Blog Post 15: Entrepreneurship

Choose a focus of either your final project topic or your career plan to develop an entrepreneurial assessment of yourself. This should be about a "1-page" activity. Some of these questions may help guide your thoughts: Do you want to be a "businessperson or an entrepreneur?" What traits and/or strengths do you see in your PDP that aligns with your thought? What weaknesses or opportunities for improvement do you notice that you would like to address to become a "businessperson or an entrepreneur?" Is entrepreneurship just about starting a business? Or is it much deeper and holistic than that? As the world quickly changes, which type of folks do you feel will be more on their "toes" and less on their "heels." Who do you think will achieve and live the happinesses that they seek in life?

While the common image of an entrepreneur is someone who is starting their own business, an entrepreneur can have a different meaning. An entrepreneur is someone who applies unique ideas and perspectives to problem solving. An entrepreneur is a leader – someone who takes risks and explores new territory. A businessperson is the opposite. They take minimal risks and focus on things like maintaining profit and making money. Profit is a consequence for the entrepreneur, not an overlying motivating factor. 

 

                I think I would prefer to see my career follow the path of the entrepreneur. I would prefer to have plentiful spare time for myself and my family while still being able to have a successful career.  One of the major aspects of my PDP was that my personal life will always be more important to me than my career. Clearly, having a career that maximizes my quality of life is ideal.

Being able to apply creativity is also something that I value highly, and the businessperson has less opportunity to do that – their careers fit the mold while an entrepreneur creates the mold. My PDP also outlines my drive to challenge myself, and the entrepreneur is subjected to many more challenges and difficulties than the businessperson. The drawback to this is that taking risks can often backfire. Not taking the path of least resistance can often be difficult, but in the end I think it is the better path to take. 

                I realize that becoming an entrepreneur can be a difficult transition.  An entrepreneur is likely to face more adversity than a businessperson in developing their career, since taking risks assumes the possibility of failure. It is often a lot easier to take a more “guaranteed” position than one that runs a higher risk of failure. Personally, I see this as the biggest obstacle for myself in becoming an entrepreneur. It is easy to say that I want to take risks right now, but when the time comes to actually make those decisions its quite possible that a businessperson-type career has benefits that are hard to ignore - financial benefits, for example. The businessperson often is motivated by money, and sometimes a young college graduate is in desperate need of a solid career that pays well. An entrepreneurial career has much less promise of a high income than a bussinessperson career. However, I still think that I would much rather risk failing and have a higher quality of life than to be a businessperson who is constantly plagued with work.

Blog Post 14: Implementing a Lean Process

Based on our discussion in class today, implement and document a quality improvement process to the project/situation in which you performed a 5S process. This implementation must be based on the muda listed on the lean manufacturing wiki site. (note: there are several additional more modern types that you could utilize if need be)For the documentation, list/describe the waste you have identified and explain the process change you have implemented. Either collect some data that demonstrate your improvement, or realistically estimate the effect that your improvement will have on your process.

I implemented a lean process by eliminating all the waste that was cluttering my counter top. Almost everything I had on the counter was unnecessary and was only taking up space.  By eliminating all the unnecessary waste, the kitchen is clean and I have counter top space available for something useful.

Blog Post 13: Criteria for Evaluation

Here are the Criteria discussed in class. Use these to shape the final criteria that will be used by your group. Post the final criteria and the process you will use to evaluate and rank the members of your team related to the final project. 

                                             -Attendance/Participation

                                             -Tasks Accomplished

                                             -Professionalism

                                             -Communication

                                             -Contribution

Blog Post 12: 5S process

Post a record of a 5S process that you have completed. Post a before and after picture. Also, post a short narrative of how you addressed each of the "8s's" of the 5S process. 

Sorting - The counter top/sink area was cluttered with things that had no purpose (mostly empty bottles and cans). I sorted out everything that was unnecessary on the counter.

Straightening - The things that I wanted to keep out were kind of randomly strewn across the counter. I straightened everything by putting things in their respective places

Systematic cleaning - The counter and sink were dirty, and their were a few dirty cups and dishes in the sink. I cleaned everything and put the dishes away.

Standardizing - I organized the dishes in a way that maximized their order and accessibility.

 Sustaining - I plan on maintaining the cleanliness of the counter

Safety - The amount of empty glass bottles lying around was potentially dangerous, so cleaning the counter increases the safety in the kitchen.

 Security - Since everything is organized, my belongings are more secure since it is easier to tell when something is missing or misplaced.

 Satisfaction - having a clean kitchen is very satisfactory to me and my roommate. 

Blog post 11: Quality Management

Identify and describe a quality management process that is utilized in your field of interest. Typically this process is in response or guided by a professional organization in that field. Identify that organization.

Quality management is something that is of paramount importance in chemistry labs. A lapse in quality control can ruin an entire project. Dow Chemical, for example, aims for seven sigma - 20 defects per billion.  Dow adopted the six sigma process in 1998 and is now considered to be one of the leading practitioners of the quality management process. Dow implements the process at all functions in their company - not just production. Things like customer service, energy consumption and health and safety have all benefited from the implementation of six sigma.

Blog Post 10: Specific Ethical Question

Ask/address an ethical question in your field of interest.


        Field of Interest: Organic Chemistry/Biochemistry
        Ethical Issue: Is it ethical to develop drugs that carry harmful side effects?

Develop/address arguments for each side of the issue, then defend your position on the issue.
This activity must include references


         Many drugs that are currently available that harbor significant side effects. For example, a drug that has recently been receiving quite a bit of attention recently is Chantix (varenicline). Its purpose is to assist in the cessation of smoking by stimulating nicotine receptors in the brain. The FDA approved the use of Chantix in 2006 after a 6-month review process (4 months shorter than the standard 10-month review process).While it has proved to be at least somewhat effective to a large number of people, it has had a great amount of publicity dealing with it's staggering level of adverse psychological side effects. According to the Institute for Safe Medicine Practices, in the second quarter of 2008 alone Chantix was linked to nearly 1000 cases of serious injury or death, mostly stemming from suicidal behavior, a major side effect associated with Chantix.

        So who's to blame? The chemist for creating it? The pharm company for selling it? The FDA for approving it? The doctor for describing it? The patient for taking it? One could argue that those who produce the drug are ultimately the ones responsible for the damage caused by the drug. This is why pharmaceutical companies have payed billions of dollars in class action settlements. Many people have faith that the drugs they are prescribed by their doctors are safe, or that they will at least be informed of potential side effects.  However, it is often the case that doctors are somewhat misinformed about the drugs they are prescribing - maybe they are unaware of some potential side effects. It is much easier to blame the big corporation on the other side of the country than it is to blame someone you personally trust with your health.

        The fact is, when something goes wrong, someone has to get blamed. Sometimes the doctor gets blamed, but more often then not it's the pharmaceutical company. While certain business aspects of the pharmaceutical industry can often be ethically questionable, I believe that there is nothing ethically wrong with producing a dangerous drug from the standpoint of a chemist. When a chemist develops a novel drug, they clearly cannot instantly know whether the drug is completely safe or not, or whether or not it will carry potential side effects - that matter is addressed later on in the production process. It is much different than say, a nuclear chemist who develops a novel explosive that is used in nuclear weapons - they know that what they are producing is catastrophically dangerous. However, developing a drug is a bit different as the potential hazards (and benefits) are not manifest when the drug is first created. So, then, who is to blame? Tough question, as I think some of the blame can be passed around, but I certainly would not blame the chemist.




References:
FDA Speeds Smoking Cessation Drug Review (Journal of the American Medical Association)
ISMP Quarter Watch 2008

Each student will then review this beginning on Nov 2.

Evaluation Criteria:

1-4 are evaluated by assigning a strong(S), medium(M) or weak(W)

1. Described field of interest and described question posed.
2. Both sides of argument were presented.
3. Appropriate references were included
4. Defended position is described clearly

5. provide one useful comment

Blog Post 9: Project Title, Issue, and Action Plan

Solar Power

Our group is presenting on solar power - specifically why it is not being utilized to greater extents. We also plan to develop a "take-home-message" regarding the future of solar power and whether or not it is a viable option as a sustainable energy source.

Blog Post 8: Ethical Question

Is it ethical for a physician to accept Wild tickets from a pharmaceutical rep to take her family to the game?

Provide an argument for this based on the current ethical fabric of society and what is accepted in the organizations involved.


I believe the simple act of gifting hockey tickets does not carry any sort of implications whatsoever. Therefore, I don't see anything ethically wrong with accepting the free tickets from a pharm rep. It is fairly common for business partners involved in this type of relationship to exchange gifts. I feel as if the act of trading gifts, such as hockey tickets, is more of a courteous business gesture used to build a solid relationship rather than an under-the-table gray-area bribery tactic.  If I was in the physician's position, I wouldn't feel any sort of obligation to the pharm company.

Blog Post 7: General Ethics

Post an ethical code/statement for your career field of interest that has been developed by a professional organization in your field.


America Chemical Society Code of Ethics (PDF)

Post this code/statement for the following countries: USA, India, China, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, and Isreal


USA - see above


The other countries listed either do not have a national professional organization, or the national professional organization doesn't have a specific code or statement on ethics.

Blog Post 6: Diversity

Talk about what diversity means to you. And explain how valuing and championing diversity will help you in your career.

To me, diversity is not only embracing but utilizing the different characteristics of different people. Everyone is different, and everyone has different and unique experiences to contribute and share with each other. Embracing diversity allows us to build off of the broad range of others' experiences rather than only interacting with people we are similar to and/or most comfortable around.  As our guest speaker pointed out, we have a propensity to associate with people who are "like us" and avoid those who are different. This behavior isolates us from entire realms of thought associated with people from different life experiences.

Post the diversity statements from 5 companies or organizations in your field of interest, comment how they are similar and/or different. How do each of these fit with your own diversity values?

3M: Vision:To be a company reflecting the diversity of 3M’s global customers, building on each employee’s capabilities through inclusive leadership in order to accelerate business and professional growth.

DuPont: In DuPont we will have an organization in which people of all backgrounds can contribute and achieve their full potential in pursuit of personal and organizational excellence.

Dow Chemical: Inherent in the human element that drives Dow, diversity is viewed as a source of advantage. We value the differing experiences, backgrounds and perspectives among our employees, and draw from those differences to fuel innovation. We are committed to building a vibrant, diverse and talented employee base – and helping each employee grow and develop as part of Dow's inclusive global community.

Johnson & Johnson: vision:  To maximize the global power of diversity and inclusion to drive superior business results and sustainable competitive advantage

Bristol-Myers Squibb: At Bristol-Myers Squibb, having a diverse team of employees and an inclusive culture is vital for innovation and successfully executing our BioPharma business strategy. We are committed to fostering a globally diverse workforce and a companywide culture that encourages excellence, leadership, innovation and a balance between our personal and professional lives.

All five of these companies embrace diversity.  One thing I noticed they all mention in their diversity statements is that not only are they interested in the way diversity benefits employees, they are concerned with the way it benefits their business. One thing that has resonated with what we have been learning all semester is that companies are driven by money - clearly these companies are interested in diversity for several reasons, but one of them is definitely money. 

Blog Post 5: Completed PDP

Post your complete PDP

(submitted to D2L dropbox)

Blog Post 4: CO2 paper evaluation

1. Post your group's presentation.


https://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0Acr6x1r26iPAZGR2NHp2djhfMGRwOXpkOWRu&hl=en_US

2. Reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of the criteria established. Where these good criteria, or should there have been different criteria established?

The criteria were pretty solid, however I think the credibility of the authors could have come into play a bit more than we expected.

3. Reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of the presentations as a whole. Consider the "yes" and "no" groups as a whole.

I think all of the groups presented quite solid arguments.  Both sides used the information we had to build a solid argument for their respective position. However, since our class was divided into two groups researching opposing sides, it was easy for any off-base arguments to be picked apart. I think this factor led to more solid information being presented.

4. Reflect on the group management of your group. What went well, what did not?


Our group worked well together, although I think we could have been more productive. I think it would have been more beneficial for the group if we all worked on separate aspects of the paper. We all kind of collaborated on the presentation as a whole which may have decreased our productivity. 

5. Reflect on the personal "ethic" you felt in your group. Did you believe in your position? Where you arguing against your beliefs?


After getting more in-depth into the research, I began to feel that the paper was not credible (our group was arguing the opposite).  I think most of our group also realized that the credibility of the paper was questionable at best, and we were then in a position to argue against our beliefs. I think this may have affected the quality of our presentation - it is difficult to present a captivating argument for something you don't believe in.

6. Did the class make the correct decision when considering the broader impacts of the global warming/climate change debate? Why?


I think we did make the correct choice, as I think the vast majority of science and academia disagrees with the assertions that this paper made.

7. Explain the statement, "What we do in the US, soon will not matter." Provide evidence to justify this statement.


This means that our nation's slow, gradual process of of establishing all things "green" and claning/protecting the environment will eventually be surmounted by the deleterious practices of other countries who place a higher value on industrialization than the environment. It is difficult to convince developing countries who are reliant on coal and oil to transition to renewable energy sources (industries still in their infancy) when it is not economically feasible to them whatsoever. Thus, many countries continue non-environmentally-sound industrialization that damages the environment far faster than we can protect it.

8. Explain this statement, "What we do as individuals matters." Provide evidence to justify this statement.


The example used in class is that unplugging your phone charger isn't going to save the world. Although it doesn't hurt to make more conscious decisions in that regard, it certainly isn't going to save the environment. The common ideology we have is to be reactive in our conquest of sustaining our environment; we recycle, re-use, and minimize waste. These are all great things to do, but they really aren't fixing anything. We need to be proactive in fixing the environment - we can't continue digging carbon from the ground and burning it into the atmosphere forever- it simply isn't possible. Someone is going to develop a technology someday that can change the way we use energy.  We need to work forward, not backward, and in that sense, what we are doing today as individuals will someday change the way we use energy.

Blog Post 2: Penny weight presentation

Post on your blog your group presentation related to the questions on masses posed in class:

What would a penny weigh picked up from the sidewalk?

What would a 1908 penny weigh?

What would a 1793 penny weigh?

Link to Penny Presentation

Also, post a reflection on your presentation, the other presentations, and thoughts on how these could be even better.


As mentioned in class, the presentations were all lacking in scientific content and data. I think most groups (including ours) were somewhat daunted by the task of creating 7 minutes of content on pennies. We resorted to utilizing filler that had essentially nothing to do with the true question we were to address. 

Blog Post 1: Professional Development Plan ideas

What should a PDP include?
 - Mission
 - Personal and professional values and goals (short-term and long-term)
 - Assessment of professional development on a regular basis
 - Address limiting factors
 - Create action steps

Blog Post 3: Criteria for analyzing the validity of a study

- Is it peer reviewed?
- Does it cite reputable sources?
- Does it use accurate sampling methods?
- Is the data interpreted properly?