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Their business proposals

Romola_Des_LoupRomola_Des_Loup Posts: 3,152
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in The Apprentice #1
I think the example of Tom the inventor a few years ago made it clear that the winner will actually be the one with the best realised and most viable business idea.

Since the prize has changed from winning an 'apprenticeship' to winning backing for an enterprise, I think the programme would be more successful if the tasks and the blurb reflected that.

The programme is still stuck in sales oriented tasks, and VT of the candidates saying how they are team players who will simultaneously cut down anyone in their paths. If you do have your own business, the first quality is what you need within your enterprise but the second is saved for your competitors, it's not useful on a personal level.

The tasks are normally sales oriented and not necessarily a measure of entrepeneurship. Moreover, the tasks encourage them to try to win, but also to distrust and do down their 'colleagues' in case of a loss and a boardroom confrontation. The change in the prize should have brought much bigger changes in the format, it's no longer appropriate.

Comments

  • Ray_SmithRay_Smith Posts: 1,372
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    #2
    Yes, I would wager Sugar decides the winner early on in the show. This is why Tom won even though he lost most weeks! If Sugar believes one candidate has a stand-out business proposal he/she will win the show irrespective of how badly they do in each task. As long as we, the tv public, remember that then you can enjoy the show but it would be naive to think this is a completely transparent reality business tv show. It's not.
  • AlrightmateAlrightmate Posts: 73,120
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    #3
    In reality Sugar is going to take on the candidate with the business proposal he thinks will make him the most money.
    I can't see these contrived tasks devised for a television game show having any bearing whatsoever on a real world business decision.

    Why would he take on a partnership with an Apprentice candidate who is great at these tasks but has a rubbish business proposal which would lose Sugar money?

    He'll have decided the winner as soon as he considered all their individual business proposals. The tasks will just be for the purposes of showbusiness entertainment. I don't think that they'll amount to very much in terms of who he will select to win the show and strike up a business deal with.
  • marks thespotmarks thespot Posts: 2,961
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    #4
    It was interesting to hear a couple of the proposals early on last night, but has now made me suspicious that Jaz revealed her 'plan' & was then fired. I will be fearing for anybody else he asks...

    I do think it would be better if they all had to outline a brief summary of their plan at the start though. It must be part of Lord Sugar's decision...
  • MonksealMonkseal Posts: 12,016
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    #5
    Tom's business plan was crap and never happened. I don't feel like this can be said enough.
  • pward1965pward1965 Posts: 289
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    #6
    marks thespot wrote: »
    It was interesting to hear a couple of the proposals early on last night, but has now made me suspicious that Jaz revealed her 'plan' & was then fired. I will be fearing for anybody else he asks...

    I do think it would be better if they all had to outline a brief summary of their plan at the start though. It must be part of Lord Sugar's decision...

    I think Alrightmate's post above is correct. We already know that he'd seen all their CVs before Task 1 and I strongly suspect he'd seen all their business plans too.

    As such I he'd probably already decided on whom he wanted to work with (and so who will win) and performance in the tasks is largely irrelevant.
  • TheAuburnEnigmaTheAuburnEnigma Posts: 17,327
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    #7
    LS said at the start of the show last night that his decision is based on their business plans, which he has already seen (I guess he sees a summary of what they want to do and then when the final 4 write up their plans at the end it's a much more thorough plan). The tasks he said were designed to test them and represent all the facets of a business.

    Usually you have a decent idea of a candidate's business plan by what industry they're in - so Kurt's business plan will probably be centered around nutrition, whilst Sophie's will likely be to do with food.
  • DamandaDamanda Posts: 34,208
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    #8
    Monkseal wrote: »
    Tom's business plan was crap and never happened. I don't feel like this can be said enough.

    LOL. You should be correct, but it simply falls on deaf ears :)
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