Leadership in Crisis: Ernest Shackleton and the Epic Voyage of the Endurance
1. In what context should the Endurance expedition be analyzed? As a scientific endeavor? An entrepreneurial venture? An exercise in imperial opportunity? By what criteria should the expedition be evaluated? Given your answer to the preceding question, was it a success or a failure?
The Endurance expedition should be analyzed as an entrepreneurial venture. Schackleton acted like an entrepreneur, and spent a great amount of time to raise the necessary funding for his expedition. Not only, he used his family connections to reach out for Britain wealthiest people, but sent them a personal letter along with a copy of the expedition prospectus. He managed to secure the needed £51,000 for the expedition. Eventually, he took a huge financial risk to accomplish his dream. He continuously adapted himself and his crew to changing ice/weather conditions just likes a business entrepreneur to changing market, or introducing a new product. His expedition did not accomplish its original mission, but as a leader, he succeeded and was able to get back his crew to Britain.
2. A managerial scholar has defined entrepreneurship as the “relentless Pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled.” Using this definition, evaluate Shackleton’s actions on the Endurance expedition. Was Shackleton an entrepreneur?
I believe Shackleton could have defined entrepreneurship as the “relentless Pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled” as well, and he definitely was an entrepreneur. He faced with same problems as today`s entrepreneurs do such as, hiring, morale, raising money, profitability. He pursued opportunity and did it with as much resources as he had. In addition, the time for a polar expedition was not the best. Two weeks before the expedition starting date, the WWI had just broken out in Europe. He definitely had a hard time hiring crewmembers, sled dog trainers, or raise money for polar expedition in wartime.
The Endurance expedition should be analyzed as an entrepreneurial venture. Schackleton acted like an entrepreneur, and spent a great amount of time to raise the necessary funding for his expedition. Not only, he used his family connections to reach out for Britain wealthiest people, but sent them a personal letter along with a copy of the expedition prospectus. He managed to secure the needed £51,000 for the expedition. Eventually, he took a huge financial risk to accomplish his dream. He continuously adapted himself and his crew to changing ice/weather conditions just likes a business entrepreneur to changing market, or introducing a new product. His expedition did not accomplish its original mission, but as a leader, he succeeded and was able to get back his crew to Britain.
2. A managerial scholar has defined entrepreneurship as the “relentless Pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled.” Using this definition, evaluate Shackleton’s actions on the Endurance expedition. Was Shackleton an entrepreneur?
I believe Shackleton could have defined entrepreneurship as the “relentless Pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled” as well, and he definitely was an entrepreneur. He faced with same problems as today`s entrepreneurs do such as, hiring, morale, raising money, profitability. He pursued opportunity and did it with as much resources as he had. In addition, the time for a polar expedition was not the best. Two weeks before the expedition starting date, the WWI had just broken out in Europe. He definitely had a hard time hiring crewmembers, sled dog trainers, or raise money for polar expedition in wartime.