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Research Report #17:

Learning to Be an Entrepreneur Requires
Using the Scientific Method

Scientific Method Lesson Plan – for Entrepreneurs

The interest in and teaching of entrepreneurship is booming. Global competition demands more American entrepreneurs, and people want the self-fulfillment and prosperity that comes from being a successful leader in our creative economy.

Entrepreneurs are noted for having certain personal attributes, such as:

    Risk taking
    Progressiveness
    Aggressiveness
    Curiosity
    Leadership
    Innovativeness

An entrepreneur deals in problems and ideas for we are in the conceptual age. He or she may be:

    An adapter or imitator – finds and uses existing ideas more effectively and efficiently.
    An innovator – applies existing ideas with ingenuity and perhaps creativity.
    Creative – invents or creates new ideas, concepts, systems, methods, or variation of these.

Knowingly or unknowingly, the main guide that entrepreneurs follow is the same method used by scientists for centuries. It is the basic guide to the way we originate, refine, extend, and apply knowledge in all fields. It is a complete method of problem solving and decision making for all fields that includes problem origination, prevention, solution, and challenge of solution.

This method or guide for scientific method activities has many names. It can just as well be called the complete method of problem solving and decision making (SM-14). Entrepreneurs use it for their original entry into entrepreneurship and throughout complex problem solving and decision making activities in this conceptual age.

Suggestions for Entrepreneurs Using Scientific Method

    Step or Stage 1 – Curious Observation. Be alert. Think and observe. Seek problems, ideas, and opportunities. What is needed? A better way? Application for something new? People dissatisfied?

    Step or Stage 2 – Is There a Problem?State the problem as a question. Define carefully. What is the purpose?

    Step or Stage 3 – Goals and Planning. List your preliminary goals, sub-goals, and plans. Consider time, budget, criteria.

    Step or Stage 4 – Search, Explore, and Gather the Evidence. Search everywhere. Read a variety of publications. Ask questions. Use the internet. Visit new and used bookstores, libraries. Watch for leads, clues, hints. Use sketches, models, etc. Enlist group support.

    Step or Stage 5 – Generate Creative and Logical Alternative Solutions. While you are searching, think about new ways, new tools, new methods. Visualize, brainstorm, experiment. Be progressive. Think reflectively and imaginatively. List all logical alternative solutions.

    Step or Stage 6 – Evaluate the Evidence. Study or chart your tentative solutions. Get advice, test, experiment, control variables. Use math, artificial intelligence.

    Step or Stage 7 – Make the Educated Guess (Hypothesis). You should again review and redefine your problem. Then choose the best of your tentative solutions. Now you have a working hypothesis.

    Step or Stage 8 – Challenge the Hypothesis. Hold on! Better do a little testing, experimenting, thinking. Try to falsify your own solution, not just support it. Predict results.

    Step or Stage 9 – Reach a Conclusion. At this stage, you have reached a conclusion that is likely to be correct.

    Step or Stage 10 – Suspend Judgment. Retain an open mind. Avoid bias. Continue to be a little skeptical.

    Step or Stage 11 – Take Action. Go ahead now and apply all your entrepreneurial skills to gain acceptance. Work hard, develop communication skills, study risks, look backward and forward.

    Ingredient 12 – Creative, Non-logical, Logical, and Technical Methods

    Ingredient 13 – Procedural Principles and Theories

    Ingredient 14 – Attributes and Thinking Skills

These supporting ingredients are necessary to use the first 11 stages. You should teach and use them as part of the SM-14 formula.

If time is short or the problem is less complex, use SM-4, which consists of Steps or Stages 2, 5, 6, and 8.

Be sure to visit my other websites: www.problemsolving.net and www.decisionmaking.org.