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Entrepreneurship Training, Risk Aversion and Other Personality Traits: Evidence from a Random Experiment

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  • Fairlie, Robert

Abstract

A growing literature examines the relationship between personality traits and entrepreneurship, but no previous studies explore whether personality or psychological traits predispose individuals to benefit more from entrepreneurship training. To address selection issues, we use novel data from the largest-ever randomized control experiment providing entrepreneurship training in the United States. We find evidence indicating that individuals who are more risk tolerant benefit more from entrepreneurship training than less risk tolerant individuals. We find some limited evidence that individuals who have a preference for autonomy benefit more from entrepreneurship training in the short run, but we find no evidence of longer-term effects and no evidence of differential effects of entrepreneurship training for individuals who are more innovative.

Suggested Citation

  • Fairlie, Robert, 2014. "Entrepreneurship Training, Risk Aversion and Other Personality Traits: Evidence from a Random Experiment," Santa Cruz Department of Economics, Working Paper Series qt9x83w5k4, Department of Economics, UC Santa Cruz.
    • Handle: RePEc:cdl:ucscec:qt9x83w5k4
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Business; Education; Social and Behavioral Sciences; entrepreneurship; education; training; psychology; experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship

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