Table of Contents
Introduction
With the advancement in technology, most business-minded individuals work towards becoming entrepreneurs. According to aspiring entrepreneurs, there is pride in launching and running one’s own business, although this comes with specific commitments (Stokes & Wilson 2010). The exhaustion of vacant positions in firms has also resulted in many people opting for entrepreneurship. Furthermore, its role has been depicted from movies through fictional entrepreneurs such as Scrooge McDuck. The latter is a fictional character who was invented by Carl Barks in 1947 when he worked for the Walt Disney Company (Burns 2016). In a characteristic form, McDuck represents a Scottish anthropomorphic Pekin duck that had a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. This character also wears a red or blue coat, and when portrayed in most animations, he speaks with a Scottish accent. The use of anthropomorphism enables viewers to understand McDuck’s character and compare it to that of humans. Ever since this invention, most people in the field of business have referenced McDuck as an entrepreneur since he has motivated the creation of many stories based on his entrepreneurial character (Stokes & Wilson 2010). This research paper aims to explore on Scrooge McDuck, who is a fictitious entrepreneur. Precisely, the article will discuss his life and accomplishment as well as analyse his entrepreneurial profile.
Entrepreneur’s Life
The character’s life is such that others view him as the most productive duck in the world. Furthermore, he appeared in well-known animations such as Scrooge McDuck and Money (1967), Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983), DuckTales the Movie (1990), and A Christmas Carol (2009) among others (Piccio 2014). The fictitious character is believed to have had so much cash such that he stored it in his famous money bin and would swim around it when free. Notably, McDuck is a wealthy industrial magnate who refers to himself as an adventure-capitalist. The character has two brothers, Matilda McDuck and Hortense McDuck, a maternal uncle and a granduncle. Based on the context of the fiction, McDuck is an oil tycoon, a businessperson, and an owner of a mining factory as well as other companies (Sobel 2008). The publishing of the first McDuck character occurred in Four Colour Comics in 1949, a story that gives an overview of the character’s past. In the beginning, an African sorcerer named Foola Zoola cursed Scrooge as vengeance for destroying his village and stealing the tribe’s land. In most cases, Scrooge claimed that he was not born from a wealthy family, but only worked as a cabin boy of a ship’s crew. When growing up, the character learned many languages such as Arabic, Latin, and Scottish.
When building the character, Carl Barks portrayed him not as a greedy miser but as a charity anda thrifty businessperson (Lopes 2013). In most of the appearances, Barks depicts him as a philanthropist and an explorer. Despite his anti-hero weaknesses, viewers can love him by relating to his character. Additionally, Bark displayed him as an adventurer who obtained success from enjoying life. By reviewing the various books and movies about McDuck, most analyses can discuss his overall character whereby he appears as an ambitious and lively persona (Storey & Greene 2010). In most cases, entrepreneurs in the contemporary society try to imitate his way of living through making money from various adventurous activities. However, some of his choices lead to viewers perceiving him as a greedy miser, but with time, the character’s development leans towards the viewer’s favour. Throughout his life, McDuck gets away with several mischievous acts, for example, when he steals the land of the Voodoo tribe to start a rubber plantation (McCloskey 2010). As such, his ability to enjoy his life remains successful in attracting the attention of many viewers and readers.
Accomplishments
When reading most stories about McDuck, most might be left with the question of where he obtained all his money. Specifically, some individuals may wonder how the world’s richest duck acquired so much wealth (Planes2013). One of the character’s main accomplishments is the ability to rise from poverty to becoming one of the wealthiest ducks. According from the description given by most directors, McDuck was from humble beginnings and he dedicated himself towards reaching the top of the financial ladder (Planes 2013). Based on his life story, it is evident that McDuck came from a low-income family and only worked as a cabin boy. With time, the character was able to accumulate enough wealth for living a comfortable lifestyle. Through resilience and hard work, McDuck became one of the wealthiest business personnel in the region (Barks & Disney 2012). Therefore, despite lacking a financial support system, he managed to create wealth from the little money he acquired.
Another key accomplishment of the author is that he practiced all the traits and expectations of a successful entrepreneur (Planes 2013). Precisely, McDuck acquires admiration from most aspiring businesspersons for his ability to create wealth and enjoying it at the same time. The character is known for going on fun adventures and making money during the process (Planes 2013). The ability to accomplish these two needs has a direct correlation with starting a business or company based on one’s passion or hobby. In most cases, people consume themselves in the employment sector forgetting that making money does not always have to be dull.
Thirdly, Scrooge McDuck was able to ensure that his money worked for him. As a result, the character managed various businesses and established several sources of income. Most of the stories explain how Scrooge found gold in the Yukon, and after two years, he was able to reach the level of a millionaire. After accumulating a certain amount of wealth, the character decided to become a businessperson in the banking sector (Varoufakis, Halevi, & Theocarakis 2012). Through his hard work, McDuck transitioned from being a labourer to a lender, which represented an incredible growth rate. From this strategy, McDuck teaches entrepreneurs that it is important to invest money in good businesses rather than stash it in an accumulating bin. Instead of gathering up his average wealth, McDuck focused on identifying potential sources of more finances.
Analysis of McDuck Entrepreneurial Profile
From the author’s character and way of life, it is clear that his profile suits entrepreneurship theories and approaches discussed in the module. For example, according to the notes that are in the module, starting up small businesses is one of the critical strategies for future success. In most cases, people in the modern world opt towards looking for jobs in big companies instead of focusing on starting up their businesses. This module highlights that through resilience and dedication, it is possible to grow a small business and grow it into one of the best multinational corporations (Baumol 1990). Similarly, Scrooge McDuck represented a potent symbol of initiative whereby he was able to invent his business ideas and implement them. The module assets that currently, small businesses are the large companies of the future. However, aspiring business personnel are expected to put in the hard work and resilience when managing self-owned businesses. As such, it is essential to learn from McDuck’s level of dedication towards becoming one of the most successful entrepreneurs during his era.
Additionally, McDuck was always open to new opportunities, which enabled him to identify potential areas of acquiring his wealth. This ability has a direct correlation with Wennekers’ and Thurik’s (2004) argument that entrepreneurship is a form of behaviour that focuses on opportunities rather than resources. The authors further explain that in the modern era, entrepreneurship is a prime cause of economic growth and development as it encourages innovation and creativity within various industries. Instead of targeting how he would acquire more gold, McDuck travelled all over the world to increase his fortune, leaving his family members to take care of his businesses. The decisions made by McDuck represent a typical entrepreneur who is always ready to explore new options for obtaining wealth. According to Curran & Blackburn (2001), innovation is one of the crucial components in entrepreneurship, and this effect makes an entrepreneur an innovator and an agent of change. According to the theory of innovation, securing of the entrepreneurial profits occurs based on information gaps, which arise amongst people in the market. Therefore, as an entrepreneur, one is expected to use his or her knowledge in creating new products and identifying other long-term sources of wealth.
The module also emphasizes the importance of practicing resilience and persistence as it eventually pays off, and this is an essential aspect portrayed in McDuck’s character. McCloskey (2010) explains that the main difference between entrepreneurship and small businesses is that the former requires patience and focusing on long-term income. Most people currently take part in markets with the aim of making profits, which is a poor strategy that has led to the downfall of many start-ups. Scrooge was an ambitious entrepreneur who was always willing and ready to face new challenges when doing business (McCloskey 2010). The character faces many challenges when looking for wealth, but this does not discourage him from attaining his financial goals. Carl Barks the initial director characterizes Scrooge as a go-getter and an individual who is always focusing on working smart. In entrepreneurship, it is imperative to work smart by implementing strategies that widen the opportunity for acquiring more resources (Stein 2017). When challenges come along, entrepreneurs should be in a position to manoeuvre around them by coming up with practical solutions that encourage progress.
Lastly, based on McDuck’s entrepreneurial nature, it is clear that he would meet the requirements and expectations of a modern entrepreneur (Moore 2016). The fictitious character manages to gain financial stability by not only accumulating wealth but by also joining several ventures and coming up with new business ideas. As Burns (2016) explains in the module, an entrepreneurial economy enhances financial stability in most developed nations. One of the fictitious stories, “The Last of the Clan McDuck,” states that at ten years old, McDuck was a mere shoeshine boy who worked on the streets. With time, the character learned how to work smart by utilizing his creative skills. The value of perseverance and hard work is also central to Scrooge’s personality. As an entrepreneur in the modern economy, McDuck would have the opportunity to use advanced technology and the internet for inventing new products for the neglected target market (Burns 2016). The existence of entrepreneurs is vital for economic survival since they act as the unique engines of innovation and economic prosperity within the modern capitalist economy.
Conclusion
All in all, it is evident that Scrooge McDuck is among the most referenced fictitious characters due to his impeccable entrepreneurial skills. Furthermore, many stories and movies portray McDuck as one of the wealthiest ducks because of his many businesses. Moreover, the character represents a great symbol of hard work, entrepreneurship, as well as personal responsibility. From his life story, it is evident that he came from a low-income family, and through resilience, he managed to accumulate wealth and invest in various areas. Besides, Scrooge’s character is directly compared to the expectations of the modern entrepreneur. In the competitive business environment, most people are encouraged to start up their businesses instead of plainly seeking employment in big corporations. Instead, it is always advisable to focus on one’s passion and invent a product that can fill an existing gap in the market. Both the module and McDuck’s character also show the importance of innovation and creativity in addition to wealth. Moreover, Bark depicts McDuck as a character who was able to create wealth from the little he acquired. Instead of focusing on how to accumulate wealth, he invested in various business opportunities, which ensured that money worked for him. Overall, the fictitious character shows the importance of working smart and hard towards widening the possibilities of success.
We can do it today.
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