Author: Claire L. Evans
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0593329449
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 290
Book Description
If you loved Hidden Figures or The Rise of the Rocket Girls, you'll love Claire Evans' breakthrough book on the women who brought you the internet--written out of history, until now. "This is a radically important, timely work," says Miranda July, filmmaker and author of The First Bad Man. The history of technology you probably know is one of men and machines, garages and riches, alpha nerds and brogrammers--but from Ada Lovelace, who wrote the first computer program in the Victorian Age, to the cyberpunk Web designers of the 1990s, female visionaries have always been at the vanguard of technology and innovation. In fact, women turn up at the very beginning of every important wave in technology. They may have been hidden in plain sight, their inventions and contributions touching our lives in ways we don't even realize, but they have always been part of the story. VICE reporter and YACHT lead singer Claire L. Evans finally gives these unsung female heroes their due with her insightful social history of the Broad Band, the women who made the internet what it is today. Seek inspiration from Grace Hopper, the tenacious mathematician who democratized computing by leading the charge for machine-independent programming languages after World War II. Meet Elizabeth "Jake" Feinler, the one-woman Google who kept the earliest version of the Internet online, and Stacy Horn, who ran one of the first-ever social networks on a shoestring out of her New York City apartment in the 1980s. Join the ranks of the pioneers who defied social convention to become database poets, information-wranglers, hypertext dreamers, and glass ceiling-shattering dot com-era entrepreneurs. This inspiring call to action shines a light on the bright minds whom history forgot, and shows us how they will continue to shape our world in ways we can no longer ignore. Welcome to the Broad Band. You're next.
Broad Band
Author: Claire L. Evans
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0593329449
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 290
Book Description
If you loved Hidden Figures or The Rise of the Rocket Girls, you'll love Claire Evans' breakthrough book on the women who brought you the internet--written out of history, until now. "This is a radically important, timely work," says Miranda July, filmmaker and author of The First Bad Man. The history of technology you probably know is one of men and machines, garages and riches, alpha nerds and brogrammers--but from Ada Lovelace, who wrote the first computer program in the Victorian Age, to the cyberpunk Web designers of the 1990s, female visionaries have always been at the vanguard of technology and innovation. In fact, women turn up at the very beginning of every important wave in technology. They may have been hidden in plain sight, their inventions and contributions touching our lives in ways we don't even realize, but they have always been part of the story. VICE reporter and YACHT lead singer Claire L. Evans finally gives these unsung female heroes their due with her insightful social history of the Broad Band, the women who made the internet what it is today. Seek inspiration from Grace Hopper, the tenacious mathematician who democratized computing by leading the charge for machine-independent programming languages after World War II. Meet Elizabeth "Jake" Feinler, the one-woman Google who kept the earliest version of the Internet online, and Stacy Horn, who ran one of the first-ever social networks on a shoestring out of her New York City apartment in the 1980s. Join the ranks of the pioneers who defied social convention to become database poets, information-wranglers, hypertext dreamers, and glass ceiling-shattering dot com-era entrepreneurs. This inspiring call to action shines a light on the bright minds whom history forgot, and shows us how they will continue to shape our world in ways we can no longer ignore. Welcome to the Broad Band. You're next.
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0593329449
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 290
Book Description
If you loved Hidden Figures or The Rise of the Rocket Girls, you'll love Claire Evans' breakthrough book on the women who brought you the internet--written out of history, until now. "This is a radically important, timely work," says Miranda July, filmmaker and author of The First Bad Man. The history of technology you probably know is one of men and machines, garages and riches, alpha nerds and brogrammers--but from Ada Lovelace, who wrote the first computer program in the Victorian Age, to the cyberpunk Web designers of the 1990s, female visionaries have always been at the vanguard of technology and innovation. In fact, women turn up at the very beginning of every important wave in technology. They may have been hidden in plain sight, their inventions and contributions touching our lives in ways we don't even realize, but they have always been part of the story. VICE reporter and YACHT lead singer Claire L. Evans finally gives these unsung female heroes their due with her insightful social history of the Broad Band, the women who made the internet what it is today. Seek inspiration from Grace Hopper, the tenacious mathematician who democratized computing by leading the charge for machine-independent programming languages after World War II. Meet Elizabeth "Jake" Feinler, the one-woman Google who kept the earliest version of the Internet online, and Stacy Horn, who ran one of the first-ever social networks on a shoestring out of her New York City apartment in the 1980s. Join the ranks of the pioneers who defied social convention to become database poets, information-wranglers, hypertext dreamers, and glass ceiling-shattering dot com-era entrepreneurs. This inspiring call to action shines a light on the bright minds whom history forgot, and shows us how they will continue to shape our world in ways we can no longer ignore. Welcome to the Broad Band. You're next.
Digital Hustlers
Author: Casey Kait
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0061743305
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 555
Book Description
The commercial and cultural explosion of the digital age may have been born in California's Silicon Valley, but it reached its high point of riotous, chaotic exuberance in New York City from 1995 to 2000—in the golden age of Silicon Alley. In that short stretch of time a generation of talented, untested twentysomethings deluged the city, launching thousands of new Internet ventures and attracting billions of dollars in investment capital. Many of these young entrepreneurs were entranced by the infinite promise of the new media; others seemed more captivated by the promise of infinite profits. The innovations they launched—from online advertising to 24-hour Webcasting—propelled both the Internet and the tech-stock boom of the late '90s. And in doing so they sent the city around them into a maelstrom of brainstorming, code-writing, fundraising, drugs, sex, and frenzied hype . . . until April 2000, when the NASDAQ zeppelin finally burst and fell at their feet. In the pages of Digital Hustlers, Alley insiders Casey Kait and Stephen Weiss have captured the excitement and excesses of this remarkable moment in time. Weaving together the voices of more than fifty of the industry's leading characters, this extraordinary oral history offers a ground-zero look at the birth of a new medium. Here are entrepreneurs like Kevin O'Connor of DoubleClick, Fernando Espuelas of StarMedia, and Craig Kanarick of Razorfish; commentators like Omar Wasow of MSNBC and Jason McCabe Calacanis of the Silicon Alley Reporter; and inimitable Alley characters like party diva Courtney Pulitzer and Josh Harris, the clown prince of Pseudo.com. Together they describe a world of sweatshop programmers and paper millionaires, of cocktail-napkin business plans and billion-dollar IPOs, of spectacular successes and flame-outs alike. Candid and open-eyed, bristling with energy and argument, Digital Hustlers is an unforgettable group portrait of a wildly creative culture caught in the headlights of achievement.
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0061743305
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 555
Book Description
The commercial and cultural explosion of the digital age may have been born in California's Silicon Valley, but it reached its high point of riotous, chaotic exuberance in New York City from 1995 to 2000—in the golden age of Silicon Alley. In that short stretch of time a generation of talented, untested twentysomethings deluged the city, launching thousands of new Internet ventures and attracting billions of dollars in investment capital. Many of these young entrepreneurs were entranced by the infinite promise of the new media; others seemed more captivated by the promise of infinite profits. The innovations they launched—from online advertising to 24-hour Webcasting—propelled both the Internet and the tech-stock boom of the late '90s. And in doing so they sent the city around them into a maelstrom of brainstorming, code-writing, fundraising, drugs, sex, and frenzied hype . . . until April 2000, when the NASDAQ zeppelin finally burst and fell at their feet. In the pages of Digital Hustlers, Alley insiders Casey Kait and Stephen Weiss have captured the excitement and excesses of this remarkable moment in time. Weaving together the voices of more than fifty of the industry's leading characters, this extraordinary oral history offers a ground-zero look at the birth of a new medium. Here are entrepreneurs like Kevin O'Connor of DoubleClick, Fernando Espuelas of StarMedia, and Craig Kanarick of Razorfish; commentators like Omar Wasow of MSNBC and Jason McCabe Calacanis of the Silicon Alley Reporter; and inimitable Alley characters like party diva Courtney Pulitzer and Josh Harris, the clown prince of Pseudo.com. Together they describe a world of sweatshop programmers and paper millionaires, of cocktail-napkin business plans and billion-dollar IPOs, of spectacular successes and flame-outs alike. Candid and open-eyed, bristling with energy and argument, Digital Hustlers is an unforgettable group portrait of a wildly creative culture caught in the headlights of achievement.
Success Secrets Of Millionaire Hustlers
Author: Dr. Ope Banwo
Publisher: Dr Ope Banwo
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 233
Book Description
33 Mindset Secrets For Making Money In Any Economy Without Working So Hard.
Publisher: Dr Ope Banwo
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 233
Book Description
33 Mindset Secrets For Making Money In Any Economy Without Working So Hard.
The 21st Century Hustler
Author: Shazim Rehman
Publisher: Shazim Rehman
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 172
Book Description
The 21st Century Hustler offers a deep dive into the high-speed, competitive world of modern success. This book explores the key strategies, mindsets, and tools necessary to navigate and thrive in today’s fast-moving landscape. From leveraging technology to mastering personal growth, it provides actionable insights to help you stay ahead of the curve, build resilience, and achieve your goals in an era where hustle and innovation are essential. Perfect for entrepreneurs, professionals, and anyone aiming to unlock their full potential.
Publisher: Shazim Rehman
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 172
Book Description
The 21st Century Hustler offers a deep dive into the high-speed, competitive world of modern success. This book explores the key strategies, mindsets, and tools necessary to navigate and thrive in today’s fast-moving landscape. From leveraging technology to mastering personal growth, it provides actionable insights to help you stay ahead of the curve, build resilience, and achieve your goals in an era where hustle and innovation are essential. Perfect for entrepreneurs, professionals, and anyone aiming to unlock their full potential.
HUSTLER KULCHA
Author: Onesimus Malatji
Publisher: Onesimus Malatji
ISBN: 1776472195
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 153
Book Description
In a world where the hustle never sleeps, learning how to adapt, strategize, and thrive is more critical than ever. "Hustlers Kulcha: From Street Smarts to Boardroom Strategies" is your ultimate guide to mastering the complexities of modern-day hustling. This comprehensive book is designed to equip you with the mindset, tools, and skills necessary to excel in today's fast-paced environment. Broken down into twelve distinct parts, this book covers everything from the very essence of hustle to the sophisticated strategies employed by successful entrepreneurs. It begins by delving into the roots of hustling, demystifying what it truly means beyond the buzzwords and hype. You'll learn the art of goal-setting, the importance of resilience, and how to turn challenges into stepping stones toward your success. Navigate your environment like a pro, utilizing social networks and leveraging digital tools to amplify your efforts. Master essential skills like communication, negotiation, and time management to take your hustle to the next level. Explore the ethical dimensions of hustling, understand how to adapt and evolve, and gain insights from case studies and interviews with successful hustlers. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned businessperson, or anyone in between, "Hustlers Kulcha: From Street Smarts to Boardroom Strategies" provides a step-by-step blueprint for building your own empire. The book concludes with a look at future trends and a checklist to keep you on track, ensuring that your hustle is not just effective but also sustainable and ethical. Unearth the secrets of the successful, decode the lexicon of the hustle, and set forth on your path to greatness with a strategy that transcends mere ambition. Your journey through the multifaceted world of hustling starts here.
Publisher: Onesimus Malatji
ISBN: 1776472195
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 153
Book Description
In a world where the hustle never sleeps, learning how to adapt, strategize, and thrive is more critical than ever. "Hustlers Kulcha: From Street Smarts to Boardroom Strategies" is your ultimate guide to mastering the complexities of modern-day hustling. This comprehensive book is designed to equip you with the mindset, tools, and skills necessary to excel in today's fast-paced environment. Broken down into twelve distinct parts, this book covers everything from the very essence of hustle to the sophisticated strategies employed by successful entrepreneurs. It begins by delving into the roots of hustling, demystifying what it truly means beyond the buzzwords and hype. You'll learn the art of goal-setting, the importance of resilience, and how to turn challenges into stepping stones toward your success. Navigate your environment like a pro, utilizing social networks and leveraging digital tools to amplify your efforts. Master essential skills like communication, negotiation, and time management to take your hustle to the next level. Explore the ethical dimensions of hustling, understand how to adapt and evolve, and gain insights from case studies and interviews with successful hustlers. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned businessperson, or anyone in between, "Hustlers Kulcha: From Street Smarts to Boardroom Strategies" provides a step-by-step blueprint for building your own empire. The book concludes with a look at future trends and a checklist to keep you on track, ensuring that your hustle is not just effective but also sustainable and ethical. Unearth the secrets of the successful, decode the lexicon of the hustle, and set forth on your path to greatness with a strategy that transcends mere ambition. Your journey through the multifaceted world of hustling starts here.
DEVELOPING AWARENESS
Author: Susan Zeppieri
Publisher: Susan Zeppieri
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 165
Book Description
Recognizing common tactics used by hustlers involves staying vigilant for high-pressure sales tactics, promises of quick riches, exaggerated claims, and attempts to create urgency. It's also crucial to trust your instincts and do thorough research before making any decisions or investments. Some Examples: 1. Emotional Manipulation: Hustlers often play on emotions like greed, fear, or insecurity to influence decisions. 2. Flattery and Charm: They may use charisma and compliments to disarm and manipulate their targets. 3. Information Control: Hustlers may withhold important details or provide misleading information to control the narrative and gain an advantage. 4. Creating Urgency: Urgency tactics like limited-time offers or scarcity can pressure people into making impulsive decisions without adequate consideration. 5. Complex Jargon: Using technical language or complicated terms can confuse victims and prevent them from fully understanding the situation. 6. Isolation: Hustlers may try to isolate their targets from outside influences or advice to maintain control and prevent interference. 7. Overpromising and Underdelivering: They often make extravagant promises but fail to deliver on them, leaving victims disappointed and out of pocket. By recognizing these tactics, individuals can better protect themselves from falling victim to hustlers and make more informed decisions.
Publisher: Susan Zeppieri
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 165
Book Description
Recognizing common tactics used by hustlers involves staying vigilant for high-pressure sales tactics, promises of quick riches, exaggerated claims, and attempts to create urgency. It's also crucial to trust your instincts and do thorough research before making any decisions or investments. Some Examples: 1. Emotional Manipulation: Hustlers often play on emotions like greed, fear, or insecurity to influence decisions. 2. Flattery and Charm: They may use charisma and compliments to disarm and manipulate their targets. 3. Information Control: Hustlers may withhold important details or provide misleading information to control the narrative and gain an advantage. 4. Creating Urgency: Urgency tactics like limited-time offers or scarcity can pressure people into making impulsive decisions without adequate consideration. 5. Complex Jargon: Using technical language or complicated terms can confuse victims and prevent them from fully understanding the situation. 6. Isolation: Hustlers may try to isolate their targets from outside influences or advice to maintain control and prevent interference. 7. Overpromising and Underdelivering: They often make extravagant promises but fail to deliver on them, leaving victims disappointed and out of pocket. By recognizing these tactics, individuals can better protect themselves from falling victim to hustlers and make more informed decisions.
Totally Wired
Author: Andrew Smith
Publisher: Grove Press
ISBN: 080214697X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 384
Book Description
“The Social Network meets Hammer of the Gods” in this story of a 1990s web titan who made a fortune and lost it all—and what happened afterward (The Independent). One day in February 2001, Josh Harris woke to certain knowledge that he was about to lose everything. The man Time magazine called “The Warhol of the Web” was reduced to a helpless spectator as his fortune dwindled from 85 million dollars to nothing, all in the space of a week. Harris had been a maverick genius preternaturally adapted to the new online world. He founded New York’s first dotcom, Pseudo.com, and paved the way for a cadre of twentysomethings to follow, riding a wave of tech euphoria to unimagined wealth and fame for five years—before the great dotcom crash, in which Web 1.0 was wiped from the face of the earth. Long before then, though, Harris’s view of the web had darkened, and he began a series of lurid social experiments aimed at illustrating his worst fear: that the internet would soon alter the very fabric of society—cognitive, social, political, and otherwise. In Totally Wired, journalist Andrew Smith seeks to unravel the opaque and mysterious episodes of the early dotcom craze, in which the seeds of our current reality were sown. Drawing on in-depth interviews with Harris and those who worked alongside him in downtown Manhattan’s “Silicon Alley,” the tale moves from a compound in Ethiopia through New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas, London, and Salt Lake City, Utah; from the dawn of the web to the present, taking in the rise of alternative facts, troll society, and the unexpected origins of the net itself, as our world has grown uncannily to resemble the one Harris predicted—and urged us to evade. “Raucous, whimsical, sad and very funny…a fascinating account of what could have been, what briefly was, what almost lasted.” ―TheWall Street Journal “Told with verve and style…A valuable history.” ―Kirkus Reviews “A brilliant exploration of madness and genius in the early days of the web.”―The Guardian “Dark and compelling.”―Daily Mail “This is a book whose time has come.”―Sunday Times
Publisher: Grove Press
ISBN: 080214697X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 384
Book Description
“The Social Network meets Hammer of the Gods” in this story of a 1990s web titan who made a fortune and lost it all—and what happened afterward (The Independent). One day in February 2001, Josh Harris woke to certain knowledge that he was about to lose everything. The man Time magazine called “The Warhol of the Web” was reduced to a helpless spectator as his fortune dwindled from 85 million dollars to nothing, all in the space of a week. Harris had been a maverick genius preternaturally adapted to the new online world. He founded New York’s first dotcom, Pseudo.com, and paved the way for a cadre of twentysomethings to follow, riding a wave of tech euphoria to unimagined wealth and fame for five years—before the great dotcom crash, in which Web 1.0 was wiped from the face of the earth. Long before then, though, Harris’s view of the web had darkened, and he began a series of lurid social experiments aimed at illustrating his worst fear: that the internet would soon alter the very fabric of society—cognitive, social, political, and otherwise. In Totally Wired, journalist Andrew Smith seeks to unravel the opaque and mysterious episodes of the early dotcom craze, in which the seeds of our current reality were sown. Drawing on in-depth interviews with Harris and those who worked alongside him in downtown Manhattan’s “Silicon Alley,” the tale moves from a compound in Ethiopia through New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas, London, and Salt Lake City, Utah; from the dawn of the web to the present, taking in the rise of alternative facts, troll society, and the unexpected origins of the net itself, as our world has grown uncannily to resemble the one Harris predicted—and urged us to evade. “Raucous, whimsical, sad and very funny…a fascinating account of what could have been, what briefly was, what almost lasted.” ―TheWall Street Journal “Told with verve and style…A valuable history.” ―Kirkus Reviews “A brilliant exploration of madness and genius in the early days of the web.”―The Guardian “Dark and compelling.”―Daily Mail “This is a book whose time has come.”―Sunday Times
How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World
Author: Francis Wheen
Publisher: PublicAffairs
ISBN: 0786723521
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 338
Book Description
What characterizes our era? Cults, quacks, gurus, irrational panics, moral confusion and an epidemic of mumbo-jumbo, that's what. In How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World, Francis Wheen brilliantly laments the extraordinary rise of superstition, relativism and emotional hysteria. From Middle Eastern fundamentalism to the rise of lotteries, astrology to mysticism, poststructuralism to the Third Way, Wheen shows that there has been a pervasive erosion of Enlightenment values, which have been displaced by nonsense. And no country has a more vivid parade of the bogus and bizarre than the one founded to embody Enlightenment values: the USA. In turn comic, indignant, outraged, and just plain baffled by the idiocy of it all, How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World is a masterful depiction of the absurdity of our times and a plea that we might just think a little more and believe a little less.
Publisher: PublicAffairs
ISBN: 0786723521
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 338
Book Description
What characterizes our era? Cults, quacks, gurus, irrational panics, moral confusion and an epidemic of mumbo-jumbo, that's what. In How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World, Francis Wheen brilliantly laments the extraordinary rise of superstition, relativism and emotional hysteria. From Middle Eastern fundamentalism to the rise of lotteries, astrology to mysticism, poststructuralism to the Third Way, Wheen shows that there has been a pervasive erosion of Enlightenment values, which have been displaced by nonsense. And no country has a more vivid parade of the bogus and bizarre than the one founded to embody Enlightenment values: the USA. In turn comic, indignant, outraged, and just plain baffled by the idiocy of it all, How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World is a masterful depiction of the absurdity of our times and a plea that we might just think a little more and believe a little less.
Culture, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Author: Michael Lounsbury
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1000390365
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 301
Book Description
Even though the study of innovation and entrepreneurship is a diverse, multi-disciplinary endeavour, the role of culture is often neglected or under-emphasized. Building on the cultural turn that has swept across the social sciences and humanities over the past couple of decades, Culture, Innovation and Entrepreneurship provides cutting-edge theoretical and empirical insights about how culture shapes innovation and entrepreneurship. It features novel contributions that enhance our understanding about a variety of important theoretical issues related to symbolic management, framing, legitimacy, optimal distinctiveness, institutional logics and the dynamics of cultural entrepreneurship in and across organizations. This book also addresses a diverse range of topics such as the design of craft goods, the creation of the Guggenheim museum, entrepreneurial ecosystems, open innovation, crowdfunding, the mafia and grand challenges. The chapters in this volume will be of interest to a diverse array of scholars, from those interested in entrepreneurship and innovation to cultural studies, contemporary social theory, organization studies and management. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the journal Innovation: Organization and Management.
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1000390365
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 301
Book Description
Even though the study of innovation and entrepreneurship is a diverse, multi-disciplinary endeavour, the role of culture is often neglected or under-emphasized. Building on the cultural turn that has swept across the social sciences and humanities over the past couple of decades, Culture, Innovation and Entrepreneurship provides cutting-edge theoretical and empirical insights about how culture shapes innovation and entrepreneurship. It features novel contributions that enhance our understanding about a variety of important theoretical issues related to symbolic management, framing, legitimacy, optimal distinctiveness, institutional logics and the dynamics of cultural entrepreneurship in and across organizations. This book also addresses a diverse range of topics such as the design of craft goods, the creation of the Guggenheim museum, entrepreneurial ecosystems, open innovation, crowdfunding, the mafia and grand challenges. The chapters in this volume will be of interest to a diverse array of scholars, from those interested in entrepreneurship and innovation to cultural studies, contemporary social theory, organization studies and management. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the journal Innovation: Organization and Management.
Venture Labor
Author: Gina Neff
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262300524
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 211
Book Description
Why employees of pioneering Internet companies chose to invest their time, energy, hopes, and human capital in start-up ventures. In the dot-com boom of the late 1990s, employees of Internet startups took risks—left well-paying jobs for the chance of striking it rich through stock options (only to end up unemployed a year later), relocated to areas that were epicenters of a booming industry (that shortly went bust), chose the opportunity to be creative over the stability of a set schedule. In Venture Labor, Gina Neff investigates choices like these made by high-tech workers in New York City's “Silicon Alley” in the 1990s. Why did these workers exhibit entrepreneurial behavior in their jobs—investing time, energy, and other personal resources that Neff terms “venture labor”—when they themselves were employees and not entrepreneurs? Neff argues that this behavior was part of a broader shift in society in which economic risk shifted away from collective responsibility toward individual responsibility. In the new economy, risk and reward took the place of job loyalty, and the dot-com boom helped glorify risks. Company flexibility was gained at the expense of employee security. Through extensive interviews, Neff finds not the triumph of the entrepreneurial spirit but a mixture of motivations and strategies, informed variously by bravado, naïveté, and cold calculation. She connects these individual choices with larger social and economic structures, making it clear that understanding venture labor is of paramount importance for encouraging innovation and, even more important, for creating sustainable work environments that support workers.
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262300524
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 211
Book Description
Why employees of pioneering Internet companies chose to invest their time, energy, hopes, and human capital in start-up ventures. In the dot-com boom of the late 1990s, employees of Internet startups took risks—left well-paying jobs for the chance of striking it rich through stock options (only to end up unemployed a year later), relocated to areas that were epicenters of a booming industry (that shortly went bust), chose the opportunity to be creative over the stability of a set schedule. In Venture Labor, Gina Neff investigates choices like these made by high-tech workers in New York City's “Silicon Alley” in the 1990s. Why did these workers exhibit entrepreneurial behavior in their jobs—investing time, energy, and other personal resources that Neff terms “venture labor”—when they themselves were employees and not entrepreneurs? Neff argues that this behavior was part of a broader shift in society in which economic risk shifted away from collective responsibility toward individual responsibility. In the new economy, risk and reward took the place of job loyalty, and the dot-com boom helped glorify risks. Company flexibility was gained at the expense of employee security. Through extensive interviews, Neff finds not the triumph of the entrepreneurial spirit but a mixture of motivations and strategies, informed variously by bravado, naïveté, and cold calculation. She connects these individual choices with larger social and economic structures, making it clear that understanding venture labor is of paramount importance for encouraging innovation and, even more important, for creating sustainable work environments that support workers.