Publication Date:
2016
abstract:
Purpose – This paper aims to improve knowledge of individual heterogeneity in affecting the
entrepreneurial attitude, taking socioeconomic drivers under control thanks to a cross-country analysis.
The authors operate a “selection” of proxy for individual heterogeneity, mainly based on gender,
demographical features, personal attitude and intrinsic motivation.
Design/methodology/approach – This exploration is supported by an empirical analysis based on
the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), for the period 2001-2012, and for a selection of 37
countries. It is expected that gender and further individual variables have an impact on the probability
to become a nascent entrepreneur (e.g. age, level of education, self-confidence, social perception of
self-employment as career choice). This paper evaluates the degree of consistency of these variables
across very dissimilar countries.
Findings – Gender and confidence on own skill play a significant and consistent effect on the
entrepreneurial attitude, so these personal features are, per se, the driving-strength of entrepreneurial
intent. Conversely, fear of failure and belief on the status are not always statistically significant, or not
homogenous in their relationship: socioeconomic or country-specific characteristics are strong and sort
out in an unpredictable relationship between these variables and the willingness to run new ventures.
Research limitations/implications – A limited selection of individual features constrained by
availability of information from the GEM data set.
Practical implications – The motivation of this paper is to focus-back attention on intra-individual
features that may affect entrepreneurship and to support evidence of whether individual heterogeneity
is able to affect the entrepreneurial attitude, taking socioeconomic drivers under control.
Social implications – An institutional and political commitment should be intensified to reduce the
waste of opportunities that is associated with any forms of self-exclusion from entrepreneurship, such
as those based on gender (being women) or (low) self-esteem.
Originality/value – Due to the “individual” perspective, this paper adds to previous studies that
exploited the GEM data set because they mostly follow an institutional conceptual framework.
entrepreneurial attitude, taking socioeconomic drivers under control thanks to a cross-country analysis.
The authors operate a “selection” of proxy for individual heterogeneity, mainly based on gender,
demographical features, personal attitude and intrinsic motivation.
Design/methodology/approach – This exploration is supported by an empirical analysis based on
the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), for the period 2001-2012, and for a selection of 37
countries. It is expected that gender and further individual variables have an impact on the probability
to become a nascent entrepreneur (e.g. age, level of education, self-confidence, social perception of
self-employment as career choice). This paper evaluates the degree of consistency of these variables
across very dissimilar countries.
Findings – Gender and confidence on own skill play a significant and consistent effect on the
entrepreneurial attitude, so these personal features are, per se, the driving-strength of entrepreneurial
intent. Conversely, fear of failure and belief on the status are not always statistically significant, or not
homogenous in their relationship: socioeconomic or country-specific characteristics are strong and sort
out in an unpredictable relationship between these variables and the willingness to run new ventures.
Research limitations/implications – A limited selection of individual features constrained by
availability of information from the GEM data set.
Practical implications – The motivation of this paper is to focus-back attention on intra-individual
features that may affect entrepreneurship and to support evidence of whether individual heterogeneity
is able to affect the entrepreneurial attitude, taking socioeconomic drivers under control.
Social implications – An institutional and political commitment should be intensified to reduce the
waste of opportunities that is associated with any forms of self-exclusion from entrepreneurship, such
as those based on gender (being women) or (low) self-esteem.
Originality/value – Due to the “individual” perspective, this paper adds to previous studies that
exploited the GEM data set because they mostly follow an institutional conceptual framework.
Iris type:
1.1 Articolo in rivista
Keywords:
Gender theory, Women’s entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship,
Woman entrepreneurship, Gender, Heterogeneity
List of contributors:
Lucarelli, C.; Micozzi, Alessandra
Published in: