As discussed in class, start-ups are intended to lead to the
next “big thing” – something that is believed to be revolutionary, different,
and influential. They are created by devoted people with big ideas and the
ambition to create. However, startups
don’t survive off of one idea alone – they have to grow and develop, and fast.
One of Paul Graham’s important strategies behind building a start-up is to know
what the users want, and to cater to just that. As an analogy, one can think of
the country of Korea as one big start-up by these definitions – the government and industry seem to
know exactly what the people want, and are willing to allocate any given amount
of money and resources towards it. Once
serving a country struck by war and poverty, the government eventually
succeeded at bringing Korea to their potential “national aesthetic” by making
enormous investments in certain systems that would appeal to the
people. For example, because the international spread of Korean culture is so
reliant on the Internet, Korea’s government ensures all people (rich or poor) a
way to access the web in their households. Furthermore, they pour loads of
money into the entertainment industry, cranking out “perfect” Korean pop stars by
the dozens, and ultimately building a distinct reputation for Korean pop
culture and increasing national pride. The overall history of the re-branding
of Korea’s culture and economy shows quick progression, just like a successful,
growing startup. Just in a few decades, Korea was almost completely transformed
with new values, products, and people. They have rapidly come up with
entertainment groups, trends, and technology that are exclusively known to be
from Korea. The masses of individuals behind this “start-up” have ultimately
created something that would transform the face of nationalism for generations
to come.
Question: In which cases have “national start-ups” failed?
Have other countries tried to do the same but fell unrecognized?
Sources used:
Eung Hong. "The Birth of Korean Cool: How One Nation Is Conquering The World Through Pop Culture."
Paul Graham. "How to Start a StartUp" & "Startup = Growth"
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