s not like she carried a sign with her that says it”. Then he realized that he can make that happen.

8.      People liked Facebook because it was new, cool, and easy to access. He thought advertisement would make it less likeable. Yes he did, because he waited until it got popular and addictive then add advertising to the site. By this time, people were too into Facebook to care about it.

9.      Mark saw Erica at a restaurant and wanted to talk to her but she embarrassed him in front of her friends. He wanted to show her how successful he had become by expanding his site to other schools, including hers. 

10.            It is a way of expressing oneself without feeling embarrassed or having to face the opinion of others

11.            The Typed word is so powerful because it cannot be erased. It is attempting to misuse the power because people can type they’re thoughts very quickly and everyone can see it as soon as it is posted. However, there is no way to undo it if one regrets it. Positive things social network is capable are communicating with others in a rapid speed. 

12.            Sean Parker is the founder of Napster.

13.             The film portrays that the way to “coolness” is with money. If users knew that their lives were being use to make money, they would probably feel very exposed and used, however some may not care as long as the pleasure of Facebook was at their disposal.

14.             Online, we can be whoever we want to be and Facebook allows us to showcase that, even if it is not true. This affects our identity and self-image because we are not accepting who we really are and instead, making up a whole new image that possibly cannot be brought up to.

15.            Mark cheated by posting the images on Facebook and getting others opinions on it.

16.             When he expanded Facebook internationally

17.            Sean only cared about fame, party, and drugs. Eduardo was pushed out of the business by only getting .03 percent, which was basically nothing.

18.             The film shows that Mark is overly ambitious and is prepared to do anything to reach his goals. He stole the base of the idea but made it better

19.            Facebook is a good way to communicate with friends and family that are far away, however, Facebook is an easy place for cyber bullying and pretending to be someone you’re not.

20.             The impact is that it has allowed people to communicate and meet internationally. 

21.            Very good film to learn from, especially for entrepreneurs. I responded to Mark by thinking he is an asshole, but a smart asshole.  

Self-SWOT Analysis

This is me.

Who am I? I'm Sara Irvine

This is a picture of Grand Turk In the Turks and Caicos. I have visited there twice within the last two years and both times brought me inspiration due to the welcoming environment and beautiful scenery. While I was scuba diving there, it gave me an experience that was utterly overwhelming because it gave me the determination to go for what I want.

"A man either lives life as it happens to him, meets it head-on and licks it, or he turns his back on it and starts to wither away." -Dr. Boyce, "The Menagerie", Star Trek

Entrepreneurial Strength

I'm very creative and determined for tasks. I really love challenges and taking risks.

Entrepreneurial Weakness

I'm not the most social person out there.