WhatmakesSiliconValleysosuccessfulandunique?SiliconValleyisamagnettowhichnumeroustalentedengineers,scientistsandentrepreneursfromoverseasflockinsearchoffameandfastmoneyandtoparticipateenthusiasticallyinatechnologicalrevolutionwhoseimpactonmankindwillsurelysurpasstheepoch-makingEuropeanRenaissanceandIndustrialRevolutionofthebygoneage.
WiththerapidspreadoftheInternetandtherelentlesstechnologicalinnovationsgeneratedthroughit,theinformationeraistrulyuponus,profoundlyinfluencingandchangingnotonlyourlifestyle,butalsothewaywework,dobusiness,thinkandcommunicatewithothers.
Itisnoteworthythatcloseto50%ofitsskilledmanpower,includingengineers,scientistsandentrepreneurs,comefromAsia.ProminentamongthemareIndians,ChineseandSingaporeans.TheyincludesuchillustriousnamesasVinodKhoslawhoco-foundedSunMicrosystems,JerryYangofYahoofameandSingaporeanSireWongHoo,tonamejustafew.
Manycountrieshave,orareintheprocessofcreating,theirown“SiliconValley”Sofar,nonehasasyetthreatenedthepreeminenceoftheU.S.prototype.WhatmakesSiliconValleysuchauniqueentity?Ithinkthereareseveralcrucialfactors.
Firstandforemost,ithasthelargestconcentrationofbrilliantcomputerprofessionalsandthebestsupportingservicesintheworld,andeasyaccesstoworld-classresearchinstitutions,likeStanfordUniversity,whichcontinuallynurturewould-begeniuseswhichtheindustryneedsinordertomoveforward.Withouttheseadvantages,theValleywouldbeadifferentplace.
Secondly,itactivelyencourages,orevenexalts,risk-taking.Hence,failureholdsnoterrorandthereisnostigmaattachedtoafailedeffort.Onthecontrary,theywilltryevenhardernexttimeround.Suchnever-say-dieapproachisthesinequanonfortheultimatetriumphinentrepreneurshipandtechnologicalbreakthrough.
Athirddecisivefactoristhevitalroleofventurecapitalistswhowillinglysupportpromisingstart-upswithurgentlyneededinitialcapitaltogetthemstarted.Somewouldevengivefailedentrepreneursasecondchanceifconvincedthatafreshconceptmightleadtoeventualsuccess.
Itisacommonpracticeforstart-upstooffergenerousshareoptionstoemployeesinordertoattracttherighttalentintotheirfolds.Thisisapowerfulincentivetomotivatethestafftodotheirutmostandtoshareinthecompanysprosperityifitreachesitsgoal.Manyregardthisasthefoundationofasuccessfulenterprise.
Thosethathavebecomehighflyers,suchasNetscape,Intel,CiscoandYahoo,haveturnedmanyoftheiremployees,includingsupportstafflikesecretaries,intodot.cornmillionairesovernight,oftenattherelativelyyoungageof20sor30s.
Thevalleysprofessionalsareamongthemosthardworkingpeopleanywhere.A15-hourdayand7-dayweekisnotuncommon,especiallyduringthestart-upstage.Theywouldgiveupsociallife,andcurtailtheirfamilylifetoo,inordertopursuethepotofgoldattheendoftherainbow.Itisthissingle-mindedpursuitofexcellence,supportedbystrongethosofteamworkandespritdecorps,thatsustainthemuntiltheirmissionisaccomplished.
Paperqualification,thoughuseful,isnotabe-all-and-end-all.Moreweightisgiventoacandidatesprovenabilitiesandaptitudeforthejob.ThisisamplydemonstratedbyindustryiconslikeApplesJobsandWozniakandMicrosoftsGates,allcollegedropoutswhomightnothaveemergedinaqualification-consciouscommunity.
WhileracialprejudicenodoubtstillexistsintheUnitedStates,itishardlydiscernibleintheValley.Whatcountsmostisonesvisionandtrackrecord,andnotonesnationality,skincolororcreed.This,togetherwithitsmultiracialsociety,informallifestyleandagreeableclimate,luresforeignerstoitsshores.
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