Biz Quiz
1.Which of the following inventions were created for safety reasons?
a. Life Preservers
b. Band-Aids
c. Condensed Milk
d. Portable Heart Defibrillator
e. Safety Pin

Research 101
2. What Activity is Often Mistaken for Research?
a. Investigating
b. Critical Thinking
c. Reading
d. Writing
Answers 

1. All except for Band-Aids. Technically, that product was invented
for ease of use. When the newlywed wife of a salesman kept cutting and burning herself during her daily cooking chores, her husband invented  a disposable bandage that could be easily applied to her fingers as she prepared meals.
* Descriptions of her constant injuries are hair-raising.
It appears that barring her from the kitchen might have been the best safety measure.

Lesson: If you first glanced at the list, a-e, and decided the answer was obvious, that may indicate a tendency to make make snap decisions without gathering facts.

2. Research 101
Reading
The activity is merely an element of research.

Biz Quiz

1. True or false?
The Wright brothers tried to start an African-American newspaper but couldn’t make any money in the competitive field, so they turned to aviation.

2. Which of these occupations have to be concerned about repetitive stress syndrome?
A. Football Player
B. Masseuse
C. Symphony violinist*

3.  What circumstance inspired Jeff Bezos to start Amazon?
A. Consumers wanted to pay less for books, Bozos believed the Internet, and e-commerce would allow him to meet the needs of the public.

B.  Bozos had a passion for books and he believed that selling them out of his garage would be a low-cost way to start-up a business.

C.  The publishing industry had a bad distribution system.

4.  After leaving office Eliot Ness of The Untouchables fame began
A. Writing detective stories under a pen name.
B. Started his own security and bodyguard company.
C. Sold shoes.

Answers 

1. True

2.  All of them
*Source: KQED Northern California This Week

3.  C

4.  According to journalist and author Jonathan Eig, the answer is C.

Quiz This

True or False?

The Bahamas has a paternalistic culture that values
American individualism and a casual
laid-back style.  It’s a Caribbean culture that would be a good fit for
aspiring entrepreneurs seeking a partnership agreement in the
Bahamian business community.

If you traveled to the Caribbean, island of St. Kitts
and *handed out $100 bills to strangers at the airport
A. You would be considered a hero and welcomed into the homes of islanders
B. The money would be returned
C. You would be arrested

*Based on a real incident

ANSWERS

The Bahamas is a matriarchal society and a collectivistic culture.
In direct contrast to the individualism valued in America.
All the members of a particular business
enterprise would have to agree to the joint venture
and without 100% agreement, the joint venture would not
move forward.  Although American culture is popular in the Bahamas,
Bahamian business society adheres more to British etiquette,
practices and formality.

And when a well-known entertainer’s husband visited St Kitts
and handed out $100 bills at the airport, recipients returned the money.**

Lesson: Customs and culture differ greatly in other English language countries.
Regardless of race, color or creed. Not learning what those customs
are ahead of time can be costly and sometimes embarrassing for aspiring
entrepreneurs.*

How much do you know about African American
entrepreneurs in the 21st century?
This iconic musician heads the first African American Company
to have their product sold at Wal-Mart? Who is he?

How many African-American Fortune 500 CEOs are there,
and how many are women?

Answers
Lloyd Price, founder of Lawdy Miss Clawdy, which he named after his hit song, supplies a sweet potato cookie.

In late 2012, there were 13 African American CEO’s, 6 active, and 1 woman.

References
PBS Tavis Smiley Interview Feb. 19, 2013

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/interviews/singer-lloyd-price/

Lloyd Price Bio
http://rockhall.com/inductees/lloyd-price/bio/

YouTube Song
Lawdy Miss Clawdy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQZVufJfcG0

Infographic  Sept. 2012
Economy Watch
How CEO’S Are Made

African American Woman CEO
http://www.forbes.com/profile/ursula-burns/
*Research paper written for my small business class several years ago.

**C-Span      Feb.3 2013
In-depth with Randall Robinson
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/310247-1

Can You Guess the Answers?
In the Netherlands, you must study for four years if you want to become a florist. True or false?

Saran Wrap was successfully used in another industry before it was introduced to consumers as a food storage product. Do you know which industry?

Mecca is one of 12 places in the world where you won’t find a Kentucky fried chicken franchise. True or false?

                                                                    Answers  
*True
Beyond Flowers.  Gerd Verschoor.  Image, San Francisco Chronicle, Sunday, May 17, 1992, page 27.

*The military, during WW II, first used large, pliable sheets of translucent material to protect equipment shipped overseas for troops.
Freedom’s Forge:
How American Business Produced Victory in World War II
http://www.booktv.org/Program/13499/quotFreedoms+Forge+How+American

*False
According to a geography professor, if you travel toMecca, lo and behold, you will find a KFC outlet.