8A - Solving the Problem

My product/service deals with people who have alcohol dependency. My solution would be a mix of service/product. Society already has some solutions set in place to help with these people such as rehab and alcohol anonymous. However, the number of people that relapse is still pretty high. 

Possible solutions

1.    A software that could be sold to the government that would allow family members to report people with alcohol dependency. The software would require people to scan their IDs when buying alcohol and it would notify the cashier that they had limits on buying alcohol. 

o  Although it would be ideal to be able to prohibit them from buying any alcohol at all, it would be too difficult to put that in place. At least, with limitation it would decrease their consumption. 

2.    Similarly, to the previous solution, develop a software that can be used to place a marker on their IDs but I wouldn’t limit them. Instead, it would fine them every time they purchase alcohol.

The main product for both the solutions would be a software program used to place marker on the IDs of people trying to recover from alcohol and help prevent them from relapsing. The program would most likely be bought by the government.

7A - Testing Hypothesis (Part 1)

1)    Opportunity: According to the Washington Post, one in eight American adults is an alcoholic. Over the years, alcoholism has risen among adults and have become a hazard to society (including drunk driving, lowering work productivity, violence due to intoxication, sexual assault, etc.)

2)    About the opportunity

a.    Who: Any American can be affected

b.    What: They can be put in harm’s way by people with an alcohol dependency

c.    The Why: People who excessively drink often can’t control their actions 

3)    Hypothesis

a.    Testing the who: Any person here in the U.S. can be affected by this. The who encompasses not just people who may know alcoholics but even just bystanders. Children could also be affected by this. I feel that my “who” completely describes who share the need, although it’s a bit broad. 

b.    Testing the what: Not everyone one who is alcohol dependent is the same. They each deal with the problem differently and react differently. Some could become violent after drinking while others can become more reckless. There are also others you might not be able to even tell that they are dependent.

c.    Testing the why: Some people might not ever be affected directly by someone with a serious alcohol dependency. While others can be affected more often. Also, individuals might not believe this is a major problem because they haven’t experienced it. 

4)    Interviews

a.    Interview 1 – 18-year-old female student 

                                               i.     In this interview, she told me that she hasn’t had too many encounters with people who abuse alcohol. However, she still thinks it’s a pretty big problem for society. Although it hasn’t affected her she said she had seen a lot of things about alcoholism on the news. She also stated that she thinks there could be solutions but that it would require a lot of effort and support from the community. 

b.    Interview 2 – 21-year-old female student

                                               i.     The girl I interviewed actually told me that a close relative of hers is an alcoholic and that It has really impaired their life. She said that her grandfather, who is a doctor, says that alcohol is a legal drug can be more dangerous than other drugs you could find. Also, she thinks that the people who would be most affected by this would be the people’s families because they have a hard time understanding and dealing with someone with alcohol problems.

c.    Interview 3 – Male, mid-50s

                                               i.     He feels that alcoholism among adults has been rising over the years and that there hasn’t been enough done to help the situation. He believes that people with alcohol dependency are more likely to act rash and cause harm, even if not intentionally. Also, he thinks that bystanders can get hurt from this but that kids can also be affected, especially if related to someone who is an alcoholic. 

d.    Interview 4 – 20-year-old male student 

                                               i.     He actually felt that alcoholism isn’t a major problem in the US, but that other drugs are more dangerous. However, he believes that people most likely to be affected are those with any kind of relationship with a person with alcohol dependency. He stated that he believed that colleges might have more problems with alcohol, than society overall because most of the people that drink at colleges are minors. I know a lot of people that drink excessively because they are extremely stressed. 

e.    Interview 5 – Female, mid-40s

                                               i.     As a mother, she stated that her main worry is that her children get in a car accident with an intoxicated driver. As a mother of four, she has encouraged her older kids to be very cautious when they drink because she does not want them to build a dependency. She believes that the majority of people who begin to rely on alcohol are people with depression or financial issues so that in order to help them they need to fight at the root of the problem. 

5)    Summary/Reflection 

a.    After conducting these interviews, I realized that the “who” could actually be narrowed down a bit. Sure, theoretically anybody could be affected but there are some people more likely to be affect than others. For instance, two people believe that those related to or have any form of relationship with an alcoholic are more likely to be affected. 

b.    I also realized, that younger people might not believe it’s that big of a problem, but older people think it is. Also, the people interviewed thought that it was a problem for different reasons. 

6A - Identifying Opportunities in Economic & Regulatory Trends

Opportunity #1 (Econ): The Economy Is in the Expansion Phase of the Business Cycle

a)   https://www.thebalance.com/top-usa-future-economic-trends-3305666

b)   I think there is an opportunity here because, during an expansion, there is economic growth and an increase in employment. There is also (according to the business cycle) and upward pressure on prices. However, the expansion is an antecedent to contraction which can lead to an economic crisis. 

c)    I think this will affect all American workers, as well as consumers. Financial advisors would also become in demand. 

d)   I believe that it could be difficult to exploit because there are many factors that come in to play. And people are affected differently. 

e)   Most will look at this information and see that there is economic growth. However, after doing a little bit of research, I realized that this could lead to an economic crisis and end up affecting many people. 

Opportunity #2 (Econ): Baby Boomers Aren't Retiring

a)   https://www.thebalance.com/top-usa-future-economic-trends-3305666

b)   I think this is an opportunity because there is data supporting this. There have also been studies measuring the workforce.

c)    The prototypical customer would be people from younger generations looking for work. 

d)   I actually think it wouldn’t be too difficult to exploit. The younger generation is in need of work.  

e)   I found this information kind of interesting because my dad is a baby boomer and hasn’t retired, and probably still won’t retire for a while. On the other hand, I know many people from younger generations struggling to join the workforce. 

                                                       

Opportunity #3 (Reg): Health Care Change

a)   https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/241915

b)   I think there is an opportunity because this website is about how these regulations could affect your business. According to the website, companies with more than 50 employees are required to offer health insurances.

c)    I think the prototypical customer would be the workers getting the health insurance. 

d)   I think it should be relatively easy to exploit. This will help health insurance companies get more customers.

e)   I found it kind of difficult to find regulatory trends but this one stood out to me. Healthcare has become a very popular topic over the years because of all the changes it has gone through. 

Opportunity #4 (Reg):Privacy

a)   https://www.benefitspro.com/2018/01/10/top-10-regulatory-issues-for-small-businesses-in-2/?slreturn=20190024113536

b)   I believe this is an opportunity because states are beginning to increase regulations and enforcement of data security. 

c)    This would affect cybersecurity companies and those who need data security, especially those working high-profile jobs. 

d)   I’m 50/50 on whether it would be easy to exploit this or not. It’s a very important part of high-profile jobs because of all the data they have. While other countries probably don’t need to emphasize on cybersecurity.

e)   I’ve heard a lot about how this trend has been increasing over the years. It has become very necessary for certain jobs but I still feel that there is a good amount of jobs that haven’t focused on data security. 

5A – Identifying Local Opportunities

 #1: “Two-Year-Old-Child Taken to Hospital After Fall into Rhino Exhibit at Brevard Zoo”

·     Website:http://spacecoastdaily.com/2019/01/breaking-1-year-old-child-taken-to-hospital-after-fall-into-rhino-exhibit-at-brevard-zoo/

·     Description: On Tuesday, January 2^nda two-year-old boy and his mother visited the Brevard County Zoo. While there, the boy and his mother went to see the rhino exhibit which separates people and the rhinos by a series of steel poles. According to a witness, during the rhino encounter, one of the rhinos had made contact with the little boy which made him stumble into the exhibit. The mother went to help her son and was also injured in the incident. Both were sent to Arnold Palmer Hospital and a trauma alert was issued. 

·     Problem: The steel poles that separate the people from the rhinos is a safety issue. The boy was able to fit between the steel poles which puts him in a very dangerous situation. Also, there should be a worker from the zoo paying close attention to the people interacting with the rhinos.

·     Who faces the problem: The rhinos, the visitors, and the workers. The rhinos and visitors can be placed in danger and the workers can suffer liability problems.

 #2: “Several Florida Imperiled Species No Longer Warrant Listing, Including Suwannee Alligator Snapping Turtle”

·      Website: http://spacecoastdaily.com/2019/01/several-florida-imperiled-species-no-longer-warrant-listing-including-suwannee-alligator-snapping-turtle/

·      Description: An article from January 15^th, states that there are some Florida species that will no longer be on the endangered species list. The author wrote that the Homosassa shrew, southern fox squirrel, and the Monroe County osprey will no longer be on the warrant list, which can put them back in danger. However, there are voluntary conservations in place that are trying to protect those animals no longer on the list.

·      Problem: Now that some species are off the list, people become less aware of the danger that some of these animals could face. Simply removing animals from the list does not mean they are perfectly safe. Voluntary conservation activities can become pricy because the money would come from their pockets. And according to the article, it requires many permits. Leaving them on the list could reduce the costs. 

·      Who faces the problem: Mainly the species removed from the list. But also, those who volunteer to help protect those removed from the list. 

 #3: “Florida Bill would ban abortions if heartbeat is detected”

·     Website: https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190116/florida-bill-would-ban-abortions-if-heartbeat-is-detected

·     Description: An article posted on January 16, states how a Florida state representative has filed a bill that would ban abortion after a heartbeat is detected. A reproductive rights director said that it is the most extreme bill to be presented anywhere in the U.S. and that it can be seen as unconstitutional. 

·     Problem: The bill would affect all women who become pregnant, even women who are raped. Rape victims that become pregnant would lose the right to control what they decide to do. Florida’s Supreme Court has challenged bills on reproductive health care in the past. However, according to the article, it is unknown how the new Supreme Court would handle the bill. 

·     Who face the problem: Pregnant women, but more specifically women who are victims of rape. 

 #4: “Sheriff: Need for 911 operators continues”

·     Website:https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190112/sheriff-need-for-911-operators-continues

·     Description: According to an article from January 12, there has been a shortage of 911 operators in Alachua County. Sheriff Darnell has been offering a bonus to the applicant that are qualified. The article explains that they need to be qualified to handle small incidents to larger, more complex accidents. Sheriff Darnell also stated that they have been able to get more patrols and deputies but have been struggling to get telecommunicators. 

·     Problem: With a lack of 911 responders, citizens of Alachua country can be placed in danger. The lack of 911 telecommunicators will slow down responses to calls of distress. It could also become more stressful to the few telecommunicators that are working.

·     Who face the problem: The people of Alachua County. 

 #5: “Leaders call for an end to human trafficking”

·     Website:https://www.gainesville.com/news/20190111/leaders-call-for-end-to-human-trafficking

·     Description: An article from January 11, explains how human trafficking has been an issue in Alachua county for a long time. On Friday (Jan. 11) the Alachua County Coalition Against Human Trafficking held a meeting to discuss this major problem The organization is trying to alert people in their community and make the problem aware. They even reward people that do more in their community to help. Florida has passed some laws against human trafficking but they have struggled with those cases because the victims are often scared and traumatized.

·     Problem: This is a major problem affecting Alachua Country. Unfortunately, there are nearly 25 million people that are affected according to the article. And over 70% of them are women and girls. Another problem is that because most the victims are traumatized, law enforcement has struggled with getting the vases to trial.

·     Who faces the problem: The people of Alachua County, mainly women and young girls. 

4A – Forming an Opportunity Belief

4A – Forming an Opportunity Belief 

            I feel that there is an unmet need for people that reach out for help dealing with mental health struggles at the university. Numerous students become very stressed throughout the semester and begin to experience severe anxiety or depression. This is a potential problem for anybody that studies or works on the university campus. One in four students has a diagnosable mental illness (https://www.csc.edu/bit/resources/statistics/).  Because so many people begin to struggle and need help, the mental health counseling center becomes limited very quickly and not everyone is able to receive help. As of now, professors have minimal information about where to search for help a student that is struggling mentally, however, it does not fix the main problem that there aren’t enough resources for so many students. I have had friends that have not been able to make an appointment with the counseling center because of the high demand. I believe that there is at least 70% that the opportunity exists. 

Interview #1 – 21-year-old female, Psychology & Biology major, pre-med track

1.    Have you ever experienced stressful situations while your time at the university? If so, how often do you encounter these stressful situations and how do you deal with them?

a.    “Yeah, I’d say it’s pretty frequent. At least every other week. I guess I would talk to my friends about it because they would probably understand and relate to how I’m feeling.”

2.    Have you had any mental health struggles that have affected your school or social life?

a.    “Yes, I can get overwhelmed easily and it can stop me from getting work done and stop me from wanting to do anything like go out. It can sometimes shut me down. You can’t focus on anything.”

3.    Do you feel like you are well informed of the possible options you can take to deal with stress, anxiety and/or or other mental health struggles? 

a.    “Not really. I think they try by doing the wellness events but I don’t really approach them or ask them anything which could be partially my part. I also, have friends that have tried to get help from the university and couldn’t get an appointment and even if they were able to, it was kind of a one-time thing. Not something that could help you in the long run.”

4.    Have you ever tried making an appointment with the counseling center on campus? If so how was your experience? 

a.    “No, I haven’t based on what I’ve heard from other students. I did try to make an appointment outside the university and all were occupied for months and wouldn’t take certain insurances.”

5.    Do you think there are any issues with the way the university handles students with mental health struggles? 

a.    “Yes. The culture here is that everyone is stressed and everyone thinks it’s supposed to be that way. But I think that professors should consult or maybe understand what the students are going through and be more considerate of what they need. For example, extend assignment dates because some students need more time due to their stress and anxiety levels. Plus, the wellness center is kind of far away. I personally wouldn’t know how to make an appointment if I wanted to. I think there are also stigmas about getting help, although not always intentional.”

Reflection: She was very open about the interview which made it easier to get more insight.  I found it interesting when she talked about the “culture” that everyone on campus is stressed but that nothing is done about it.

Interview #2 – 23-year-old male, Graduate student, Engineering 

1.    Have you ever experienced stressful situations while your time at the university? If so, how often do you encounter these stressful situations and how do you deal with them?

a.    “Yeah I’ve been in some stressful situations, but its less often than when I was an undergraduate student. I just try to take breaks and try to relax.”

2.    Have you had any mental health struggles that have affected your school or social life?

a.    “Like I said, not so much now but back during my undergrad, there were a few times where I got behind on assignments because of the stress.  I also had some anxiety before exams that kind of just added to the stress.”

3.    Do you feel like you are well informed of the possible options you can take to deal with stress, anxiety and/or or other mental health struggles? 

a.    “I remember seeing on the syllabuses about the wellness center but it was pretty vague and teachers just seems to skim over it.”

4.    Have you ever tried making an appointment with the counseling center on campus? If so how was your experience? 

a.    “No I haven’t tried to. I’ve just kind of try to deal with all that on my own, I don’t know if that’s the best way but that’s just what I do.”

5.    Do you think there are any issues with the way the university handles students with mental health struggles? 

a.    “Yeah I feel like the teachers should maybe try to relate with the students a bit more. It can be a stressful period in life and unfortunately, I’ve heard many sad stories about students really struggling to get by. Luckily now I find it easier to manage the stress maybe from just experience”

Reflection: Since he is a graduate student, I saw that he seemed less stressed than when he was an undergrad, which means that age difference could affect how they deal with mental health issues. However, he still felt that the school doesn’t necessarily do enough to help. 

Interview #3 – 18-year-old female, Cognitive Psychology major

1.    Have you ever experienced stressful situations while your time at the university? If so, how often do you encounter these stressful situations and how do you deal with them?

a.    “I’ve only been here for one full semester so it hasn’t been too bad yet. I have an older sister in her last year that goes here and she seems stressed a lot of the time.”

2.    Have you had any mental health struggles that have affected your school or social life?

a.    “No not really, I wasn’t that stressed during high school. So far my classes haven’t gotten so bad but I figure once I get to the harder classes it’ll get worse.”

3.    Do you feel like you are well informed of the possible options you can take to deal with stress, anxiety and/or or other mental health struggles? 

a.    “Um not really. They told us about the wellness center during preview but that’s about it I think.”

4.    Have you ever tried making an appointment with the counseling center on campus? If so how was your experience? 

a.    “No I haven’t felt a reason too.”

5.    Do you think there are any issues with the way the university handles students with mental health struggles? 

a.    “So far I haven’t had to deal with anything but from what I’ve heard from some older friends is that they’re stressed the majority of the time here. I’m kind of worried I’ll get stress out too but hopefully, I’ll learn how to deal with it.”

Reflection: She seemed to know less about the situation probably because she is younger and hasn’t had many experiences dealing with stress and anxiety. I still noticed that she wasn’t too aware of all the options that are available to those who need the help though. 

Summary

            Overall, my view hasn’t changes: I think that there is still an unmet need for those students that need help dealing with stress and anxiety. However, I feel that the main target group are undergraduates. Graduate students probably still need it, but less than the students still in their undergrad. I think that maybe the opportunity is about 60% there but I feel that is still enough to say there needs to be a change. The university should offer more options for students in search of help. Also, they should make it easier for students to get informed about the viable options. Adapting, could help students get through their classes and be more successful.