Youth Entrepreneurship and Professionalism: Are There Lessons From Google and Others?

YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND PROFESSIONALISM: ARE THERE
LESSONS FROM GOOGLE AND OTHERS?

By Victor Paa Kwesi Mensah
Abstract:
SMEs bring to bear a sturdy influence on the economies of all countries,
particularly in the fast-changing and ever more competitive global market
(Aharoni 1994; Drilhon and Estime 1993). While not all SMEs are youth
enterprises, a large proportion of small, mostly informal businesses are
started by young people in the world annually. While many businesses
continue to collapse few months after their start-up, many have survived.
Same it was with the high-tech belt in California. While many IT graduates
moved quickly to set up their own businesses in the early and mid 1990s,
many collapsed even before they hit their first anniversary. Some, however
survived amid all the hurdles that a competitive industry can offer.
This article explores the various actions of such “survivors” with a more
focused look at Google, perhaps, the most unconventional industry sensation
that not only survives to date, but shows all indications of long-term survival.
It explores the peculiarities in opportunities and challenges facing the
company like any other start-up and examines the actions taken. The early
challenges of starting a “youth enterprise” by “youth entrepreneurs” are
identified in not only Google’s example, but from that of other notable
businesses started by young people. While the article does not promote
prescriptive actions from the Google experience, lots of lessons can be learnt
by both young people and industry adults from many “goods” and the “not-so-
goods” of Google’s actions. In the long run, one element keeps the company
going, professionalism even in such a seemingly Laissez-faire working
environment.
YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND PROFESSIONALISM: ARE THERE LESSONS FROM GOOGLE AND OTHERS?
1
By Victor Paa Kwesi Mensah >> mensah.victor@gmail.com
YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND PROFESSIONALISM: ARE THERE
LESSONS FROM GOOGLE AND OTHERS?
By Victor Paa Kwesi Mensah
Introduction
‘Youth entrepreneurship’ can be defined as ‘the practical application of
enterprise qualities, such as initiative, innovation, creativity, and risk
taking into the work environment (either in self employment or
employment in small start up firms), using the appropriate skills necessary
for success in that environment and culture’ (Schnurr and Newing, 1997).
According to Chigunta (2001 & 2002) ‘this definition assumes the

following: young individuals developing and making full use of their own
abilities, alone or in groups; young people defining
their own problems, identifying solutions and finding resources to realize
their vision; and young people realizing their own potential and vision,
growing in confidence and taking active roles in their own communities’1.
SMEs bring to bear a sturdy influence on the economies of all countries,

particularly in the fast-changing and ever more competitive global market
(Aharoni 1994; Drilhon and Estime 1993). They have been a major engine of
economic growth and technological progress (Mulhern, 1995; Thornburg
1993). Carrier (1994) said that SMEs are often more fertile than larger firms in
terms of innovation. The features of SMEs such as flexibility, innovativeness,
and problem-solving action orientation are now being considered as vital for
success in the 21st century. Even large companies have attempted to
implement entrepreneurship and have learned to think like a small business
(Chittipeddi and Wallett 1991). SMEs have been the primary source of
employment creation worldwide over the last decade (Mulhern 1995). In the
United States, firms with fewer than 500 employees account for more than 99
percent of all business establishments and employ over 80 percent of the
work force (Aharoni 1994). In Holland, 95 percent of firms are SMEs (Bijmolt
1
http://www.education.gov.mt/youth/pdf_cyf/CYF_Themes_Concept_Papers/Youth%20Enterprise%20and%20Ne
tworking%20for%20Development.pdf
2
and Zwart 1994); SMEs also comprise 95 percent of the total establishments
in the Philippines (De la Pena 1995). In Taiwan, SMEs constitute 96.5 percent
of the approximately 935,000 business establishments and employ 78.6
percent of the total work force (Taiwan Medium and Small Business
Administration 1995).
What Makes These Enterprises and Entrepreneurs “Youth”

Youth is defined by Webster's New World Dictionary as, “The time of life when
one is young; especially: a: the period between childhood and maturity b: the
early period of existence, growth, or development.” In superimposing this
definition on the inanimate “enterprise” the use of the organisation’s life cycle
may be helpful. If the organisation has still not reached its maturity or optimal
level, we may still refer to it as a “youth enterprise”. The term youth
entrepreneurship however derives its name from the people-behind-the-
enterprise. Though not conclusive, one popular method of defining a youth is
through the age deferential. The following international definitions may be
helpful:
• "Time in a person's life between childhood and adulthood. The term
"youth" in general refers to those who are between the ages of 15 to
25." – WorldBank2
• "A person... under 21 years of age." - US Government
• "People between the ages of 12 and 25." - Tasmanian Government3
• "Youth... those persons falling between the ages of 15 and 24 years
inclusive." - United Nations General Assembly4
• The Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) works with "young
people (aged 15-29)."5
• “ G youth or young people refer to every human being between the
ages of 15 and 35 years” – African Union6
2
06/01/2008 http://youthink.worldbank.org/glossary.php
3
06/10/2007 http://www.tasmaniatogether.tas.gov.au/tastog_original/tt_glossary.html
4
06/01/2008 http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/qanda.htm
5
06/01/2008 http://www.thecommonwealth.org/cyp
6
06/01/2008 http://www.africa-union.org/root/UA/Conferences/Mai/HRST/Charter%20english.pdf
3
In keeping with the definitions above, and noting the fact that, the founders of
Google were only 25 when they formally formed the enterprise, (Gate was
only 21 when he formally registered Microsoft – he made $20,000 at only
14years; Dick McDonald was only 31 when McDonalds was formed), it may
be appropriate for us to conclude that they were youth entrepreneurs.
Youth Entrepreneurs and Start-ups

Many have argued that entrepreneurship has its differences from
management. Several others have insinuated that, management, leadership
and an “x” factor causes some to be termed “successful entrepreneurs”. This
“x” factor has severally been attributed to elements of the entrepreneur’s high
propensity to take risks, an extra dose of good intuitions and perhaps, an
irregularly large amount of courage and self confidence. These four elements
of the “x” factor are defiantly not skills or attributes that are easily thought and
acquired through schooling and education, mostly, they are inherent and
developed through social interactions rather that formal means of impacting
knowledge.
Some of the elements above have not, and perhaps cannot, be explained
scientifically, in that “management style” that is generally required of
proponents. The basic thought however is that, some have worked, and
defied the logics and practices of their time. From the transformation of a
small machine parts making shop to the giant opel making business, the
transformation of Mr Gates’ garage hobby to the great Microsoft Corporation,
3M, McDonalds, and Google’s unprecedented nine-year rise from a no
company to become a $10.5 billion multi-national corporation.7 Are these
organisations “big”, have they been largely successful, and are there
examples to be learnt from them? Perhaps a critical dissection of one or two
of their achievements and failures will be apt in providing various morals for
enterprises and especially youth entrepreneurs.
7
Nicholas G. Carr (02/01/2008) http://www.strategy-business.com/press/article/07404/?pg=all
4
Indeed, most of them started as youth enterprises. When Bill and Al started
Microsoft, it was in a garage/basement. They were indeed youths. Perhaps
“disadvantaged youths” will be a more apposite term - Gates was a college
drop-out; Larry and Sergey, founders of Google were but graduate students
from Stanford. What more will be a better term than “disadvantaged youth”? In
our typical capital market, who will take a basic college drop-out seriously in
terms of business support services, especially in start-up? Likewise, untested,
inexperienced graduates students will have but little chance to start “big”.
Lack of start up capital is by far the single most dreaded enterprise start up
challenges. Yet, one thing unites them today – they have been successful
beyond imaginations through their phenomenal products and business ideas
and practices.
Google: A Phenomenon?
The story of Microsoft is more known, Google’s is however still an enigma to
most. This paper will focus on the later. How did Google succeed in our eyes?
What are the lessons they learnt and how are they relevant to young
enterprises of today?
Google’s successes are derived mostly beyond the classical thoughts of how
businesses should look like. Firstly, while many firms are defined by what
industry they operate in, Google seams to defy any classification of industry.
Is Google a telecommunications firm, a software company, publisher,
advertising agency, content provider, or some sort of an internet firm providing
all or most of the types of internet services possible? The greatest mysteries
surrounding Google perhaps arise from this inability basically pin it to an
industry. Due this fact, several organisation view Google in divergent lights, as
a competitor or an ally. For their first identifiable success, Google exploits this
mystery to its full advantage. While it strikes fear into most perceived
competitors, many love Google for its product diversity availability. It defies
laws and barriers in specific industries that can limit their success by branding
their products to fit into other, more favourable industries, or non at all.
5
According to Carr (2008), Google’s prime mystery is derived from its
extensive deployment of complementary products into the market. Essentially,
Google’s products are all meant to be consumed with others of the same ilk.
While you enjoy the free mail service it provides you get the opportunity (or
perhaps perform a service) to download relevant ad pages related to your
mails been viewed or prepared. In this particular light Google pays for your
email service with the adverts that appear on your pages and makes higher
margins on their ability to tempt you enough to click more on the ads.
The next success factor is that Google is an enormously good example of the
contemporary imitator. When Japan was rising up, her successes were
mocked by the developed world as sheer imitation. Re-engineering had been
mocked by politicians and management gurus for ages. Japan basically
bought machines from several countries, disbanded them, studied them and
reassembled. In doing this, they learnt how to redevelop newer and better
models not by starting from the scratch – or reinventing the wheel – but by
making a bold giant leap to futuristic models. Most of Google’s acclaimed and
indeed successful products were ideas of others. Those ideas were brilliant
but were not exploited by the generators to the full. The idea of selling ad
spaces at competitive prices (in an auction) was originally that of GoTo,
another search engine. Google only made it better and more popular in its use
and benefit. Today, this practice is a cash-cow for Google.
Google’s most acclaimed success factor is innovation. Though its innovation

laurels are widely acclaimed, a critical examination (later) of its various
products may show the not-very-good picture of some of their successes.
Innovation has however been a keystone to the young enterprise’s success
on many counts. Its landmark innovation was in designing a search engine
that defied all previews thoughts and potential. This was achieved by putting
the preference of what the “customer” felt like seeing and not just what was
available. This was a bold attempt to let search results make a better sense to
users. Instead of just letting results to be ranked using basic elements like the
number of times the keywords appeared on the pages, Google went further.
6
They ranked the results by what other links there were to those pages and
perhaps its relevance to viewers. In terms of innovation also, Google’s utilises
a self management system where idea generation and development is freely
done by staff who are employed purposely to be innovative.
Many entrepreneurs go for cheap things from the onset. While you may save
costs in the short run, the long-term loss is enormous. The foundation of any
business is the most important stage. During rise and maturity, all else –
products, ideas, attitudes, morale, successes or failures will be built on these
foundations. There is therefore the need to ensure that it is the right one for all
ages. Sergey and Larry’s first professional step after developing their Google
idea and search engine was to hire the best possible personnel and
technology in the Silicon Valley to further develop the products and manage
the organisation. Today, its CEO, Schmidt, is regarded as a leading figure in
his own right. The wide lag given to employees to be freely creative has paid
dividends in the colossal number of products from Google in these few years.
High use of contemporary technology is also a plus for Google. With an

addiction to emerging and enhanced technologies, the firm continues to turn
heads and pages. Employing principles of Business Continuity Management
(BCM) and a parallel-processing computer system presents them with two
major advantages – faster and more efficient services and the ability to shut
down several parts of its system without affecting the general flow of work.
The company also uses up to date technologies to monitor the output and
efforts of employees. Most of these systems were developed in-house by the
employees themselves contributing to its deployment. Participatory
management it this light provides a good recipe for success. While employees
are put in teams and free to choose their work schedules, an efficient
performance output matrix system is in place to monitor the success of their
efforts.
At least, the above presents a minimum of five indicators of a successful

young business. Many youth enterprises especially in the developing world
7
may not find themselves in such a light in just about a decade of start up, but
the elements that have made them successful are applicable in many cases.
They may be largely cost-negligible, but with very high results. The catch
however is that, it demands a lot of courage in several elements – the self, HR
capacity, capacity for innovation, and an oomph to push beyond intuitions and
sheer confidence to the application of professional ethics and management
standards.
But are management principles, standards and professionalism at all

important to the small business entrepreneur? Does the one-man-business
need to incorporate all these “big business talk” into its agenda? What are the
risks and trade-off? In the long-run perhaps, more questions than answers will
be generated out of an attempt to discuss these. My objective is to put
forward an argument, cogent enough for consideration. The rest is up to you.
Assessing Google’s Success and its Relation to Young Businesses

Small business may perhaps be the most gullible forms of businesses on the
market despite their huge presence and contribution8. The U.S. Census
Bureau, Statistics of U.S. Business, showed that in 1997, small firms (fewer
than 500 employees) accounted for 24.8 percent of manufacturing, 52.6
percent of retail, and 46.8 percent of wholesale sales. In 2001, small firms
accounted for 44.3 percent of annual payroll, and 49.9 percent of total
nonfarm private employment9. Despite all these potentials, SMEs can be the
first to crumble in the event of an economic or negative social shock. One big
firm can obviously (and effectively) place itself as a good competitor and
sworn enemy of several SMEs. To mitigate this potential, SMEs need to go
beyond just succeeding to ensuring a strongly laid foundation that ensures
that they have the propensity to survive market shocks. Professionalism and
the adoption of time-tested businesses and management best practices are
now more important to SMEs than ever.
8
U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy, from U.S. Department of Commerce: Bureau of
Economic Analysis.
9
03/01/2008 http://www.census.gov/econ/www/index.html
8
Some indicators for young business success have been identified in the
practices of Google, but all entrepreneurs must move with circumspection
before adopting wholesale, the business approaches of Google. First, the firm
is still too young to use as an example of best practices in its totality; the firm
has not faced enough adversity to allow us imply such to them. Secondly, due
to the difficulty in clearly placing Google in an identified industry, it is not clear
whether their practices are replicable in the general term to all young
enterprises.
Innovation is the core of the acclaimed Google success. Employees are put
into small manageable teams. The teams are allowed to select their own
realistic targets and work lines. Their work schedules are determined by the
teams and then communicated to supervisors. They are so free to the extend
that, they can even choose to work at odd so long as their targets are
achieved. Their work targets and schedules are inputted into sophisticated
work monitoring systems adopted by management. Supervisors are few
since the firm stresses more on independent team work and is hesitant in
interfering in the flow of thoughts and work by its teams. With all these, it is
evident that Google indeed spoils its employees, but are there results?
Indeed, results are numerous. With over 39 products in just nine years10 and a
widely decentralised operation system setup distributed around the world, the
firm is indeed a pacesetter in products development. With a very low cost in
product testing, Google can afford to mass test numerous products at a time
without flinching on whether they will succeed or not. Using its beta system
just like others, it introduces new products to the public as a “near-finished”
output. In this way, clients use these products and present their comments
and preferences to Google. The firm has gone further to develop itself as a
champion in collecting preference data from its product users. This indeed
gives it a good competitive advantage in production development and launch.
The whole scenario looks good and an alluring sight to all young businesses,
whoever, following this system from Google can make all others bankrupt in
10
03/01/2008 http://www.google.co.zm/intl/en/options/index.html
9
no time. Young firms must move away from just allowing innovation to
employing strategic-innovation (SI) management policies in their firms.
"Strategic Innovation" as a leadership discipline is an approach to strengthen
creativity and innovation concerning future business opportunities. In this
connection it is a point that Future does not exist! We always live so to speak
in the final moment, on the edge of time. - "Future" is a concept or a pair of
glasses, we use to look deep in the Present and to point out the things in the
present, that we find progressive. This understanding makes it meaningless to
try to predict the future - "future" is a conceptual tool, "future" is what we
create!11 SI goes beyond just allowing innovation for its sake to consciously
directing the efforts of employees to come up with innovative products that
meet the over all strategic focus of where the SME has decided to go.
Strategic Innovation can be said to walk on a stair of innovation levels in the
organization12. It must move from both top-down and down-up. In contract to it
being free-flow, SI principles call for innovation to be controlled and guided by
the overall strategic vision of the firm. Most free-flow innovative ideas are
primarily based on intuition. On a strategic level it takes courage to trust your
intuition. As you normally can only argue based on statistics a good deal of
courage supported by strategic management is very relevant in this situation
According to SI proponents, the young business’ innovation process should

start rather at the business concept level rather than at the product level. If we
turn to Business Concept Innovation, Gary Hamel describes this discipline in
Leading the Revolution as being both Radical and Systemic. He illustrates this
understanding with the diagram below. The vertical axis differentiates
incremental and radical innovation, where as the horizontal axis contrasts the
component to the system. You could say that innovation focused on
component improvement is a heritage from the Industrialism, where
everything is separated into controllable parts. The systemic approach looks
at the value chain as one system, and systemic innovations are not just
11
03/01/2008 http://www.strategic-innovation.dk/Engelsk/Consult.html
12
(based upon the article "When worlds collide..." by Robert Krinsky and Anthony C. Jenkins, Strategy &
Leadership July/August 1997)
10
improving a single component of the value chain, the whole system is being
improved.
Fig: Business Concept Innovation (From Gary Hamel: Leading the Revolution, Harvard
Business Press).
"At the heart of industry revolution are daring new business concepts.
Business concept innovation will be the defining competitive advantage in this
age of business revolution. Business concept innovation is the capacity to
conceive existing business models in ways that create new value for
customers. Industry revolutionaries take the entire business concept, rather
than a single product or service, as the starting point for innovation".13
Another clearly noted success factor for Google was its HR strategy – Go for
the best in your area at all cost. They also went further to ensure that they had
not just the best but enough (or a lot) of the best to ensure that ideas and
innovation kept flowing without interruption. This indeed was a giant and bold
step the young firm took. Does the fact that you have the best technicians and
engineers mean that every product of yours will succeed on the market? Is it
possible for a one-person young business to still achieve great feats in
product development as Google did? The questions can rage on and on – the
answer will not be that simple. But what should be a good HR strategy for a
young enterprise? Despite the lack of funds that will cripple most young
enterprises, a lesson from Google will be apt – when hiring, hire the best. It
13
Gary Hamel: Leading the Revolution, Harvard Business press)
11
will be better to hire only one very qualified person to do the job that two
unqualified staff. They may turn out to be woefully unproductive or worse,
counterproductive. Competency, according to Prof. Hertzberg, can be a self
motivator or hygiene factor14. A competent, well qualified member of staff may
feel self motivated enough to come up with innovative ideas. Being allowed to
on a large leash come up with innovative ideas will further boost the person’s
sense of achievement – a motivator, according to Hertzberg. In following this
path, a young enterprise is more likely to be in a position to secure a good
foundation for future development to be built upon. This can however only be
effective if firstly, the young enterprise is very clear about what it wants to do
on the market. The next step is to identify how it is going to achieve this
target, then thirdly, decide on who and what are required for the achievement
of these targets. On the “who” count, identify the best persons or staff who will
be able to use the best “whats” – equipment, processes and technology – to
attain the young enterprise’s targets. The next step after all these may
perhaps be what Google didG
In managing its product development, Google put its developers into teams.
Perhaps this may not just be how they achieved success – they went beyond
to give them several opportunities and resources. The teams were small and
manageable; they were also given the freedom to perform even to the extent
of deciding how they will work, when and for how long they will work. While
these were perhaps productive for Google, young businesses should beware!
To employ these models, several factors must be taken into account. Firstly,
several young enterprises may not have such large numbers of staff to enable
numerous competing teams - what about those with only two members of
staff? Secondly, not all people are comfortable with team work. This factor
needs to be considered right at the beginning when deciding on the HR
strategy the young enterprise will use. The entrepreneur and management of
young enterprises need to acquaint themselves with an appropriate level of
contemporary knowledge on group dynamics. The use of teams and groups in
performing tasks, as well as has been described in all its good facets, have
14
The Two Factor Theory By Frederick Hertzberg
12
some pertinent negative sides. When not managed properly, teams may
rather end up working for “themselves” instead of the organisation. This
happens when the goals or targets of group members are dissimilar with that
of the larger organisation. There is the need to ensure goal-congruence by
integrating the individual and team goals with that of the whole organisation.
“The extent that individuals and groups perceive their own goals as being
satisfied by the accomplishment of organisational goals is the degree of
integration of goals. When organisational goals are shared by all, the term
goal congruence can be used”15.
Google’s pacesetting use of technology to enhance its output is considered

unparallel to many other young enterprises. This may perhaps be due to its
existence in the software and technology industry also. The firms spends
hugely in developing its technology base, constantly seeking new and
improved technologies to make its products efficient through faster, safer and
more relevant output for users. Sergey Brin, co-founder, still focuses Google’s
attention on technology by being its President of Technology16. The firm’s
technology base and services are run on several “server farms”, each
consisting of thousands of low-cost commodity computers running stripped-
down versions of Linux. While the company does not provide detailed
information about its hardware, a 2006 estimate consisted it of over 450,000
servers, racked up in clusters located in 25 data centres around the world17.
Many young businesses and youth enterprises cannot afford to have such
large scale technology base. Most may perhaps not even have the need for
most of these. However, several youth enterprises have shown a remarkable
increase in productivity utilising basic available IT and other inexpensive
technology platforms. An example can be sited of the Kachabe Enterprises in
Lusaka, Zambia. This youth enterprise has been an internationally recognised
example of how youths have been successful in utilising available resources
and innovation to better their lives. Based in the Lusaka City Market the young
entrepreneurs have transformed their leather products business into a
15
04/01/2008 http://www.accel-team.com/techniques/goal_congruence.html and Electronic Arts promises
workplace change (a case study)
16
04/01/2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergey_Brin
17
04/01/2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google
13
formidable one through the applications of IT innovative products.18 It is also
not bad at all to ride on the resources of others. Youth enterprises are better
off pooling resources together for better overall efficiency19. Several
organisations and charities also offer numerous free IT resources for use by
especially young enterprises. Today, free ads can be placed to thousands of
potential clients through list-serves, targeted SMS marketing, free ad papers,
among others. With the ever increasing cost of conventional energy due to
high crude prices, the call to go “green technology” may also not be far
fetched. In going “green” – through using energy saver appliances, little
disposal, recycling, etc, - the young enterprise does not only ensure a greater
social benefit, it can be marketed to appeal to clients as well as make huge
savings on energy cost in real fiscal terms.
The human side of the organisation is the key, you can combine it effectively
with the technological side to beat imagination. In 2003 Google raised
eyebrows on its website corporate information page. The firm’s philosophy
was titled, “Never Settle for the best”. After the explanation for this was a list
of “Ten things Google has found to be true”. Since then it has done a few
variations in them to become what is bellow:20
1. Focus on the user and all else will follow,

2. It's best to do one thing really, really well,
3. Fast is better than slow
4. Democracy on the web works
5. You don't need to be at your desk to need an answer
6. You can make money without doing evil
7. There's always more information out there
8. The need for information crosses all borders
9. You can be serious without a suit
10. Great just isn't good enough
18
05/11/2007 http://www.iicd.org/articles/ZM_SIF_Telecentre
19
CYPRCA – Best Practices in CYCI Implementation (2008)
20
04/01/2008 http://www.google.com/corporate/tenthings.html
14
Oh yes! Read through again and again. Study them carefully. Are these what
conventional business management curricular teaches you as corporate
philosophies and values? This youth enterprise continues to defy all
“procedures” for organisation. Another startling revelation is found in how it’s
working environments looks and “feels” like:
‘The lobby is decorated with a piano, lava lamps, old server

clusters, and a projection of search queries on the wall. The
hallways are full of exercise balls and bicycles. Each
employee has access to the corporate recreation centre.
Recreational amenities are scattered throughout the campus
and include a workout room with weights and rowing
machines, locker rooms, washers and dryers, a massage
room, assorted video games, Foosball, a baby grand piano, a
pool table, and ping pong. In addition to the “rec room”, there
are snack rooms stocked with various foods and drinks21.’
The above clearly shows a good deviation from what we mostly find and are
indoctrinated as a “proper work environment” – ‘Google is not a conventional
company, and we don't intend to become one’22. However this has worked on
several counts. The “twenty percent time” policy of Google is a remarkable
off—the-shelf example: developers and engineers are encouraged to spend
up to 20% of their working hours on developing ideas and projects of personal
interest to them. While others may criticise this practice as waste of company
time, about 50% of new product launches have come from these “waste of
time” projects. When managed properly, anything, can defiantly become a
cash cow for an enterprise.
Other Lessons
While the story of Google has presented young people with the oomph to
enter into business, defy all odds and even redefine their own boundaries,
21
04/01/2008: A quote from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google with
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed
22
05/01/2008: A quote from http://www.google.com/support/jobs/bin/static.py?page=about.html
15
other lifelong, time-tested pieces of advice, when added, will help build the
young enterprise’s confidence in taking those courageous entrepreneurial
steps needed to succeed in the market.
1. Ethics
Ethics, also called moral philosophy, involves systematizing, defending, and
recommending concepts of right and wrong behaviour. Mabel and William
Sahakian postulate that the adjectival of Ethics in Greek, ēthos, meaning
"custom or habit", encompasses right conduct and good life. It is significantly
broader than the common conception of analyzing right and wrong. Aligned to
this is the discovery of the summum bonum, the greatest good. The right act
can be identified as the one causing the greatest good and the immoral act as
the one impeding it23. Business ethics examines ethical principles and moral
or ethical problems that can arise in a business environment. In our
conscience-focused marketplaces of the 21st century, the demand for more
ethical business processes and actions (known as ethicism) is increasing.
Simultaneously, pressure is applied on industry to improve business ethics
through new public initiatives and laws (Behrman and Cliffs, 1988; Bowie,
1999; Hartman and Ridge, 2004). The young enterprise must go beyond itself
to develop and maintain a strong sense of business ethics, especially at the
foundation stage. Several dimensions of the ever growing arena of business
ethics must be studied and mainstreamed into the overall strategic and
operational policies of the enterprise. Contemporary issues in business ethics
include, green management, corporate social responsibility, bribery and
corruption, the business culture – including gender and equal opportunity
employment, corporate behaviour, dealing with corporate crime, ethical
consumerism, and management of fiduciary relationships. Dr. Carter
McNamara’s Complete Guide to Ethics Management: An Ethics Toolkit for
Managers24 among others can be helpful.
2. Professionalism
23
Ideas of the Great Philosophers by: Sahakian, William S. & Sahakian, Mabel Lewis. ISBN 9781566192712
24
http://www.managementhelp.org/ethics/ethxgde.htm
16
A profession is an occupation, vocation or career where specialized
knowledge of a subject, field, or science is applied.25 It is usually applied to
occupations that involve prolonged academic training and a formal
qualification. It is axiomatic that "professional activity involves systematic
knowledge and proficiency.”26 A professional can be either a person in a
profession (certain types of skilled work requiring formal training/education) or
in sports (a sportsman/sportswoman doing sports for payment). Sometimes it
is also used to indicate a special level of quality of goods or tools, sometimes
also called "commercial grade". A professional is one who follows "an
occupation as a means of livelihood or gain," or one who is "engaged in one
of the learned professions."27 Professionalism is exhibited by one of the
"professional character, spirit or methods" or the "standing, practice, or
methods of a professional as distinguished from an amateur."28 While youth
entrepreneurs may not belong to professional associations of any kind, yet,
the need to exhibit a high level of professional competence in dealing with
clients, employees and the public is essential. Tom DeMarco, suggests the
four “Ps” of professionalism – proficiency, permanency, professing, and
promise-keeping29
• Proficient: Whatever it is that a professional does, he/she must do it

with deftness and agility, with skill born of long practice.
• Permanent: The long practice comes from the permanence of the
professional's calling. We've all encountered actors who waited tables
while waiting for a part to come along. They may be professional
actors, but they are certainly not professional waiters since they aren't
permanently dedicated to that endeavour. Let your clients have a feel
that there will always be continuity of your enterprise.
• Professing: There must be some act of involvement by which the
professional declares his/her intention to be, now and forever, a part of
one chosen calling. People must associate your enterprise as
25
Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition (Oxford University Press, 1989)
26
05/03/2005 http://www.ethical-perspectives.be/page.php?LAN=E&FILE=ep_detail&ID=100&TID=909
27
05/01/2008 http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/tutorials/professionalism/IA.html
28
American College Dictionary
29
From Tom DeMarco's foreword to the book The Responsible Software Engineer, edited by Colin Myers, Tracy
Hall and Dave Pitt [Springer-Verlag, 1996]
17
synonymous with the industry. For example, when people mention your
industry or the type of product, your name should fall straight to their
lips. This should be the intentional target of a professional organisation.
• Promise-keeping: this is the ethical element. Professionals make
certain promises to themselves and sometimes to the public at large
about what they will and won't do. Professionals keep those promises.
"So learn this as a first lesson about life. The only

successful beings in any field, including living itself, are
those who have a professional viewpoint and make
themselves and ARE professionals" — L. Ron Hubbard
For many SMEs, the skills displayed and other professional characteristics of
the business founders will greatly impact on the success or otherwise of the
enterprise (Chen 1993; Fu 1991; Liu, Liu, and Wu 1995). Professional
organisations are quick to learn, like discovering and innovating, take up
challenges and make them fun, are responsible, place integrity as a hallmark,
remain level-headed and optimistic, ensures enthusiasm, cheerfulness,
interest and contentment among staff, produces results for clients more than
expected and ensures that their products and services are of a high-quality.
3. Experience of Others and Common Sense

In today’s info-market, information is virtually free. The various public libraries,
and most importantly the internet, present an array of free information today
than ever. Youth enterprises can capitalise on the terabytes of free speeches,
company reports, toolkits, resource materials, FAQs, videos, books and
articles that border on several aspects of its business. Dedicated information
search units can make monumental differences in the steps a young
enterprise takes. The questions “have others faced these same situations
before; what did they do; and what were the results”, can easily be answered
to inform the decision making process. Using good Internet Search
Methodologies (ISM) including Search Engine Mathematics (SEM), doors to
information can open wide to the young business in optimised search results.
18
While information on the net may be vast, circumspection must be applied in
assessing their value and reliability before being used. In evaluating
information retrieved from the internet, Elizabeth E. Kirk suggests a
consideration of the following:30
• Authorship
• Publishing body
• Point of view or bias
• Referral to other sources
• Verifiability
• Currency
• How to distinguish propaganda, misinformation and disinformation
• The mechanics of determining authorship, publishing body, and
currency on the Internet
The accel-team publishes numerous free online guides and toolkits for
management personnel from start up to senior level.31 Several common sense
and motivational books can be helpful. In his motivational book, The
Millionaires Mind, Dr. T. J. Stanley enumerates fours elements that can make
youth entrepreneurs succeed. The ethical code he suggests includes:
1. Invest in your own business
2. Make wise investments
3. See business opportunities others don’t see
4. Find a profitable market niche
The application of these pieces of advice, available in several forms as

common sense must however not be haphazard. Common sense must be
ordered and applied after careful evaluation and assessments of the individual
environments. Sometimes, situations will simply be “off-the-mark” – intuition
and courage may be way forward.
Conclusion
30
05/01/2008 http://www.library.jhu.edu/researchhelp/general/evaluating/
31
05/01/2008 http://www.accel-team.com/publications/index.html
19
These and many others are great lessons for our generation. Youth
enterprises cannot afford to do business haphazardly any longer. The
application of the right management principles, business ethics, professional
conduct and enough common sense toped with the courage and confidence
to break barriers can propel any uncertain, youth enterprise from the ashes to
the world platform of success.
20
REFERENCES:
(2004) Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fourth Edition.
Aharoni, Y. (1994). "How Small Firms Can Achieve Competitive Advantages

in an Interdependent World," in Small Firms in Global Competition. Ed. T.
Agmon and R. Drobbnick. N.Y.: Oxford University Press.
Asa Kasher, Professional Ethics and Collective Professional Autonomy a

Conceptual Analysis, Ethical Perspectives, 12/1 (March - 2005), pp.67-97
Bijmolt, T., and P.S. Zwart (1994). "The Impact of Internal Factors on the
Export Success of Dutch Small and Medium-Sized Firms," Journal of Small
Business Management 32(2), 69-83.
Business Ethics, A Kantian Perspective, Norman E. Bowie, Blackwell, 1999.
Carrier, C. (1994). "Intrapreneurship in Large Firms and SMEs: A

Comparative Study," International Small Business Journal 12(3), 54-61.
Chen, J.S. (1993). Networking and Life Structure: Social and Economic
Analysis of Small and Medium Enterprises in Taiwan. Taipei: Lian Geing
Publishing Co. (in Chinese).
Chigunta, F. (2002): Youth Entrepreneurship: Meeting the Key

Policy Challenges, Wolfson College, Oxford University, England.
Chigunta, F. (2001): Youth Livelihoods and Enterprise Activities in Zambia.

Report to IDRC, Canada.
Chittipeddi, K., and T.A. Wallett (1991). "Entrepreneurship and Competitive

Strategy for the 1990s," Journal of Small Business Management 29(1), 94-98.
De La Pena, F. (1995). "Training and Consulting Services for SME's in the

Philippines," APEC Symposium on HRD for SMEs. Taipei, Taiwan, 10.1-
10.16.
Drilhon, G., and M. Estime (1993). "Technology Watch and the Small Firm,"
OECD Observer 182, 31-34.
Electronic Arts promises workplace change (a case study)

http://www.news.com/Electronic-Arts-promises-workplace-change/2100-
1022_3-5476714.html?tag=st.rc.targ_mb
Elizabeth E. Kirk (1996) Evaluating Information Found on the Internet

Sheridan Libraries, Baltimore
Essays on Ethics in Business and the Professions, Jack N. Behrman,

Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1988
21
Fu, M.W. (1991). "A Study on Small and Medium Manufacturing Enterprises in
Taiwan," unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, Graduate School of Economy,
National Taiwan University (in Chinese).
http://www.ethical-
perspectives.be/page.php?LAN=E&FILE=ep_detail&ID=100&TID=909
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/download/
Job Attitudes: Review of Research and Opinion by Frederick Herzberg

Published 1987 Garland>> Reprint. Originally published: Pittsburgh, Pa.:
Psychological Service of Pittsburgh, c1957.
Keynote address to the PASE96 Conference in London, January, 1996.)

http://www.systemsguild.com/GuildSite/TDM/Professionalism.html 05/01/2008
Liu, P.C., Y.C. Liu, and H.L. Wu (1995). "The Role of SMEs in Economic
Development of Chinese Taipei," APEC Symposium on HRD for SMEs in
Taiwan, 6-1 through 6-37.
Mulhern, A. (1995). "The SME Sector in Europe: A Broad Perspective,"

Journal of Small Business Management 33(3), 83-87.
Nicholas G. Carr (02/01/2008) http://www.strategy-

business.com/press/article/07404/?pg=all
Perspectives in Business Ethics, Laura Hartman, Burr Ridge, IL: McGraw-Hill,

2004
Sahakian, William S. & Sahakian, Mabel Lewis. Ideas of the Great

Philosophers. pg 31. Barnes and Noble Books (1993). ISBN 9781566192712.
Schnurr, J. and Newing (1997): A Conceptual and Analytical Framework for

Youth Enterprise and Livelihood Skills Development: Defining an IDRC
Niche". IDRC, Canada.
Taiwan Medium and Small Business Administration (1995). White Paper

Book: Small and Medium Enterprises in Taiwan. Taipei: Taiwan Medium and
Small Business Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan
Thomas J. Stanley (2001): The Millionaires Mind; Andrews McMeel

Publishing, Riverside, NJ
Thornburg, L. (1993). "IBM's Agents of Influence," HRMagazine 38(2), 80-83.
U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy, from U.S.

Department of Commerce: Bureau of Economic Analysis.
22
Notes on the Author:
Victor Paa Kwesi Mensah is Programme Manager responsible for Youth Enterprises and Sustainable
Livelihoods (YESL) for the Africa Region at the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP). He joined
CYP from the School of Business, University of Cape Coast (UCC – Ghana), the Capacity Development
Centre and the Centre for Continuing Education where his specialties were in Entrepreneurship and
Small Business Management, Business Communication, Projects Management and Strategic
Management. Other presentations from him include Corporate Events Management; Managing
Meetings and Conferences and the Internet and Competitive Intelligence. He is a product of the Ghana
Institute of Journalism (GIJ), the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA)
and the University of Cape Coast (UCC).
The above document is not an output of the Commonwealth Secretariat, neither does it necessarily
reflect any position the Secretariat might hold.
23

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YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND PROFESSIONALISM: ARE THERE

LESSONS FROM GOOGLE AND OTHERS?

According to Chigunta (2001 & 2002) ‘this definition assumes the

SMEs bring to bear a sturdy influence on the economies of all countries,

What Makes These Enterprises and Entrepreneurs “Youth”

Youth Entrepreneurs and Start-ups

Google’s most acclaimed success factor is innovation. Though its innovation

High use of contemporary technology is also a plus for Google. With an

At least, the above presents a minimum of five indicators of a successful

But are management principles, standards and professionalism at all

Assessing Google’s Success and its Relation to Young Businesses

According to SI proponents, the young business’ innovation process should

Google’s pacesetting use of technology to enhance its output is considered

1. Focus on the user and all else will follow,

‘The lobby is decorated with a piano, lava lamps, old server

• Proficient: Whatever it is that a professional does, he/she must do it

"So learn this as a first lesson about life. The only

3. Experience of Others and Common Sense

The application of these pieces of advice, available in several forms as

(2004) Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fourth Edition.

Aharoni, Y. (1994). "How Small Firms Can Achieve Competitive Advantages

Asa Kasher, Professional Ethics and Collective Professional Autonomy a

Business Ethics, A Kantian Perspective, Norman E. Bowie, Blackwell, 1999.

Carrier, C. (1994). "Intrapreneurship in Large Firms and SMEs: A

Chigunta, F. (2002): Youth Entrepreneurship: Meeting the Key

Chigunta, F. (2001): Youth Livelihoods and Enterprise Activities in Zambia.

Chittipeddi, K., and T.A. Wallett (1991). "Entrepreneurship and Competitive

De La Pena, F. (1995). "Training and Consulting Services for SME's in the

Electronic Arts promises workplace change (a case study)

Elizabeth E. Kirk (1996) Evaluating Information Found on the Internet

Essays on Ethics in Business and the Professions, Jack N. Behrman,

Job Attitudes: Review of Research and Opinion by Frederick Herzberg

Keynote address to the PASE96 Conference in London, January, 1996.)

Mulhern, A. (1995). "The SME Sector in Europe: A Broad Perspective,"

Nicholas G. Carr (02/01/2008) http://www.strategy-

Perspectives in Business Ethics, Laura Hartman, Burr Ridge, IL: McGraw-Hill,

Sahakian, William S. & Sahakian, Mabel Lewis. Ideas of the Great

Schnurr, J. and Newing (1997): A Conceptual and Analytical Framework for

Taiwan Medium and Small Business Administration (1995). White Paper

Thomas J. Stanley (2001): The Millionaires Mind; Andrews McMeel

Thornburg, L. (1993). "IBM's Agents of Influence," HRMagazine 38(2), 80-83.

U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy, from U.S.

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