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| LegalEagle |
 Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 7:12 am Post subject: Do you need a PhD to found a high-tech company? |
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Forum Freshman
Joined: 06 Apr 2008
Posts: 22
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Wang Labs, founded by the late An Wang, PhD, was a leading high tech company way back when, until its products became obsolete and it went into bankruptcy. It's come out now, in a very different shape.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wang_Laboratories
But I was intrigued by the bio of the company and its founder/manager - every business reflects its manager, and this one is no different. Dr Wang had a PhD in applied physics from Harvard University, and he went on to rack up an impressive array of patents and industrial products. That was in the 1950s to early 1980's.
Today, it seems that many people don't need a PhD to found a high-tech company, and, in fact, two of the most prominent companies were found by college dropouts - the two, of course, are Apple and Microsoft. So I would say that society is very different now. |
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| jackson33 |
| Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 8:36 am Post subject: |
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Forum Ph.D.
Joined: 10 Oct 2006
Posts: 1064
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Unfortunately, most employee hiring is based on educational levels, especially in High Tech or where management is involved. The idea is more toward 'reliability' or the showing of a regimented life style. Right or wrong, most gifted would be entrepreneurs, find their way into the private sector.
Michael Dell, a U of Texas drop out, really had little choice. He was to busy founding Dell Computer on the idea, people should be sold directly to, according to their needs...
Additionally, many others have worked for Corporate America/Canada, having been rejected to one idea or another, gone on to found some rather large business. In fact two of the largest. Fred Smith, tried to get the US Postal Service, to overhaul their system. They refused and he quit, forming what would become the single largest package carrier, currently servicing his former employer. His idea, single points for redistribution. Another fellow, Sam Walton felt small towns could produce big sales for Kresge's, also denied. He quit and what followed became the single largest International Retailer..Walmart-Sams. On a lower level, it wouldn't surprise me if most small business, were from drop outs or failures in the corporate world. |
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| LegalEagle |
| Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 10:30 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| On a lower level, it wouldn't surprise me if most small business, were from drop outs or failures in the corporate world. |
But most of the drop-outs or failures did graduate from university, as far as I know. Fred Smith graduated from Yale, and Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, also got his degree. They may have "dropped out" of their employer-companies later, but they still graduated from college. |
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| jackson33 |
| Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 11:51 am Post subject: |
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Forum Ph.D.
Joined: 10 Oct 2006
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Actually Wozniak did drop out of College, but later returned to finish, unlike Steve Jobs, who did not return after only one semester. Both I believe have received many 'honorary' degrees, as have a good many who later achieved success. Yes Smith, received a BS from Yale.
Thought I was agreeing with you, if you were saying success has never been subject to a person educational background, with my added employment record. IMO, business success is and has been for other reasons, primarily personal passion and conviction. I see no reason, why any person, who dislikes formal education (bored or other reason) or in fact is not suited to be an employee, should role over and live on the streets or government dole... |
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| LegalEagle |
| Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 1:07 pm Post subject: |
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| Actually Wozniak did drop out of College, but later returned to finish |
I stand corrected. Thank you for your work.
I think we agree, by and large. I'm just wondering how important a PhD (or any technical degree) is important to founding a high-tech company. |
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| kojax |
| Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 7:26 pm Post subject: |
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Forum Ph.D.
Joined: 27 Mar 2007
Posts: 727
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I think it's easier to get past venture capitalists and money lenders without a degree than corporate beaurocrats, and your customers certainly won't care what you've done with your life.
Being an entrepreneur is the only road for some people. But, think about it: if you hate college, it's probably because you get tired of letting other people tell you what to do, or what boxes you have to think inside of. |
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