Research into Entrepreneurs
From Wikiversity
The recent surge of interest in entrepreneurship has resulted in more focused research which serves to benefit us all. Across the globe, recognition is finally being given as to the importance of entrepreneurship to society.
“Entrepreneurship is America’s most important competitive advantage. It’s what America does much better than any other advanced industrial nation.” William Bygrave, Babson College
Whilst traditional research rarely focused on entrepreneurs as a distinct group, this is now changing. Academic researchers have begun to look at the new venture process as something quite different from starting a small business or managing an established company. Research points to the entrepreneur's ability to take calculated risks and to have an achievement orientation, a sense of independence, an internal locus of control and a tolerance for ambiguity.
Contrary to popular belief, studies have shown that an entrepreneur does not need specific inherent traits, but rather a set of acquired skills.
“Successful entrepreneurs have a wide range of personality types. Most research about entrepreneurs has focused on the influences of genes, family, education, career experience, and so forth, but no psychological model has been supported."
“There is no evidence of an ideal entrepreneurial personality. Great entrepreneurs can be either gregarious or low key, analytical or intuitive, charismatic or boring, good with details or terrible, delegators or control freaks. What you need is a capacity to execute in certain key ways.”
This is good news for those of us who don’t fit the stereotype and I include myself in that. You don’t have to have an elusive set of special genetic traits to be a successful entrepreneur and what you do need can be acquired from speaking to experienced entrepreneurs and reading as much as you can get your hands on.
What the evidence does tell us is that as a group, they demonstrate a unique response to the world around them. ‘They work hard and are driven by an intense commitment and determined perseverance; they see the cup as half full, rather than half empty; they strive for integrity; they thrive on the competitive desire to excel and win; they are dissatisfied with the status quo and seek opportunities to improve almost any situation they encounter; they use failure as a tool for learning and eschew perfection in favor of effectiveness; and they believe they can personally make an enormous difference in the final outcome of their ventures and their lives.’
So, everything you need can be learned. However there are of core set of traits that are found among many successful entrepreneurs that they may have acquired through experience or been lucky enough to have been gifted as a child.
1. William Lee, What successful entrepreneurs really do (Lee communications, 2201, Pleasanton, CA)
2. New venture creation, Jeffry A Timmons and Stephen Sinelli
3. So you want to be an Entrepreneur?, Jon Gillespie-Brown
