Thematic Analysis of Career Development of Harry Bhadeshia, Research Paper Example

Abstract

In a world where people are defined by their success, it is important to understand their journey to achievement as a way of inspiring others across the world. Every successful person has a story to tell, and it is often not a simple walk on the path. Having watched the documentary detailing Harry Bhadeshia and reading the transcript, this work seeks to explore the major themes revealed in the presentation. It is poised to guide and enlighten the reader of what it takes to be successful in life. With most people perceiving that it only takes hard work and talent/passion for being successful, the context reveals that success requires more than that. People need to be presented with rare opportunities and luck alongside hard work and talent to be successful in life. The thematic analysis of this work is largely supported by the readings from a book titled “Outliers: The Story of Success,” as the transcript mainly explores Harry Bhadeshia’s journey to career success.

Introduction

According to Malcolm Gladwell, “who we are cannot be separated from where we are from.” Over the ages, most people have had the perception that determination and hard work are the keys to success. Generations have raised children impacting them with the idea that if they work extremely hard in school, then they will be able to turn out successful in life (Datu, Yuen, and Chen 2018, p. 264). Most importantly, families originating from low socio-economic statuses have the notion that working hard can alleviate them from poverty (Furtado 2019, p. 7). However, crucial aspects that people need to understand are the power or the role that luck and opportunities play in the life of an individual (Gladwell 2017, p. 40). Exploring the career development of Harry Bhadeshia in the documentary reveals that the professor was determined, passionate, and hardworking, as well as presented with rare opportunities that his counterparts could not have at the time. Bhadeshia was, therefore, able to attain career development in the scientific field due to the opportunities and luck that he encountered. His life as a scientist supports Malcolm Gladwell’s point of view that luck and opportunity play a significant role in the success of an individual in life. In the documentary, Bhadeshia shares the steps that he took to attain his career success, and the major themes that are revealed include hard work and determination, opportunity, and luck. This analysis explores the main themes that are revealed in Bhadeshia’s transcript with the intention of defining the major determiners of success in life as a whole.

Bhadeshia is currently the Tata Steel professor of metallurgy at the University of Cambridge (Bhadeshia Transcript 2014, p.1). He reveals his unending passion for steel in the career field. However, the professor seeks to inform the audience of the steps he had to undergo to turn out successful. One thing that is explicit in the transcript is the passion that he had since childhood to know more about science. The professor claims that, while in Kenya with his family at a tender age, he would read about the book titled “Lead Acid Storage Battery,” which he claims to have thoroughly read it to the best of his abilities (Bhadeshia Transcript 2014, p.1). With Bhadeshia’s father working at a battery shop, he had the opportunity to learn ideas about science at a tender age. Even upon migrating to Britain, at the age of about sixteen years, he reached out to search for a job, a step that greatly influenced his life as a scientist. Luck and rare opportunity that the majority of people at his age had no privilege of. At the time Bhadeshia was in Africa, most of his counterparts did not have the chance to, for instance, read the same book as he did. Moreover, limited immigrants obtained favor in foreign land at the time.

The documentary is a typical masterpiece that reveals to the audience that success is attained through hard work, opportunity, talent/passion, as well as luck. Bhadeshia’s success story can be related to that of Bill Gates in the sense that they all had rare opportunities compared to their counterparts at the time, which provided a chance for them to succeed in their careers. While Gates came from a wealthy family that offered him unique opportunities for computer knowledge, Bhadeshia was from a family that was enlightened and always sought greener pastures for every member since they relocated from India to Kenya, then later to Britain. It calls for a description of the methodology deployed in analyzing the transcript in context comprising of a reflection of the documentary, conducting an analysis of the major themes revealed in the transcript, and offering a comprehensive explanation of the analysis.

Methodology

Design

The research involved various methods of information acquisition. Among them was reading the script provided. Also, a documentary with useful information on the life of Bhadeshia in the science industry was of key benefits. In the process of acquiring knowledge from these sources, a thorough analysis was also vital to ascertain the relevance and connection to the topic of study. While there is a wide range of sources that may provide information on the subject, it was essential to evaluate the authenticity of developing a credible and evidence-based study. The study closely followed the life of Bhadeshia from his original background in India to his relocation to Kenya and then to Britain in pursuit of different endeavors based on both opportunity and luck.

Participants

The study mainly focused on the life of Bhadeshia as the key participant in the analysis of opportunity and luck. Bhadeshia’s growth was studied keenly to understand the aspects of hard work that he contributed toward his achievements, as well as the opportunities and element of luck in that journey. In the process of understanding the experiences of Bhadeshia, other participants came into play as a source of knowledge or opportunity upon which he managed to pursue his studies.

Materials

Various materials have been used in the study to develop insightful research on hard work, opportunity, and luck. As stated earlier (design), the study acquired insightful information from a YouTube documentary. This offered significant knowledge on the life of Bhadeshia, including his originality and endeavors toward success. As well, the study looked into the transcript in addition to various journals that described the aspects of opportunity and luck on an open view.

Procedures

Bhadeshia’s transcript was initially read to grasp the overview of the documentary. Later, the YouTube link was opened and watched to see Bhadeshia giving a brief description of his journey in the science industry. The transcript was then analyzed, and codes were retrieved from it. The systems obtained were in line with particular excerpts in the transcript. For instance, the professor claimed to have been from a family, originally from the carpenter caste in India, which made such people craftsmen whose skills were on high demand in Kenya. Based on this information, codes revealed therein included “opportunity” and “luck.” The relocation from India to Kenya, then to Britain, presented Bhadeshia with what he needed to attain success in his career.

Ethical Considerations

Throughout the study, the dignity of the participants has been upheld, and no part of the report herein presents any form of biases or misinformation that may adversely affect the participant. The sources used, including the YouTube documentary, were public and open to every viewer who deemed it fit for purposes of the study, entertainment, or inspiration. The publication of “Inspiring scientists: Harry Bhadeshia’s story” on YouTube for public view is an indication that the content acquired conforms to a valid consent under the Code of Ethics and Conduct.

Reflexivity

Based on my study on hard work, opportunity, and luck, I present a relevant link on the use of the research materials and sources in completing this study. Various connections are presented for the information acquired and the relevance of the study. The information revealed by the professor claiming to be determined in reading a book titled “Lead-Acid Storage Battery” predisposed the code of “determination and hard work.” Getting a job at the British Oxygen Company without experience presented the code of “pure luck.” Moreover, being granted the chance to study at East Ham College of Technology while working for the British Oxygen Company was also a rare “opportunity” that shaped the career of Bhadeshia.

Results and Analysis

As stated earlier, based on the critical analysis of the information presented by Bhadeshia in the transcript, the major themes include opportunity, luck, hard work, and determination/passion.

Hard work and determination/passion

The success journey of Bhadeshia began in Africa, where he was born after his parents relocated from India to Kenya. At the time, the foreign country needed individuals specialized in construction. With Bhadeshia’s parents originating from the Carpenter’s caste in India, they were talented craftsmen. Their decision to shift from India to Kenya is an act of determination, as well as passion, as regards what they do. Bhadeshia later claims that his father used to “work in a battery shop basically, Exide battery” (Bhadeshia Transcript 2014, p.1). The statement reveals the determination and hard work of Bhadeshia’s parents (father) in ensuring they attain success in life. Despite migrating to Kenya to work in construction, his father ended up working in the battery shop, which is an act of determination.

At the time frame, when his father was working in the battery shop, Bhadeshia, made an initiative to study a book that concerns Lead Acid Storage Battery. As Bhadeshia claims, “So, he also had a book at home called the Lead Acid Storage Battery, which I was able to study as best as I could. But it really got me hooked into science” (Bhadeshia Transcript 2014, p.1). Based on this statement, it is evident that he was passionate and determined to read about the book to understand the mysteries behind science. By claiming to “study as best as I could,” Bhadeshia reveals his hard work and dedication to science at an early stage in life. Armed with such and after they relocated to Britain, Bhadeshia reveals to have searched for work at a tender age of sixteen, which is an act of determination. His notion in life was to work to be reproductive and successful, which was to be attained upon hard work.

Opportunity

Bhadeshia’s parents had a rare chance to work in Kenya because of their relevance in skills that were highly sought after. It is through their relocation in Kenya, when his career started to grow at the time, he began reading the book about Lead Acid Storage Battery (Bhadeshia Transcript 2014, p.1). More so, Bhadeshia and his parents had a rare opportunity to migrate to Europe as not always are those who apply for migration are awarded the chance. While in Britain, he had the opportunity to obtain a job at British Oxygen Company, as well as enrolled for studies at East Ham College of Technology (Bhadeshia Transcript 2014, p.1). Through hard work, Bhadeshia was able to excel in studies, which formed the basis for his current title of being a professor. The professor performed well in physics, mathematics, and science subjects, which are perceived as challenging to some people across the world.

Luck

Analyzing the life of Bhadeshia reveals that, as an individual and family, they were lucky as all their ventures in search of success in life worked out well for them. It is not always that people’s ideas and plans turn out in their favor. For instance, there are various people at the same time who also tried what Bhadeshia’s parents did, maybe to relocate to Kenya and Britain but failed. \Moreover, for Bhadeshia to get a job without any form of experience at sixteen years in Britain is pure luck (Bhadeshia Transcript 2014, p.1). Without experience, it is rare for an individual to be considered to work in a reputable company (Manning and Levine n.d, p. 214). To add on that, Bhadeshia was an immigrant, non-white, thriving in a region where racism was common is an implication of luck playing a major role in his career success. Consequently, being given a chance to study while working was luck and a rare opportunity that shaped Bhadeshia’s career success.

Discussion

The above analysis explores major aspects that contributed to the shaping of Bhadeshia’s career as a scientist in Steel Metallurgy. The themes include hard work and determination, opportunity, and luck. Based on the analysis of hard work and determination, the information reveals that success has to be earned by ‘toiling.’ The actions and decisions that people take in life defines their identity and differentiates them from others over time. The social contexts and histories of people has a role in the shaping of an individual’s identity (Crafter, Chapter 5, p. 224). The analysis reveals that Bhadeshia’s success depended on his personal hard work, determination, and passion for what he was doing. The content also reveals that determination and hard work must be innate, coming from the inside of an individual (Datu, Yuen, and Chen 2018, p. 267). In the event that an individual is forced by people around to work hard, then the zeal eventually ends with time. However, when an individual develops an inner desire to attain a specific thing in life, then he/she eventually obtains it. A closer look at Bhadeshia’s life reveals that he was not coerced by his family to venture into anything, but only made independent decisions by reading the science book while in Africa and looking for a job while in Britain.

On the other hand, an opportunity has been deployed as a theme, explaining the markers of Bhadeshia’s success in his career. The analysis seeks to reveal that without opportunities, people’s talent and hard work might not eventually lead to success (Manning and Levine n.d, p. 215). With support from the common book titled “Outliers: The Story of Success,” Gladwell reveals that success depends on an integration of opportunities, experiences, and a certain level of intelligence. The book reveals that for an individual to attain the required experience needed for success, ten thousand hours of practice for anything they do are needed (Gladwell 2017, p. 40). The opportunity that Bhadeshia had with the chemistry book titled “Lead Acid Storage Battery” and the working experience at British Oxygen Company contributed to the molding of his career, as he had more time to familiarize himself with the basics in his profession.

Consequently, luck, as presented in the analysis section, reveals that sometimes it can play a crucial role in shaping the career or success of an individual. Being born in a privileged family is luck as no one chooses where to be born (Pluchino, Biondo, and Rapisarda 2018, p. 10). Bhadeshia was born by parents originating in carpenter caste in India, where they had the privilege to be sought after in other nations, which laid a foundation for him to explore the world and find his passion in science. There are so many individuals, who, despite having the passion for something and being dedicated to pursuing it, fail to attain success in life as they are not lucky enough to secure better places/opportunities that can help in their growth (Pluchino, Biondo, and Rapisarda 2018, p. 13). At the time Bhadeshia was climbing the success ladder, there were also other people who had the same passion and determination to attain certain greatness but failed as maybe their families were not outgoing enough, or they were declined offers that would have marked the beginning of their success. Therefore, talent and dedicated practices, although essential for success, early advantages, and privileged opportunities, are what defines the outliers in society.

Reference List

Bhadeshia Harry. 2014. Inspiring scientists: Harry Bhadeshia’s story. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZUiTRTsynA

Crafter Sarah. Chapter 5: Can People Really Change? Changing Self-Identity and ‘Other’ Relationships Across the Lifespan.

Datu, J.A.D., Yuen, M. and Chen, G., 2018. Exploring determination for long-term goals in a collectivist context: A qualitative study. Current Psychology, 37(1), pp.263-271.

Furtado, B.A., 2019. Talent, Luck, Context and Perspective on Success: a disaggregating simulation using Risk. arXiv preprint arXiv:2001.00034.

Gladwell, M., 2017. Outliers: the story of success. Audio-Tech Business Book Summaries.

Manning, R., and Levine, M. n.d. Chapter 5 Why do we help one another? Helping, altruism and prosocial behaviour Rachel Manning and Mark Levine

Pluchino, A., Biondo, A.E. and Rapisarda, A., 2018. Talent versus luck: The role of randomness in success and failure. Advances in Complex Systems, 21(03n04), p.1850014.

Appendix

Transcripts of Codes