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The Entrepreneurial Perspective: The Nature and Importance of Entrepreneurs
The Entrepreneurial Perspective: The Nature and Importance of Entrepreneurs
THE ENTREPRENEURIAL
PERSPECTIVE
CHAPTER 1
The Nature and Importance of Entrepreneurs
CHAPTER 2
The Entrepreneurial and Intrapreneurial Mind
CHAPTER 3
The Individual Entrepreneur
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1
To introduce the concept of entrepreneurship and its historical development.
2
To explain the entrepreneurial decision process.
3
To identify the basic types of start-up ventures.
4
To explain the role of entrepreneurship in economic development.
5
To discuss the ethics and responsibilities associated with entrepreneurship.
OPENING PROFILE
DAVID REYNOLDS
Are you sure the courses you are taking will help you fulfill your future goals?
Do you ever question what you will be doing next year? What about five years down
the road?
If any of these questions sound familiar to you then you have something in common
with 21-year-old David Reynolds. Like many young people, David was unsure about
his future plans when he entered university. In fact, the only reason he enrolled at
Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) was its close proximity to his house. David
readily admits that he graduated from high school with no clear future goals and lots
of questions: When I graduated from high school I felt like I was on top of the world
for about three weeks. Then I started to wonder, what would I do next? I knew I
wasnt a great student and was more than a little afraid about what I was going to
do at university or even why I was going.
As David was pondering his future career goals, MSVU was unveiling its Entrepre-
neurial Skills Program (ESP). The aim of this multidisciplinary program is to expose
students to entrepreneurship as a career option and to enhance the entrepreneurial
skills of future graduates. The program consists of extracurricular activities such as
starting and running a business, a mentorship program, access to entrepreneurship
counselling, and exposure to successful entrepreneurs through a speakers series.
By chance David enrolled in an introductory business class taught by the ESP coordi-
nators. When he heard about the program he decided to join. I signed up for the
access to mentors and the ability to add something of value to my resumeto be hon-
est, I never even thought about becoming an entrepreneur or really knew what an
entrepreneur was. My main goal for enrolling in the program was to improve my
chances of landing a job.
Two years later, David is the CEO of a corporation called QuickSnap, named after the
shoe-fastening device he invented, and he runs a successful landscaping company. He
now has clear goals, including becoming a millionaire before the age of 29 and retir-
ing when he is 40. How did David go so quickly from having no future plans to want-
ing to retire at the age of 40? Reynolds recalls, I joined ESP and suddenly Im in love
with the concept of entrepreneurship. I discovered I could be my own boss, work in any
3
4 PART 1 THE ENTREPRENEURIAL PERSPECTIVE
business that I wanted to, and have unlimited earning potential. I went from no direc-
tion in my life to wanting to start 100 businesses at once. Then one day I noticed a
friend struggling to fasten his laces and the idea hits me: Why not eliminate tying laces?
I thought about what such a product would look like, drew a picture of the device, and
then actually made one with materials I found at home.
Sounds like a classic rags-to-riches story, doesnt it? There is, however, one glitch: the
money isnt pouring in just yet. David has discovered that manufacturing and selling a
product doesnt happen overnight and, in fact, doesnt happen in a few short months
either. David admits he made some mistakes early that slowed his progress. In our ESP
sessions we were encouraged to think big, to think that anything was possible, and to
plan, plan and plan. So what did I do? I started with no business plan. I just totally
ignored the advice of my ESP counsellors. I was sure this was a killer product, and every-
body I showed my homemade prototype to was certain I would sell millions. But six
months later, I was nowhere close to manufacturing one.
Rather than give up, David drew upon the counselling and mentorship available
through the ESP program and wrote a detailed business plan, made arrangements to
manufacture the product in China, and made contacts with major retail chains includ-
ing Wal-Mart. David thought he was on his way, I was sure I was set, I had a great prod-
uct with interested retailers all I needed was some initial capital to get going. So he
started to look for some sources of financing and discovered the following obstacles:
Banks did not want to lend to him without signed contracts and significant collateral.
Retailers would not sign a contract without a finished product.
He wasnt eligible for the majority of Canadian government programs because he
was manufacturing overseas. Unfortunately, if he were to manufacture in Canada,
the business would not be viable.
Any potential investors wanted a large equity position in the company
Many people would have given up, but David refused to quit. He has since discovered
government youth loan programs that he is eligible for and he hoped to start manu-
facturing QuickSnap in 2005. In addition, David is investigating some other ideas he has
developed, including a medical device and home exercise equipment.
Will he succeed? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: David is happy choosing
entrepreneurship as a career choice.
I love being an entrepreneur, it has opened up so many doors for me. If QuickSnap
doesnt work out, than something else will. The biggest thing I learned through study-
ing entrepreneurship is that anything is possible if you work hard enough.
The story of David Reynolds reflects the story of many entrepreneurs in a variety of
industries and various-sized companies. The historical aspect of entrepreneurship, as
well as the decision that David Reynolds and others have made to become entrepre-
neurs, is reflected in the following remarks of two successful entrepreneurs:
Being an entrepreneur and creating a new business venture is analogous to raising
childrenit takes more time and effort than you ever imagine and it is extremely difficult
CHAPTER 1 THE NATURE AND IMPORTANCE OF ENTREPRENEURS 5
and painful to get out of the situation. Thank goodness you cannot easily divorce yourself
from either situation.
When people ask me if I like being in business, I usually respond: On days when there
are more sales than problems, I love it; on days when there are more problems than sales,
I wonder why I do it. Basically, I am in business because it gives me a good feeling about
myself. You learn a lot about your capabilities by putting yourself on the line. Running a
successful business is not only a financial risk, it is an emotional risk as well. I get a lot of
satisfaction from having dared itdone itand been successful.
Does the profile of David Reynolds and these quotes fit your perception of the ca-
reer of an entrepreneur? Entrepreneurship is an exciting field of study. Research indi-
cates that individuals who study entrepreneurship are three to four times more likely
to start a business, and will earn 20 to 30 percent more, than students studying in other
fields. To understand the field better, it is important to learn about the nature and de-
velopment of entrepreneurship, the decision process involved in becoming an entre-
preneur, and the role of entrepreneurship in the economic development of a country.
Do you think that you possess the characteristics of an entrepreneur as displayed in
the Opening Profile and in the quotes above? You may want to take our Entrepre-
neur Assessment Quiz in Table 1.1 before reading further. Note that this quiz has not
been validated statistically and should only be used a discussion tool.
To help evaluate whether you have some of the abilities necessary to be a success-
ful entrepreneur, take the Entrepreneur Assessment Quiz below. Note that this quiz has
not been validated statistically. If you score well, however, you may have the ability to
be a successful entrepreneur. If you dont score well, dont be discouraged as research
indicates that the majority of people can increase their entrepreneurial characteristics
and chances of success by studying entrepreneurship. Furthermore, many entrepre-
neurs believe that both passion for an idea and the desire to succeed are the most im-
portant ingredients for entrepreneurial success.
After you have completed the quiz, count the number of Yes answers. Give yourself
one point for each Yes. If you score above 17 points, you have the drive to be an entre-
preneurthe desire, energy, and adaptability to make a viable business venture a suc-
cess. If you score between 13 and 17 points, your entrepreneurial drive is not as
apparent. While you definitely have the ability to become an entrepreneur, make sure
you are willing to commit to the process prior to starting a new venture. If you scored
less than 13 points, your entrepreneurial drive is even less apparent and you should con-
sider enhancing your drive through the study of entrepreneurship and small business
management. Again, keep in mind that that the quiz is not a scientifically validated in-
dicator of entrepreneurial drive. Such an instrument has not yet been developed.
1. Can you start a project and see it through to completion in spite of a myriad of obstacles?
_____ Yes _____ No
2. Can you make a decision on a matter and then stick to the decision even when challenged?
_____ Yes _____ No
3. Do you like to be in charge and be responsible?
_____ Yes _____ No
4. Do other people you deal with respect and trust you?
_____ Yes _____ No
5. Are you in good physical health?
_____ Yes _____ No
6. Are you willing to work long hours with little immediate compensation?
_____ Yes _____ No
7. Do you like meeting and dealing with people?
_____ Yes _____ No
8. Can you communicate effectively and persuade people to go along with your dream?
_____ Yes _____ No
9. Do others easily understand your concepts and ideas?
_____ Yes _____ No
10. Have you had extensive experience in the type of business you wish to start?
_____ Yes _____ No
11. Do you know the mechanics and forms of running a business (tax records, payroll records,
income statements, balance sheets)?
_____ Yes _____ No
12. Is there a need in your geographic area for the product or service you are intending to
market?
_____ Yes _____ No
13. Do you have skills in marketing and/or finance?
_____ Yes _____ No
14. Are other firms in your industrial classification doing well in your geographic area?
_____ Yes _____ No
15. Do you have a location in mind for your business?
_____ Yes _____ No
16. Do you have enough financial backing for the first year of operation?
_____ Yes _____ No
17. Do you have enough money to fund the start-up of your business or have access to it
through family or friends?
_____ Yes _____ No
18. Do you know the suppliers necessary for your business to succeed?
_____ Yes _____ No
19. Do you know individuals who have the talents and expertise you lack?
_____ Yes _____ No
20. Do you really want to start this business more than anything else?
_____ Yes _____ No
CHAPTER 1 THE NATURE AND IMPORTANCE OF ENTREPRENEURS 7
entrepreneur Individual The development of the theory of entrepreneurship parallels to a great extent the develop-
who takes risks and starts ment of the term itself. The word entrepreneur is French and, literally translated, means
something new between-taker or go-between.
Earliest Period
An early example of the earliest definition of an entrepreneur as a go-between is Marco Polo,
who attempted to establish trade routes to the Far East. As a go-between, Marco Polo would
sign a contract with a money person (forerunner of todays venture capitalist) to sell his
goods. A common contract during this time provided a loan to the merchantadventurer at a
22.5 percent rate, including insurance. While the capitalist was a passive risk bearer, the
merchantadventurer took the active role in trading, bearing all the physical and emotional
risks. When the merchantadventurer successfully sold the goods and completed the trip, the
profits were divided with the capitalist taking most of them (up to 75 percent), while the
merchantadventurer settled for the remaining 25 percent.
Middle Ages
In the Middle Ages, the term entrepreneur was used to describe both an actor and a person
who managed large production projects. In such large production projects, this individual
did not take any risks, but merely managed the project using the resources provided, usu-
ally by the government of a country. A typical entrepreneur in the Middle Ages was a
clericthe person in charge of great architectural works, such as castles and fortifications,
public buildings, abbeys, and cathedrals.
17th Century
The reemergent connection of risk with entrepreneurship developed in the 17th century,
with an entrepreneur being a person who entered into a contractual arrangement with the
government to perform a service or to supply stipulated products. Since the contract price
was fixed, any resulting profits or losses were the entrepreneurs. One entrepreneur in this
period was John Law, a Frenchman, who was allowed to establish a royal bank. The bank
eventually evolved into an exclusive franchise to form a trading company in the New
Worldthe Mississippi Company. Unfortunately, this monopoly on French trade led to
Laws downfall when he attempted to push the companys stock price higher than the value
of its assets, leading to the collapse of the company.
Richard Cantillon, a noted economist and author in the 1700s, understood Laws mis-
take. Cantillon developed one of the early theories of the entrepreneur and is regarded by
some as the founder of the term. He viewed the entrepreneur as a risk taker, observing that
merchants, farmers, craftsmen, and other sole proprietors buy at a certain price and sell at
an uncertain price, therefore operating at a risk.1
18th Century
In the 18th century, the person with capital was differentiated from the one who needed cap-
ital. In other words, the entrepreneur was distinguished from the capital provider (the
present-day venture capitalist). One reason for this differentiation was the industrialization
occurring throughout the world. Many of the inventions developed during this time were
reactions to the changing world, as was the case with the inventions of Eli Whitney and
Thomas Edison. Both Whitney and Edison were developing new technologies and were
unable to finance their inventions themselves. Whereas Whitney financed his cotton gin
with expropriated British crown property, Edison raised capital from private sources to
8 PART 1 THE ENTREPRENEURIAL PERSPECTIVE
develop and experiment in the fields of electricity and chemistry. Both Edison and Whitney
were capital users (entrepreneurs), not providers (venture capitalists). A venture capitalist
is a professional money manager who makes risk investments from a pool of equity capital
to obtain a high rate of return on the investments.
KC Irving is one of the best examples of this definition. Irving invented nothing, but rather
adapted and developed new technology in the creation of products to achieve economic
vitality. Irving emerged as one of the most dominant entrepreneurs of the twentieth century,
primarily through his unremitting competitiveness rather than his inventiveness or creativity.
entrepreneur as an In the middle of the 20th century, the notion of an entrepreneur as an innovator was
innovator An individual established:
developing something
unique
The function of the entrepreneur is to reform or revolutionize the pattern of production by
exploiting an invention or, more generally, an untried technological method of producing a new
commodity or producing an old one in a new way, opening a new source of supply of materials
or a new outlet for products, by organizing a new industry.3
In almost all of the definitions of entrepreneurship, there is agreement that we are talking about
a kind of behavior that includes: (1) initiative taking, (2) the organizing and reorganizing of
social and economic mechanisms to turn resources and situations to practical account, (3) the
acceptance of risk or failure.4
To an economist, an entrepreneur is one who brings resources, labor, materials, and other
assets into combinations that make their value greater than before, and also one who introduces
changes, innovations, and a new order. To a psychologist, such a person is typically driven by
certain forcesthe need to obtain or attain something, to experiment, to accomplish, or perhaps
to escape the authority of others. To one businessman, an entrepreneur appears as a threat, an
aggressive competitor, whereas to another businessman the same entrepreneur may be an ally, a
source of supply, a customer, or someone who creates wealth for others, as well as finds better
ways to utilize resources, reduce waste, and produce jobs others are glad to get.5
Entrepreneurship is the dynamic process of creating incremental wealth. The wealth is
created by individuals who assume the major risks in terms of equity, time, and/or career com-
mitment or provide value for some product or service. The product or service may or may not
be new or unique, but value must somehow be infused by the entrepreneur by receiving and
locating the necessary skills and resources.6
Although each of these definitions views entrepreneurs from a slightly different per-
spective, they all contain similar notions, such as newness, organizing, creating, wealth, and
risk taking. Yet each definition is somewhat restrictive, since entrepreneurs are found in all
professionseducation, medicine, research, law, architecture, engineering, social work,
distribution, and the government. To include all types of entrepreneurial behaviour, the
following definition of entrepreneurship will be the foundation of this book:
entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship is the process of creating something new with value by devoting the neces-
Process of creating sary time and effort, assuming the accompanying financial, psychic, and social risks, and
something new and receiving the resulting rewards of monetary and personal satisfaction and independence.7
assuming the risks
and rewards This definition stresses four basic aspects of being an entrepreneur regardless of the
field. First, entrepreneurship involves the creation processcreating something new of
value. The creation has to have value to the entrepreneur and value to the audience for which
it is developed. This audience can be (1) the market of organizational buyers for business
innovation, (2) the hospitals administration for a new admitting procedure and software,
(3) prospective students for a new course or even college of entrepreneurship, or (4) the con-
stituency for a new service provided by a nonprofit agency. Second, entrepreneurship
requires the devotion of the necessary time and effort. Only those going through the entre-
preneurial process appreciate the significant amount of time and effort it takes to create
something new and make it operational. As one new entrepreneur so succinctly stated,
While I may have worked as many hours in the office while I was in industry, as an entre-
preneur I never stop thinking about the business. Assuming the necessary risks is the third
aspect of entrepreneurship. These risks take a variety of forms, depending on the field of
effort of the entrepreneur, but usually centre around financial, psychological, and social
areas. The final part of the definition involves the rewards of being an entrepreneur. The
most important of these rewards is independence, followed by personal satisfaction. For
profit entrepreneurs, the monetary reward also comes into play. For some profit entrepre-
neurs, money becomes the indicator of the degree of success.
For the person who actually starts his or her own business, the experience is filled with
enthusiasm, frustration, anxiety, and hard work. There is a high failure rate due to such
things as poor sales, intense competition, lack of capital, or lack of managerial ability. The
financial and emotional risk can also be very high. What, then, causes a person to make this
difficult decision? The question can be best explored by looking at the decision process
involved in becoming an entrepreneur.
10 PART 1 THE ENTREPRENEURIAL PERSPECTIVE
ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN CANADA
If you were to ask business executives to name the Brody makes the case for considering Canada one of
great centres of entrepreneurship, few of them the worlds centres of entrepreneurial excellence.
even the Canadianswould mention Canada. Yet PROFIT: Just how good are Canadians as entrepre-
the reality, contends venture capitalist and technol- neurs? If you look at the Canadians whove gone
ogy entrepreneur Leonard Brody, is that this coun- out and founded world-class technology companies,
try punches far above its weight in breeding very few countries in the world are having as much of
groundbreaking companies, especially in the tech an impact on the technology business on a per-capita
and Web sectors. basis as Canada. Look at the size of the companies
Brody, who was a senior executive at Onvia that have come out of here. Look at every subsector
Canada, Canadas fastest-growing startup in PROFIT of technology and you havent got a Canadian com-
magazines 2000 listing, is now a Vancouver-based pany thats doing well; rather, youve got a Canadian
venture partner at GrowthWorks Capital, one of company thats at the pole position in that sector.
Canadas largest national technology funds. He co- Look at the Internet: Yahoo! [co-founded by a
wrote the recently published Everything I Needed to Canadian], eBay [co-founded by a Canadian], Flickr,
Know About BusinessI Learned From a Canadian, InnerSell, Ice.com, Askmen.com. Look at wireless: Re-
which profiles 16 Canadian entrepreneurs. In an in- search in Motion, Sierra Wireless. Look at software:
terview with PROFIT senior editor Jim McElgunn, Akamai, Red Hat, Crystal Decisions. Theyre not just
names that people say, Oh yeah, Ive heard about So Canadians design companies that are built to last?
them. Theyre real players. Thats exactly right. You can see that in the much
What evidence do you have that Canadians are highly lower rates of bankruptcy here than in the U.S. for
entrepreneurial? Theres a ton of data. We have early-stage companies. In the dot-com era, for in-
twice the percentage of people self-employed as the stance, not as many Canadians were burned because
U.S. does: 20% vs. 10%. That is an important facet for of that view of the long game. And that goes back to
Canadians to accept, that we are double the [relative] how we were raised. We grew up with very sustain-
size of the entrepreneurial community south of the able models of business. Every market had a long-
border. Look at The World Competitiveness Yearbook standing telco, every market had a cable company, a
ranking Canada as the fifth-most-competitive econ- couple of banks; we have The Bay.
omy in the world, and The Economist rating us as the Where do we need to improve? We need to over-
most competitive economy globally between now and come our risk aversion. Canadians are not yet of
2009. We are second in the world in quality of man- the school of thought that failure is a badge of
agement practices, according to The World Competi- honour, not of shame. Entrepreneurs do not become
tiveness Yearbook. Canadian VCs always bellyache great until they fail. Rupert Murdoch went bankrupt
about how were not good managers, but the WCY seven times. Failure is something we need to em-
sees that differently. brace. If we dont start accepting the importance of
Whats driving the creation of these new companies? failure as a lesson rather than a badge of shame, we
One of the factors is that a family of first-generation are going to lose out on opportunities.
entrepreneur success stories are now breeding alumni Second, we need to work on our marketing
who are starting their own companies. Look at whats prowess. We are not good marketers. We need to get
happened in Vancouver with Electronic Arts, the better. The very fact that we need to have a conver-
worlds biggest video-game developer. A huge video- sation about whether Canadians are good entrepre-
game cluster has developed as all these former EA em- neurs says somethingwe wouldnt need to have
ployees have set up great companies. And because of that in the U.S.
RIM, youve got great companies coming out of Finally, we need to become more venturesome.
Waterloo, such as Descartes and Sandvine. Canadians need to get out of this lord of the middle
kingdom mentality. We need to start taking some
What are typical Canadian strengths as entrepre- serious swings for the fences. If we match that with a
neurs? First, we have an innovation fabric. Our ge- greater tolerance for risk and our ability to look at
ography forced us into technology and R&D right that third period and sustainability, well have a great
away. Very few countries have the roots of their na- mix for future growth for this country.
tionhood tied inextricably to technology, innovation
and entrepreneurship. At almost every step in our his-
Discussion
tory, Canadians were early adopters. We were always
After reading the article, are you surprised by some
at the height of the adoption curve for satellite, cable,
of the findings and statements made by Brody? Do
radio, television, broadband. Whenever the nation
you think Canadians see themselves as excellent
needed to use technology to unite itself, we did it.
entrepreneurs? Why or why not? Why do you think
Second, theres respect. One of the big issues in busi-
Brody contends that Canadians are not good mar-
ness is trust. When you walk into a room and say youre
keters? Could this be related to Canadian culture?
a Canadian, that brand means something. It means
While the article contends we are a nation of entre-
youre trustworthy, it means youre reliable, it means
preneurs, many Canadians cannot identify leading
you have sustainability. And those things are critical for
Canadian entrepreneurs. Does the media and edu-
entrepreneurs when theyre building companies.
cation system do enough to promote entrepreneur-
Another factor is the ability to see the third period.
ship in this country?
Americans tend to focus very much on the first period,
whereas Canadians, while understanding the first pe-
riod, are well-trained to understand sustainability. They
Source: Reprinted with permission of Rogers Media, Canadian
want to understand, Wheres this going to be in 15 Entrepreneurs Kick Ass, by Jim McElgunn, August 25, 2005,
years? Whats the road going to look like in 15 years? PROFIT magazine: www.PROFITguide.com.
11
12 PART 1 THE ENTREPRENEURIAL PERSPECTIVE
entrepreneurial decision
process Deciding to
THE ENTREPRENEURIAL DECISION PROCESS
become an entrepreneur Though many individuals have creative new ideas, few can bring their ideas to the market
by leaving present and create a new venture. Yet entrepreneurship and the actual entrepreneurial decisions have
activity resulted in several million new businesses being started throughout the world. Although no
one knows the exact number, in Canada, estimates indicate that in recent years around
1 million new companies have been formed each year.
Indeed, millions of ventures are formed despite recession, inflation, high interest rates,
lack of infrastructure, economic uncertainty, and the high probability of failure. Each of
these ventures is formed through a very personal human process that, although unique, has
some characteristics common to all. While some ventures result from specific circum-
stances many entrepreneurs follow the entrepreneurial decision process, which entails a
movement from something to somethinga movement from a present lifestyle to forming
a new enterprise, as indicated in Table 1.2.
Source: Adapted from Robert D. Hisrich, Entrepreneurship and Intrapreneurship: Methods for Creating New Companies That
Have an Impact on the Economic Renaissance of an Area. In Entrepreneurship, Intrapreneurship, and Venture Capital, ed.
Robert D. Hisrich (Lexington, MA: Lexington Books, 1986), p. 90.
CHAPTER 1 THE NATURE AND IMPORTANCE OF ENTREPRENEURS 13
ADVICE TO AN ENTREPRENEUR
1. What is it about these anniversaries that
Source: Reprinted with permission of Entrepreneur Media, Inc.,
provides entrepreneurs opportunities? Remember When: These Are the Milestones Youll Remember
2. Which anniversary above do you believe 2003 By. Hope You Take Advantage, By Chris Sundlund, January
2003, Entrepreneur magazine: www.entrepreneur.com. Please
provides the greatest opportunity for you to form contact Jeremy at Scoop Reprint Source to assist you with your
a management team and enter the industry? reprint needs: (800) 767-3263, ext. 307.
Perhaps an even stronger incentive to overcome the inertia and leave a present lifestyle to
create something new comes from a negative forcedisruption. A significant number of
companies are formed by people who have retired, who are relocated due to a move by the
other member in a dual-career family, or who have been fired. There is probably no greater
force than personal dislocation to galvanize a persons will to act. One study indicates that
the number of new listings in the Yellow Pages increases by 12 percent during a layoff period.
Another cause of disruption that can result in company formation is someones completion
of an educational degree. For example, a student who is not promoted after receiving an
MBA degree may become frustrated and decide to leave and start a new company.
What causes this personal disruption to result in a new company being formed? The
decision to start a new company occurs when an individual perceives that forming a new
enterprise is both desirable and possible.
Advantages
Independence Statistics Canada has indicated that the number-one reason entrepre-
neurs start their own business is independence. Entrepreneurship offers people the chance
to be their own boss, make meaningful decisions, and answer to no one but themselves. One
young entrepreneur, Jerome Turner, started HubbaTubba, a hot tub leasing company. He
sums up this sentiment in a few words, I was tired of making others rich, tired of asking
permission, and tired of saying, Yes sir. I started my own business because I have the free-
dom to do what I want, when I want. I am responsible to one personmeand I love it!
Financial Rewards There is an old saying that says, Nobody ever becomes rich
working for somebody else. This sums up one of the most common reasons given by busi-
ness owners when asked why they left traditional employment for entrepreneurship. Entre-
preneurs are often motivated by the possibility of earning a higher salary than the one they
would traditionally earn as an employee.
Challenge Many business owners love dealing with the various challenges associated
with entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs are almost never complacent as they are constantly
pushing their skill set in new and different directions. Sharon Beasley of Mrs. Beasleys
Cookies says that one of the biggest reasons she started her own business was to challenge
herself and see how far her own abilities could take her: I started my company because I
wanted to know that I could. I wanted to push my abilities into areas that my traditional
employer would not allow. Many young entrepreneurs start a business because they are
unsatisfied with the limited responsibility they receive upon graduation due to their age and
lack of experience.
Disadvantages
Risk Entrepreneurship is considered much riskier than traditional employment for good
reason. As an employee, the worst case scenario is losing a job. For many entrepreneurs, the
worst case scenario often involves losing ones life savings. This risk is compounded when
one considers that the majority of new ventures fail within the first three years of operation.
Stress Business owners often experience a high degree of anxiety and stress. Many
entrepreneurs have problems dealing with the self-reliance aspect of owning a business and
have difficulty separating their business from their family life, thus causing stress and
CHAPTER 1 THE NATURE AND IMPORTANCE OF ENTREPRENEURS 19
Working Hours Many entrepreneurs are attracted to business ownership because they
want to set their own schedules and believe they will work fewer hours when compared to
paid employment. This has not proven to be the case, as indicated in a recent study com-
pleted by Industry Canada, which found that entrepreneurs work on average 40.8 hours per
week compared to 35.5 hours for employees, and 33 percent of entrepreneurs worked over
50 hours per week compared to only 5 percent of employees.11
Lack of Skills Many entrepreneurs start a business based on a belief that they have the
skills necessary to run their own business. This is often not the case. Entrepreneurs often
quickly realize that they need to develop different competencies or hire people to comple-
ment their skill set. Sharon Beasley expressed this when recalling problems with starting
her company: I started a cookie company because I loved to bake and felt my cookies were
unique. I assumed that the majority of my time would be spent baking cookies with a small
amount of time allocated to running the company. Was I ever wrong! The majority of my
time was spent making presentations, contacting current and potential customers, and man-
aging my cash flow. I spent less time baking in the first three years of business then I could
ever imagine and had to develop skills I didnt even know I had.
TYPES OF START-UPS
What types of start-ups result from the entrepreneurial decision process? One very useful
classification system divides start-ups into four categories: cottage company, lifestyle firms,
cottage company foundation companies, and high-potential ventures. A cottage company (or micro-
A small venture that enterprise) is a privately held business that generally employs fewer than 10 people and has
generally employs fewer revenues of less than $1 million. This type of firm often supplements traditional employ-
than 10 people and ment or other income, has only one employee (usually the owner), may or may not be
has revenues of less
operated as a home business, and often experiences very little growth. Cottage companies
than $1 million
are growing in popularity as many baby boomers are retiring and starting up small compa-
nies to supplement their retirement income.
It is important to note that while many cottage companies are owner-operated, they still
employ more that 50 percent of working Canadians. In addition, many of Canadas large
businesses started as cottage companies and grew over time. For example, in 2005, 27 of
Canadas 100 fastest-growing companies as reported by PROFIT magazine had fewer than
five employees in 1999. Glacier Ventures International Corp., a Vancouver company that
publishes agricultural newspapers and community weekly papers, has grown from just
three employees in 1999 to 355 in 2005.13
lifestyle firm A small A lifestyle firm is privately held and usually achieves only modest growth due to the nature
venture that supports the of the business, the objectives of the entrepreneur, and the limited money devoted to research
owners and usually does and development. This type of firm may grow after several years to 30 or 40 employees and
not grow have annual revenues of about $2 million. A lifestyle firm exists primarily to support the
owners and usually has little opportunity for significant growth and expansion.
20 PART 1 THE ENTREPRENEURIAL PERSPECTIVE
foundation company A The third type of start-upthe foundation companyis created from research and
type of company formed development and lays the foundation for a new business area. This firm can grow in 5 to
from research and 10 years from 40 to 400 employees and from $10 million to $20 million in yearly revenues.
development that usually Since this type of start-up rarely goes public, it usually draws the interest of private
does not go public
investors only, not the venture-capital community.
high-potential venture The final type of start-upthe high-potential ventureis the one that receives the great-
A venture that has high est investment interest and publicity. While the company may start out like a foundation
growth potential and company, its growth is far more rapid. After 5 to 10 years, the company could employ
therefore receives great around 500 employees, with $20 million to $30 million in revenue. These firms are also
investor interest
called gazelles and are integral to the economic development of an area.
gazelles Very high Given that the results of the decision-making process need to be perceived as desirable
growth ventures
and possible for an individual to change from a present lifestyle to a radically new one, it
is not surprising that the type and number of new business formations vary greatly
throughout the world as well as throughout Canada. Some regions in Canada have more
support infrastructure and a more positive attitude toward new business creation.
of business and society. This change is accompanied by growth and increased output, which
allows more wealth to be divided by the various participants. What in an area facilitates the
needed change and development? One theory of economic growth depicts innovation as the
key, not only in developing new products (or services) for the market but also in stimulat-
ing investment interest in the new ventures being created. This new investment works on
both the demand and the supply sides of the growth equation; the new capital created
expands the capacity for growth (supply side), and the resultant new spending utilizes the
new capacity and output (demand side).
In spite of the importance of investment and innovation in the economic development of
product-evolution process an area, there is still a lack of understanding of the product-evolution process. This is the
Process for developing process through which innovation develops and commercializes through entrepreneurial
and commercializing an activity, which in turn stimulates economic growth.
innovation The product-evolution process, illustrated in Figure 1.1 as a cornucopia, the tradi-
tional symbol of abundance, begins with knowledge in the base technology and
sciencesuch as thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, or electronicsand ends with
products or services available for purchase in the marketplace.14 The critical point in the
product-evolution process is the intersection of knowledge and a recognized social need,
iterative synthesis The which begins the product development phase. This point, called iterative synthesis, often
intersection of knowledge fails to evolve into a marketable innovation and is where the entrepreneur needs to con-
and social need that starts centrate his or her efforts. The lack of expertise in this areamatching the technology
the product development with the appropriate market and making the needed adjustmentsis an underlying
process
problem in any technology transfer.
The innovation can, of course, be of varying degrees of uniqueness. Most innovations
ordinary innovations introduced to the market are ordinary innovations, that is, with little uniqueness or tech-
New products with little nology. As expected, there are fewer technological innovations and breakthrough innova-
technological change tions, with the number of actual innovations decreasing as the technology involved
technological increases. Regardless of its level of uniqueness or technology, each innovation (particu-
innovations New larly the latter two types) evolves into and develops toward commercialization through one
products with significant of three mechanisms: the government, intrapreneurship, or entrepreneurship.
technological
advancement
breakthrough
Government as an Innovator
innovations New The government is one conduit for commercializing the results of the synthesis of social
products with some need and technology. This is frequently called technology transfer and has been the focus
technological change of a significant amount of research effort. Despite this effort, relatively few inventions
government as an resulting from sound scientific government-sponsored research have reached (been trans-
innovator A ferred to) the commercial market. Most of the by-products of this scientific research have
government active in little application to any commercial need. The few by-products that are applicable require
commercializing significant modification to have market appeal. Though the government has the financial
technology
resources to successfully transfer the technology to the marketplace, it lacks the business
technology transfer skills, particularly marketing and distribution, necessary for successful commercializa-
Commercializing the tion. In addition, government bureaucracy and red tape often inhibit the business from
technology in the
being formed in a timely manner.
laboratories into new
products
Intrapreneurship
intrapreneurship Intrapreneurship (entrepreneurship within an existing business structure) can also bridge
Entrepreneurship within the gap between science and the marketplace. Existing businesses have the financial
an existing organization resources, business skills, and frequently the marketing and distribution systems to com-
mercialize innovation successfully. Yet, too often the bureaucratic structure, the emphasis
22 PART 1 THE ENTREPRENEURIAL PERSPECTIVE
Science
Technology
Thermodynamics
Fluid mechanics
Electronics
III
II
l ling Industry
de
IV
o
M
i ng
nn
Pl a
g
in
nc
g
in
Fi na
ur
act
I
g
M anuf
M arketi n
Gut feeling
Knowledge
Vision
on short-term profits, and a highly structured organization inhibit creativity and prevent
new products and businesses from being developed. Corporations recognizing these
inhibiting factors and the need for creativity and innovation have attempted to establish an
intrapreneurial spirit in their organizations. In the present era of hypercompetition, the need
for new products and the intrapreneurial spirit have become so great that more and more
companies are developing an intrapreneurial environment, often in the form of strategic
business units (SBUs). Intrapreneurship is discussed in Chapter 2.
CHAPTER 1 THE NATURE AND IMPORTANCE OF ENTREPRENEURS 23
Entrepreneurship
The third method for bridging the gap between science and the marketplace is via entrepre-
neurship. Many entrepreneurs have a difficult time bridging this gap and creating new ven-
tures. They may lack managerial skills, marketing capability, or financial resources. Their
inventions are often unrealistic, requiring significant modification to be marketable. In addi-
tion, entrepreneurs frequently do not know how to interface with all the necessary entities,
such as banks, suppliers, customers, venture capitalists, distributors, and advertising agencies.
Yet, in spite of all these difficulties, entrepreneurship is presently the most effective method
for bridging the gap between science and the marketplace, creating new enterprises, and bring-
ing new products and services to the market. These entrepreneurial activities significantly
affect the economy of an area by building the economic base and providing jobs. In some
areas, entrepreneurship accounts for the majority of new products and net new employment.
Given its impact on both the overall economy and the employment of an area, it is surprising
that entrepreneurship has not become even more of a focal point in economic development.
Source: Adapted from Donald D. Bowen and Robert D. Hisrich, The Female Entrepreneur: A Career Development Perspective, The Academy of Management
Review II (April 1986), pp. 393407.
The research on the childhood family environment of the entrepreneur has had more
definitive results. Entrepreneurs tend to have self-employed fathers, many of whom are also
entrepreneurs. Many also have entrepreneurial mothers. The family, particularly the father
or mother, plays an important role in establishing the desirability and credibility of entre-
preneurship as a career path. As one entrepreneur said: My father and mother always
encouraged me to try new things and do everything very professionally. They wanted me to
be the very best and have the freedom and independence of being my own boss.
Employment history also has an impact on entrepreneurial careers, in both a positive and a
negative sense. On the positive side, entrepreneurs tend to have a higher probability of success
when the venture created is in their field of work experience. This increased success rate makes
the providers of risk capital particularly concerned when this work experience is not present.
Negative displacement (such as dissatisfaction with various aspects of ones job, being fired
or demoted, being transferred to an undesirable location, or having ones spouse take a new
position in a new geographic area) encourages entrepreneurship and new venture formation.
Although no definitive research has been done on the adult development history of
entrepreneurs, it appears to also affect entrepreneurial careers. Development history has
somewhat more of an impact on women, since they tend to start businesses at a later stage
in life than men, usually after having experienced significantly more job frustration.
There is a similar lack of data on adult family/nonwork history. Although there is some
information on entrepreneurs marital and family situations, the available data add little to
our understanding of entrepreneurial career paths.
The impact of the current work situation has received considerably more research and
attention. Entrepreneurs are known for their strong work values and aspirations, their long
workdays, and their dominant management style. Entrepreneurs tend to fall in love with the
organization and will sacrifice almost anything in order to ensure its survival. This desire is
reflected in the individual entrepreneurs current career perspective and family/nonwork
situation. The new venture usually takes the highest priority in the entrepreneurs life and
is the source of the entrepreneurs self-esteem.
While in university, few students, but increasing in number, think they will pursue
entrepreneurship as their major life goal. Even among those that do, relatively few indi-
viduals will start a business immediately after graduation, and even fewer will prepare for
a new venture creation by working in a particular position or industry. This mandates that
CHAPTER 1 THE NATURE AND IMPORTANCE OF ENTREPRENEURS 25
Source: Robert D. Hisrich, Toward an Organization Model for Entrepreneurial Education, Proceedings, International Entrepreneurship Conference, Dortmund,
Germany (June 1992), p. 29.
26 PART 1 THE ENTREPRENEURIAL PERSPECTIVE
Technical Skills
Writing
Oral communication
Monitoring environment
Technical business management
Technology
Interpersonal
Listening
Ability to organize
Network building
Management style
Coaching
Being a team player
Inner control/disciplined
Risk taker
Innovative
Change oriented
Persistent
Visionary leader
Ability to manage change
Source: Robert D. Hisrich, Toward an Organization Model for Entrepreneurial Education, Proceedings, International
Entrepreneurship 1992 Conference, Dortmund, Germany (June 1992), p. 29.
factors including students and parents who see a link between entrepreneurship and career
options, faculty who have identified that non-business students actually have higher venture
rates than traditional business students and need entrepreneurial training, and university
administration impressed by the high enrolment numbers of university-wide courses.
28 PART 1 THE ENTREPRENEURIAL PERSPECTIVE
ethical beliefs of students and academic faculty; and (4) empirical research within business
environments, measuring the attitudes and ethical views, primarily of managers within
large organizations. Each of these areas offers insight into the ethical dimensions of entre-
preneurs and managers. Some aspects of business ethics are indicated in the Ethics box in
each chapter. Ethics is not only a general topic for conversation but a deep concern of
businesspeople as the survey results indicate.
29
30 PART 1 THE ENTREPRENEURIAL PERSPECTIVE
coursescourses for which degree credit is given. Very few universities are yet involved in
the actual enterprise creation process where the university, faculty, and/or students share in
the sales and profits of the new venture.
This increase in course offerings has been accompanied by an increase in academic
research, endowed chairs in the area, entrepreneurship concentrations and majors, and cen-
tres of entrepreneurial activity. This trend will continue, supported by an increase in Ph.D.
activity, which will in turn provide the needed faculty and research effort to support the
future increases in course offerings, endowed positions, centres, and other research efforts.
Various governments are taking an increased interest in promoting the growth of entrepre-
neurship. Individuals are encouraged to form new businesses and are provided such govern-
ment support as tax incentives, buildings, roads, and a communication system to facilitate this
creation process. Encouragement by the federal and provincial governments should continue
in the future as more lawmakers understand that new enterprises create jobs and increase eco-
nomic output in the area. Some provincial governments in Canada are developing their own
innovative industrial strategies for fostering entrepreneurial activity and the timely develop-
ment of the technology of the area. The impact of this strategy is seen in the venture-capital
industry, which is always sensitive to government regulations and policies.
Societys support of entrepreneurship will also continue. This support is critical in pro-
viding both motivation and public support. Never before have entrepreneurs been so
revered by the general populace. Entrepreneurial endeavours in Canada are considered
honourable and even, in many cases, prestigious pursuits. A major factor in the develop-
ment of this societal approval is the media. The media has played, and will continue to play,
a powerful and constructive role by reporting on the general entrepreneurial spirit in
Canada and highlighting specific success cases of this spirit in operation. Major articles in
such newspapers as The Globe and Mail, the National Post, and the Toronto Star have
focused on the pioneer spirit of todays entrepreneurs, describing how this spirit benefits
society. General business magazines such as PROFIT, Canadian Business, Forbes, and
Fortune have provided similar coverage by adding special columns on entrepreneurship
and venturing. Magazines such as Black Enterprise, Entrepreneur, INC., and Journal of
Business Venturingwhich focus on specific issues of the entrepreneurial process, start-
ing new ventures, and small, growing businesseshave built solid and increasing circula-
tion rates. Television on both a national and a local level has highlighted entrepreneurship
by featuring specific individuals and issues involved in the entrepreneurial process. Not
only have local stations covered regional occurrences, but national shows such as
Venture, MoneyTalk, and Squeeze Play have had special segments devoted to this
phenomenon, and Report on Business Television (ROBTV) is a channel dedicated to
business and entrepreneurship issues. This media coverage uplifts the image of the entre-
preneur and growth companies and focuses on their contributions to society.
Finally, large companies will continue to have an interest in their special form of
entrepreneurshipintrapreneurshipin the future. These companies will be increasingly
interested in capitalizing on their research and development (R&D) in todays hyper-
competitive business environment. Other companies will want to create more new busi-
nesses through intrapreneurship in the future, particularly in light of the hypercompetition
and the need for globalization.
CHAPTER 1 THE NATURE AND IMPORTANCE OF ENTREPRENEURS 31
IN REVIEW
SUMMARY
The definition of an entrepreneur has evolved over time as the worlds economic
structure has changed and become more complex. Since its beginnings in the Middle
Ages, when it was used in relation to specific occupations, the notion of the entre-
preneur has been refined and broadened to include concepts that are related to the
person rather than the occupation. Risk taking, innovation, and creation of wealth
are examples of the criteria that have been developed as the study of new business
creations has evolved. In this text, entrepreneurship is defined as the process of
creating something new with value by devoting the necessary time and effort;
assuming the accompanying financial, psychological, and social risks; and receiving
the resultant rewards of monetary and personal satisfaction and independence.
The decision to start an entrepreneurial venture consists of several sequential steps:
(1) the decision to leave a present career or lifestyle, (2) the decision that an entrepre-
neurial venture is desirable, and (3) the decision that both external and internal factors
make new venture creation possible. Although the decision-making process is applica-
ble to each of the three types of start-up companies, the emphasis in each one is cer-
tainly different. Because of their differing natures, foundation companies and
high-potential ventures require a more conscious effort to reach a defensible decision
on these points than cottage companies and lifestyle firms.
There are both pushing and pulling influences active in the decision to leave a
present career: the push of job dissatisfaction or even a layoff, and the pull
toward entrepreneurship of seeing an unfilled need in the marketplace. The desir-
ability of starting ones own company is strongly influenced by culture, subculture,
family, teachers, and peers. Any of these influences can function as a source of
encouragement for entrepreneurship, with support ranging from government poli-
cies that favour business to strong personal role models of family or friends. Beyond
the stage of seeing entrepreneurship as a good idea, the potential entrepreneur
must possess or acquire the necessary education, management skills, and financial
resources for launching the venture.
The study of entrepreneurship has relevance today, not only because it helps entre-
preneurs better fulfill their personal needs but because of the economic contribution
of the new ventures. More than increasing national income by creating new jobs, en-
trepreneurship acts as a positive force in economic growth by serving as the bridge be-
tween innovation and the marketplace. Although the government gives great support
to basic and applied research, it has not had great success in translating the techno-
logical innovations to products or services. Although intrapreneurship offers the prom-
ise of a marriage of those research capabilities and business skills that one expects from
a large corporation, the results so far in many companies have not been spectacular.
This leaves the entrepreneur, who frequently lacks both technical and business skills, to
serve as the major link in the process of innovation development, and economic growth
and revitalization. The study of entrepreneurship and the education of potential
entrepreneurs are essential parts of any attempt to strengthen this link so essential to
a countrys economic well-being.
32 PART 1 THE ENTREPRENEURIAL PERSPECTIVE
HANDS-ON ACTIVITY
Students should form groups of two to three and start a small business or a mini-
venture that will run for a period of four to six hours. The only rules to follow are:
a. The business has to be legal
b. No lotteries
c. Maximum investment of $1
d. Business must cease operations at days end
After the students complete the project, they can write a reflection stating what they
did, whether they made a profit, and what they learned. An alternate assignment
could be to have the students present the results of the assignment to the class.
R E S E A R C H TA S K S
1. Ask five entrepreneurs what the term entrepreneurship means to them. Be
prepared to present the commonalities and differences of these definitions to the
class. Can differences in the definitions be explained by the type of
entrepreneur interviewed?
2. Find five individuals who considered becoming entrepreneurs but did not do so.
Ask them why they first considered becoming entrepreneurs, what steps they took
toward becoming entrepreneurs, and what obstacles they felt stood in their way.
3. What impact does entrepreneurship have on your local, state (or province), and
national economies? Use data to back up your arguments.
4. Research the policy statements of your local, state (or province), and national
governments for their goals and objectives regarding the importance of
entrepreneurship and means of encouraging it.
5. Speak to people from five different countries and ask them about how their
national culture helps and/or hinders entrepreneurship.
CLASS DISCUSSION
1. List the content that you believe is necessary for an entrepreneurship course. Be
prepared to justify your answer.
2. Do you believe that ethics and social responsibility should be part of an
entrepreneurship course or did the textbook authors just include a section on it to
be politically correct?
3. What is the role of government in entrepreneurship? To what extent should it
help protect people from entrepreneurship or should it simply get out of the way
and leave the market to reward or punish inappropriate behaviour? Given your
answer to the above question, what specific steps should the government take or
what steps have they taken that should be reversed?
4. What excites you about being an entrepreneur? What are your major concerns?
CHAPTER 1 THE NATURE AND IMPORTANCE OF ENTREPRENEURS 33
SELECTED READINGS
Aldrich, Howard E.; and Martha Argelia Martinez. (Summer 2001). Many Are Called,
but Few Are Chosen: An Evolutionary Perspective for the Study of Entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurial Theory and Practice, pp. 4156.
More than a decade ago, three elements indispensable to an understanding of
entrepreneurial success were identified: process, context, and outcomes. Although
the knowledge of entrepreneurial activities has increased dramatically, we still have
much to learn about how process and context interact to shape the outcome of
entrepreneurial efforts.
Armstrong, Peter. (2001). Science, Enterprise and Profit: Ideology in the Knowledge-
Driven Economy. Economy and Society, vol. 30, no. 4, pp. 52452.
The article argues that despite ideological pressure to demonstrate a link between
entrepreneurship and risk, none of the relevant research has succeeded in doing so.
Nor has risk been a prevalent feature of new venture creation in either general or
science-based start-ups.
Brouwer, Maria T. (2002). Weber, Schumpeter and Knight on Entrepreneurship and
Economic Development. Journal of Evolutionary Economics, vol. 12, pp. 83105.
This paper interprets the discussion on entrepreneurship and economic development
that was started by Weber, Schumpeter, and Knight. The paper demonstrates how
these three authors influenced each other on the topics of importance of innovation
and entrepreneurship, uncertainty, and perceptiveness and hidden qualities of people.
Douglas, Evan J.; and Dean A. Shepherd. (Spring 2002). Self-Employment as a Career
Choice: Attitudes, Entrepreneurial Intentions, and Utility Maximization. Entrepreneurial
Theory and Practice, pp. 8190.
This paper investigates the relationship between career choices and peoples
attitudes toward income, independence, risk, and work effort and the effect these
attitudes have on the intent to start ones own business. Significant relationships
were found between the utility expected from a job and the independence, risk, and
income it offered. Similarly, intention to become self-employed was related to
tolerance for risk and independence.
Drayton, William. (2002). The Citizen Sector: Becoming as Entrepreneurial and Com-
petitive as Business. California Management Review, vol. 44, no. 3, pp. 12032.
This article explores the aspects that drive entrepreneurial transformation of the
social half of society that took place over the last two and a half decades, identifies
three management challenges made urgent by this shift, and describes its impact on
the rest of the society.
Formaini, Robert L. (Fourth Quarter 2001). The Engine of Capitalist Process: Entrepre-
neurs in Economic Theory. Economic and Financial Review, pp. 211.
Questions about the existence of profits, causes of economic growth, and coordina-
tion of resource use by market economy have introduced a concept of the
entrepreneur. The concept became relevant with the Internets evolution and small-
business growth and remains relevant because how entrepreneurs are treated de-
pends on overall national economic performance and direction of economic activity.
Gifford, Sharon. (1998). Limited Entrepreneurial Attention and Economic Development.
Small Business Economics, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 1730.
Economic development depends on the allocation of entrepreneurial resources to ef-
forts to discover new profit opportunities. Limited entrepreneurial attention is allo-
cated between maintaining current activities and starting new activities. The problem
of allocating limited entrepreneurial attention in a variety of contexts is addressed.
34 PART 1 THE ENTREPRENEURIAL PERSPECTIVE
Hansen, Morten T.; Henry W. Chesbrough; Nitin Nohria; and Donald N. Sull.
(SeptemberOctober 2000). Networked Incubators. Harvard Business Review, pp. 7484.
The article argues that organizational models that exploit entrepreneurial drive and
network access while preserving the benefits of scale and scope will be the most
potent models for long-term success in the new economy. Networked incubators are
one such emerging form that, in addition to office space, funding, and basic services,
offers powerful business connections, enabling start-ups to beat their competitors
to market.
Hayton, James C.; Gerard George; and Shaker A. Zahra (Summer 2002). National
Culture and Entrepreneurship: A Review of Behavioral Research. Entrepreneurial
Theory and Practice, pp. 3352.
The article reviews and synthesizes the findings of 21 empirical studies that exam-
ine the association between national cultural characteristics and aggregate meas-
ures of entrepreneurship, individual characteristics of entrepreneurs, and aspects of
corporate entrepreneurship.
Laukkanen, Mauri. (2000). Exploring Alternative Approaches in High-Level Entrepre-
neurship Education: Creating Micro-Mechanisms for Endogenous Regional Growth.
Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, vol. 12, pp. 2547.
The paper argues that there is a downside related to conceptual and efficacy notions
of entrepreneurship and education, breeding unreasonable and unpredictable
expectations. This paper explores alternative strategies in university-based entre-
preneurial education describing the dominant pattern of education, based on an
individual-centered mind-set.
Lee, Sang N.; and Suzanne J. Peterson. (2000). Culture, Entrepreneurial Orientation,
and Global Competitiveness. Journal of World Business, vol. 35, no. 4, pp. 40116.
This paper presents a cultural model of entrepreneurship. It proposes that a societys
propensity to generate autonomous, risk-taking, innovative, aggressive, and proactive
entrepreneurs and firms will depend on its cultural foundation. It also proposes that
only countries with specific cultural tendencies will engender a strong entrepreneurial
orientation, hence experiencing more entrepreneurship and global competitiveness.
Mitchel, Ronald K.; Brock Smith; Kristie W. Seawright; and Eric A. Morse. (2000). Cross-
Cultural Cognitions and the Venture Creation Decision. Academy of Management
Journal, vol. 43, no. 5, pp. 97493.
Theories of social cognition, information processing, and expertise provide the
foundation for a cross-cultural model of venture capital. The paper describes the
findings of the research conducted in seven countries that support and extend the
cognitive model and provide preliminary evidence of consistency of cognitive scripts
across cultures.
Office of Advocacy, U.S. Small Business Administration. (2000). The Third Millennium
Small Business and Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century.
This report is an update of the report published for the 1995 White House Conference
on Small Business. The new edition discusses rapid changes in the small-business sector;
the heterogeneity, diversity, and complexity of the small-business environment;
barriers to entry and inhibitors to growth that small-business will continue to face; and
the overall small-business and entrepreneurial sectors future growth.
Osborne, Stephen W.; Thomas W. Falcone; and Prashanth B. Nagendra. (2000). From
Unemployed to Entrepreneur: A Case Study in Intervention. Journal of Developmental
Entrepreneurship, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 11536.
A summary of the entrepreneurial potential, training, and success of a group of recently
unemployed workers from a wide spectrum of previous occupations and industries.
CHAPTER 1 THE NATURE AND IMPORTANCE OF ENTREPRENEURS 35
Wennekers, Sander; and Roy Thurik. (1999). Linking Entrepreneurship and Economic
Growth. Small Business Economics, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 2755.
The concept of entrepreneurship is discussed, with the aim of explaining the entre-
preneurship role in the process of the economic growth. By considering three levels
on which entrepreneurship can be analyzed (individual, firm, and aggregate level)
the relationship between entrepeneurship and economic growth is examined.
continued
36 PART 1 THE ENTREPRENEURIAL PERSPECTIVE
8. The primary motivation for the entrepreneurs high ego and need for achievement is
based upon a relationship with:
a. spouse c. father
b. mother d. children
9. To be successful in an entrepreneurial venture, you need:
a. money d. a good idea
b. luck e. all of the above
c. hard work
10. Entrepreneurs and venture capitalists:
a. get along well c. are cordial friends
b. are the best of friends d. are in conflict
11. A successful entrepreneur relies on which of the following for critical management
advice?
a. internal management team c. financial sources
b. external management professionals d. no one
12. Entrepreneurs are best as:
a. managers c. planners
b. venture capitalists d. doers
13. Entrepreneurs are:
a. high risk takers (big gamblers) c. small risk takers (take few chances)
b. moderate risk takers (realistic gamblers) d. doesnt matter
14. Entrepreneurs:
a. are the life of the party c. will never go to parties
b. are bores at a cocktail party d. just fit into the crowd at a party
15. Entrepreneurs tend to fall in love with:
a. new ideas d. new financial plans
b. new employees e. all of the above
c. new manufacturing ideas
16. Entrepreneurs typically form:
a. service businesses d. construction companies
b. manufacturing companies e. a variety of ventures
c. financial companies
Source: From Robert D. Hisrich and Candida Brush, The Woman Entrepreneur, 1985. Reprinted with permission of Lexington
Books, a member of the Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group.
5. Teens. An individuals ability to handle ambiguity, the drive for independence, and
creativity (important characteristics for an entrepreneur) are evident early in life.
6. Bachelors degree. While the Horatio Alger story is indeed still possible, most
entrepreneurs are university educated. Women entrepreneurs are even more ed-
ucated, with many having a masters degree. This education is particularly impor-
tant in securing financing and starting technology-based ventures. Although not
as highly educated as those in North America, entrepreneurs in foreign countries
are at least as educated as the general populace.
7. To be independent. The need for independence (the inability to work for anyone
else) is what drives the entrepreneur to take the risks to work all the hours
necessary to create a new venture.
8. Father. Regardless of whether it is a love or hate relationship, entrepreneurs
report a strong parental relationship, particularly with the father. This strong
father relationship is particularly important for women entrepreneurs.
9. Luck. Hard work, money, and a good idea are necessary but not sufficient for a
successful venture. The venture formation by the entrepreneur is characterized
also as being luckybeing in the right place at the right time.
10. Are in conflict. Venture capitalists and entrepreneurs have two different goals.
The venture capitalists goal is to make money and exit from the business
within five years. The entrepreneurs goal is independence through survival of
the organization.
11. External management professionals. This use of an external professional for
advice often takes the form of a mentor or at least a good network system. The
use of this individual(s) helps reduce the loneliness of being an entrepreneur.
12. Doers. Entrepreneurs take pride in creating and doing. They are definitely not
managers and plannersthe appropriate side of the entrepreneurial continuum.
Rarely are they also good venture capitalists.
13. Moderate risk takers. The myth that entrepreneurs are high risk takers is nothing
more than just a myth. The calculating decision to risk everything and perhaps
fail reflects moderate risk taking.
14. Just fit into a crowd. Unless you knew that an individual was an entrepreneur,
there would be no way to distinguish an entrepreneur from a manager based on
external physical appearance.
15. All of the above. New is an entrepreneurial magnet, as it implies creativity and
venture creation, the drive of every entrepreneur.
16. Variety of ventures. Entrepreneurs create a wide variety of ventures, depending
on their field of experience and backgrounds. Women entrepreneurs, however,
do tend to be concentrated in the service sector.