2. Предпринимательская революция. Молодые предприниматели (преимущества и недостатки).

Nowadays one in eight of all startup businesses is founded by an entrepreneur aged 16 to 24. There is a growing ban of teenage and twenty-something tycoons. The children bon or brought up since 1979 when Margaret Thatcher swept to power and started the enterprise revolution are called her babies. One of then is tom Hartley, who is the Britain’s youngest self-made millionaire who gained his fortune by selling Porsches. But for youngsters success comes at a price, as admits Andrew Collins who started firemegic fireworks.

Disadvantages:

Starting a business at that age is not easy. Have to work 7 days a week. Social life is out of the window (girlfriends/ boy-).

Face greater barriers than their mature counterparts and run high risk of failure. 2/3s of startups by youngsters end in failure within 4 years.

They need some experience of work and real life.

May face a daunting hurdle trying to raise finance, since banks are often unwilling to lend to someone without a financial record. Gulam Kadir was turned down for a loan because they said he was too young for the funeral business. People don’t expect young person in such areas.

May experience prejudice from customers and suppliers who see them naïve and inexperienced.

Advantages:

You can take as a partner n experienced person who can compensate your youth (EX: chemistry teacher, who encouraged the interest to pyrotechnics).

There are several org-s that help youngsters to set up. Prince’s youth business trust- offers loans and advice. Shell livewire scheme- provides free guidance.

There re also success stories.

Some customers believe you don’t have preconceived (предубеждение) ideas and will do what they want (Victoria Goodwin-22- decorative business).

Future generations must learn the lessons of Thatcher’s children. Business education would benefit young entrepreneurs. They need to be prepared for periods in jobs and periods of self-employment, periods of ups and downs.

Thatcher’s Enterprise Babes are Taking the Tycoon’s World by Storm

By Ruth Sunderland

Dylan Wilk runs his own multimillion-pound business and could afford to retire. He draws a six-figure salary and drives a bright yellow BMW M3. Holidays are spent in California or skiing in Austria. But Wilk is only 23 years old. He set up his company, Gameplay, at the age of 20 and in just three years it has become Britain’s second-largest mail-order supplier of computer games with 35 staff and a turnover of £7.5 million in 1997, set to double this year. He is one of Thatcher’s babes – the children born or brought up since 1979 when she swept to power and started the enterprise revolution. Now as ‘young adults’ they are taking the business world by storm. One in eight of all startup businesses is founded by an entrepreneur aged 16 to 24 and there is a growing band of teenage and twenty – something tycoons.

They include 14-year old Tom Hartley, who recently hit the headlines after becoming Britain’s youngest self- made millionaire by selling Porsches. Andrew Collins, 21, started Firemagic Fireworks, at the age of 19. He is turning over £100, 000 a year and has just taken on a new partner, his former chemistry teacher, Pete Taschimowitz, who encouraged his interest in pyrotechnics. Collins loves his work but admits success has come at a price. ‘Starting a business at that age is not easy. I have to work seven days a week and my social life is out of the window. My girlfriend doesn’t even like fireworks’.

Several organizations have been set up to help young entrepreneurs; including the Prince’s Youth Business Trust, a charity that offers loans and advice, and oil company Shell’s Live WIRE scheme, which provides free guidance. But young hopefuls face greater barriers than their mature counterparts and run high risk of failure.

In spite of some undeniable success stories, two-thirds of startups by under 25send in failure within four years, a far higher rate than for older people. Eighties’ entrepreneur Alan Sugar, who set up his first business at 19, believes starting too young can be damaging. Sugar says: ‘I would not want to see many entrepreneurs straight out of school. They need to have some experience of work and real life.’ Many also face a daunting hurdle trying to raise finance, since banks are often unwilling to lend to someone without a financial record. Gulam Kadir, 21, had to overcome his bank manager’s opposition to found the Ruhani Moslem Funeral Service at the age of 19. It now has a turnover of nearly £100,000. Kadir says: ‘I was turned down for a loan because they said I was too young for the funeral business. People do not expect a young person in this area. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I was determined.’

Youngsters may also experience prejudice from customers and suppliers who see them as naïve and inexperienced. Victoria Goodwin, 22, set up her own decorative finishes business based in Sheffield when she was 20, and has recently worked on the set of a TV soap opera. She says: ‘Being young can be a drawback, but it can also be an advantage because some customers believe you don’t have preconceived ideas and will do what they want.’

Richard Street, chief executive of the Prince’s Youth Business Trust, believes future generations must learn the lessons of Thatcher’s children or risk losing out in the employment market. He says: ‘Business education would certainly benefit young people: not all will become entrepreneurs, but they need to be prepared because they will have flexible careers with periods in jobs and periods of self-employment.’

3. Понятие розничной/оптовой торговли. Проблемы британских предпринимателей на американском рынке в рамках знания культурных особенностей размера инвестиций, учета конкуренции и расположения торговых точек. Факторы успеха.

Wholesale – sale of commodities (товары) in quantity for resale.

Retailing – is the business of selling products to general public. Most retailers sell from:

Outlets –which are shops or stores for retailing. In some countries there are large retail chains which are organized nationally and sell standardized selection of products (their outlets are usually in shopping centres (US malls) where there is a large variety of stores in the same location). Many large retailers operate from out of town locations with parking facilities, known as hypermarkets (over 30,000 sq. m.) or superstores (under 30,000). They may be on a retail park, where there are a number of large stores. Department stores – large shops which sell a wide variety of products, usually from a city centre location (they are organized in departments, each with own manager).

Problems of British retailers in the US market: combination of all these- failure of UK

• UK don’t see the differences: assume that US and UK consumers have same tastes and give preference to the same products as they have the same language.

• Traditional merchandizing (usually of high quality in the UK) may appear to be old fashioned and out of touch in US

• difference in whole structure of the industry and the way how the outlets organized (us market is dominated by the malls (usually out of town locations with parking facilities), it cost a fortune to go into business in us. UK failed to grasp зажимать the size factor, not able to adapt to huge US market, UK usually operate from small shops in town center locations which are expensive)

• underestimating the competition (US retailers – aggressive players, consumers – bargain hunters, look for discounts, industry changes quickly, requires flexibility and being dynamic)

Richer Sounds' Keys to Success in Rretail Business: biggest retailer in Britain. Cut-price retailer of hi-fi equipment. 28 shops in UK. Julian Richer- 39 years old (14- sod candles), blond pony-tail. At shool wanted to go into the business but wasn’t old enough + no driving license. 19-first shop. Stock turnover is rapid. Manufactures offer him end-of-line or surplus equipment because they want to off-load it(often at a discount/ reduced price- poor stock management). The technique has enabled Richer Sounds to secure itself a lucrative niche in audiovisual market. Sells only hi-fi separates such as tuners and amplifiers. Now, as manufacturers' stock control improves, three-quarters of its stock is current models. Suppliers are keen to do business with this quirky retailer. Richer Sounds advertises regularly in national newspapers -buy late space at a discount and in alternative magazines. Every month it produces brochure pushing the latest offers. The shops are like walk-in warehouses. Outside- "bargain bins" - special offers -cassettes for 59p. all the products are stacked from floor to ceiling. Banners hanging from the ceiling proclaim" If you've seen it cheaper, we'll beat that price by up to £50." Good service is another priority. staff are trained not to be pushy. They all attend two training seminars a year at Richer's country house. First-time hi-fi buyers get a call to check that they have plugged in the equipment correctly. Customer receipts include a free phone number they can dial if they have a problem. Richer's own name and office number are supplied too. The emphasis is on fun. Season gifts: free umbrella, Chilly Willy, pies at Christmas and hot-cross buns at Easter. "We don't take ourselves seriously, but we do take our customers seriously." Staff- take responsibility. If there is a complain- apologise even if they don’t know what has happened, then sort out. Encourage staff- no competition atmosphere, perks: Those who performed above and beyond the call of duty- car for a month, petrol, and high flyers get gold airplane budgets. customer survey is made-decide who was the best

Safeway Superior Service Program- USA

• eye contact with the customer, smile, greet, make suggestions about other possible purchases that could go with the chosen item, offer samples of products, accompany to locate items, thank shoppers by name at the checkout

• “mystery shoppers” to control performance, 19-point scorecard

• staff motivation: $500 worth of company stock, additional bonuses. If not good- sent to a training program.

• side effects: customers’ debates about false and genuine friendliness, draw mixed reaction even misinterpretation of friendliness, growing morale problems among the staff, rigid implementation of the progr-m- make them feel overstressed, they quit, can be penalized for not smiling. Lonely elderly people seek to be accompanied for extended= long period even through entire shopping list.