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Entrepreneurship

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Entrepreneurship
Introduction
Over the years researchers have attempted to answer the fundamental question, ‘who is the entrepreneur? ' Research has ranged from attempting to create aggregate typologies of entrepreneurs, to studies of individual personality characteristics. This paper will explore and examine whether and to what extent it is possible to explain an entrepreneurs motives by recourse solely to scientific studies of entrepreneurial personality. Firstly the paper will examine the different viewpoints there are in terms of the entrepreneurial personality. The entrepreneurial personality approach (trait approach) will then be examined, as well as discussing the characteristics that research studies has identified as being identifiable within entrepreneurs. This will be followed by critical examination of the entrepreneurial personality approach and linking the research of the personality approach with findings from past research on leadership; as well as determining to what extent it is possible to explain entrepreneur 's motives solely by the entrepreneurial personality approach. The alternative approaches to the personality approach will then be looked at to determine whether an alternative approach is more sufficient in explaining an entrepreneur 's motives or whether a combination of these approaches would be more conclusive in determining an entrepreneur 's motives. Conclusions will then follow which will sum up and analyse the paper and also the findings, as well as determine whether an entrepreneur 's motives can be sufficiently explained by the personality approach.

Entrepreneurial Viewpoints
When you go into business for yourself you trade off the familiar and the safe for the unknown and the risky. You take on long-term financial obligations with money that belongs to relatives, friends, strangers and institutions. You work 14-hour days, seven days a week, for the foreseeable future. And, after all that, the odds are you 'll fail.
So what motivates these



References: Bridge, S., O 'Neill, K., and Cromie, S. (2004). Understanding enterprise, entrepreneurship & small business 2nd Ed Dollinger, M. (1999). Entrepreneurship – Strategies and Resources 2nd Ed. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Grenholm, P., Hansen, A., Sahlman, A., and Volkakis, N. (2004). What motivates entrepreneurs and can their motivation be influenced? Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship. Kickul, J., and Zaper, J. (1998). Untying the knot: do personal and organisational determinants influence entrepreneurial intentions? Chicago: DePaul University. Krueger, N. (2002). Entrepreneurship: Critical perspectives on business and management Lambing, P., and Kuehl, C., (2000). Entrepreneurship 2nd Ed. New Jersey: Prentice- Hall Lumpkin, G., and Erdogan, B., (1999). If not entrepreneurship, can psychological characteristics predict entrepreneurial orientation? Chicago: University of Illinois.

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