Re: A Job, or a Business of your Own?

Thanks to everyone who responded to my question last week Monday about having “A job, or a business of your own“…your comments and remarks have indeed been enlightening contributions to the discussion of Africans being pro-job, and Asians being pro-business…

This post serves as a quick round up of all your comments, highlighting the trends I observed; the consensus on the topic, reasons given in support of readers’ opinions, and other thoughts…

Consensus;

• Most people seemed to prefer (or have an ambition) to own their own business, but agree that a job is a good starting point, for the acquisition of essential skills.
• There was a lot of reference to the African “mentality/mind-set”, which readers described as; “survival-oriented” (Teegirl), “stuck-in-the-slave-trade-years” (Niyioski), “inferior” (Ochuko). Most touching to me though, was Olukemi‘s (btw, she’s my sis) description…she refered to a “defeated mindset of a settle-for-less mentality”, and pointed out that some people are used to having “just-enough-to-survive”…oouucchh!
• Most readers also opined, that there is a lack of “co-operation and trust” among Africans, which prevents them, unlike their Asian counterparts, from pooling resources together, to start a joint venture (business) of some sort…

Reasons;

Readers expressed their opinions as to why most Africans are job-conscious, and most Asians, business-conscious, mainly referring to the environment, i.e. the African continent and the individual countries (especially Nigeria) that make her up…

• Africans are taught to, as FG put it, “go to school, graduate, get a good job, and get married” while Asians, in Teegirl‘s words, “from an early stage in life, are taught the gains of running and owning businesses”…in other words, unlike our Asian counterparts, not many Africans receive even the most basic entrepreneural training, either from home or school, while growing.
• Ochuko however, attributes Africans’ lack of entrepreneurship to “fear” – of the unknown, and of failing.
• Rethots seems to think it’s because Africans are more “professional/career-oriented” while Asians are more “profit/business” oriented.

Other thoughts;

• Original Mgbeke pointed out that not everyone can handle the rigours of owning a business
• Justdoyin has been opportuned to have both a job, and a business (albeit on a small scale) and can authoritatively say that there are pros and cons of each option…but that is a topic for an entirely new discuss.
• My personal preference would be to start with a job, learn all the essential skills including; communication and interpersonal skills (which would enable good working relationships and networking with people across different levels and cultures), team-working, and professionalism…and eventually, own and run my own business…I certainly aspire to be a big-time employer of labour some day soon.
• On the African/Asian debate, I’d say from my observations, it does seem that most Africans prefer the “safety/security” of a job, while most Asians seem to prefer having their own business. However, nothing stops us from having both a job and a business, as long as we can manage both, and not allow one to disturb the other.

In conclusion (can we really conclude?), this is a very wide topic and no matter how long we stay at it, it will continue to evolve and expand…I can only hope and pray for a healing in our land (Africa) so that the issues of  “lack of trust and cooperation” and a “slave-mentality”, would become “of-the-past”… then, and only then, can we even begin to think of…

Couldn’t comment on the first post, or have something else to add to your initial comment? Please go ahead and share your thoughts…

Welcome to a new week…

Suggested Further Reading;

• Income Opportunity
• A job or a Business of your Own?
  

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A Job, or a Business of your own?

Which would you prefer?

A job? or a business of your own? what reasons inform your choice?

Hubby once read in a book (and I paraphrase) that;

Most Africans, on arrival in a foreign country, seek a job…where-as most Asians, on arrival in a foreign country, seek business opportunities…

What is your opinion on the above statement? Do you concur? Do you not?

The above question and statement have been on my mind for a while now, and I would like to know your thoughts on them…comments please!

Have a lovely week…
Also Read;

A Job, or a Business of your Own (II)

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