Writing a Critique to the Brad DeHaven's Aticle The Design of an Ideal Business - Essay Example

In the article The Design of an Ideal Business, Brad DeHaven suggests ten points for consideration before deciding what business is right for a certain category of people. There is ambiguity in the subject itself. While the title of the essay is The Design of an Ideal Business, the subject is Ten Ways to Position your Business for Success and the question that he attempts to answer is What kind of business is right for you? The ten points highlighted by DeHaven cannot convince the reader of what kind of business is right for him or her.

At the very outset, the impression that the article gives is that it is all about home based business through internet that the author discusses. He says home based business is cost effective against traditional business but then the suggestions like distribution or agency for consumables or being a franchisee - all fall into the category of traditional business. What he really means is internet-based e-commerce because he has discussed this aspect under the fourth and again in the eight point.

Hence, the very title of the essay should be Ten Ways to Start Home Based Business. While the author has included all categories of people, he presupposes that everyone is computer literate and have access to internet. He also assumes that everyone possesses entrepreneurial qualities. ‘Offer items on high demand’ and ‘offer items that have repeat purchase’ seems to be a repetition because the items mentioned under high demand are repeat purchases. In fact consumables itself indicate repeat purchase hence they could fall under the same category.

It is also not clear what requirements he refers to about the baby boomers? Is it in terms of real estate or consumables? Overall, the text is quite confusing especially when he is targeting the moms at home who have no prior business experience. The author’s points about a mentor is impressive and educative for a beginner and he has cited his own evidence in its support. While he has highlighted how technology has advanced and can help people live better lives he has not cautioned the readers about the pitfalls of internet based business.

‘Systems run the business and the people run the systems’ sounds very promising and interesting but the writer should have cited details of how network marketing functions. The last three points are highly motivating and can influence the reader but a closer scrutiny leaves a lot of questions unanswered. It does give an impression that internet can change lives but no success stories have been cited as reference. His idea of having a mentor is a good suggestion but he presumes that all people are unhappy with their work when he says, ‘men and women alike….. are ready to become agents in control of their future’.

If all were to become ‘free agents’ the Industrial Age in America has to die anyway. It is far from the Design of an Ideal Business in the sense neither does it speak of a particular business nor does it give any idea how to start a business in general. It is also confusing whether he means home based business or general ‘free agent’. Overall, the author has not been able to effectively communicate what he wants to.