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Searching for the Entrepreneurial Personality: New Evidence and Avenues for Further Research

Author

Listed:
  • Caliendo, Marco

    (University of Potsdam)

  • Kritikos, Alexander S.

    (DIW Berlin)

Abstract

What makes the entrepreneurial personality is the key question we seek to answer in the special issue of the Journal of Economic Psychology on "Personality and Entrepreneurship". The contributions are clustered around questions regarding the linkage between personality, socio-economic factors and entrepreneurial development. Results further explain the gender puzzle, while, at the same time, it is clear that stereotypes of what makes the ideal entrepreneur must be revisited. This conclusion is based on new insights into the effects that variables, such as risk tolerance, trust and reciprocity, the value for autonomy and also external role models, have on entrepreneurial decision making. On a more general note, it is clear that more informative longitudinal data sets at the individual level are needed in order to find conclusive answers. In an ideal world researchers would have access to data that includes personality characteristics and psychological traits, motivational factors and cognitive skills. In this respect the research community needs to find new ways to collect these data and make them available for entrepreneurship research.

Suggested Citation

  • Caliendo, Marco & Kritikos, Alexander S., 2011. "Searching for the Entrepreneurial Personality: New Evidence and Avenues for Further Research," IZA Discussion Papers 5790, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp5790
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Higgins, Lindsey M. & Schroeter, Christiane & Wright, Carlyn, 2018. "Lighting the flame of entrepreneurship among agribusiness students," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 21(1).
    3. Cornelia Kolb & Marcus Wagner, 2015. "Crowding in or crowding out: the link between academic entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial traits," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 40(3), pages 387-408, June.
    4. Bijedić, Teita & Haase, Inga & Müller, Anna, 2018. "Regionale Gründungsumfelder am Beispiel ausgewählter Hot-Spots," IfM-Materialien 265, Institut für Mittelstandsforschung (IfM) Bonn.
    5. Krause, Annabelle, 2013. "Don’t worry, be happy? Happiness and reemployment," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 1-20.
    6. Diego Aboal & Federico Veneri, 2016. "Entrepreneurs in Latin America," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 46(3), pages 503-525, March.
    7. Mateja Vadnjal, 2018. "The Influence of Parents on Female Entrepreneurs in Three Career Development Phases," Management, University of Primorska, Faculty of Management Koper, vol. 13(3), pages 247-263.
    8. Martin Binder, 2017. "Entrepreneurial Success and Subjective Well-Being: Worries about the Business Explain One's Well-Being Loss from Self-Employment," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 947, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    9. Roxana Gutierrez-Romero & Luciana Méndez Errico, 2015. "The Long-Term Impact of Inequality on Entrepreneurship and Job Creation," Working Papers wpdea1501, Department of Applied Economics at Universitat Autonoma of Barcelona.
    10. Martin Binder & Alex Coad, 2014. "How satisfied are the self-employed? A life domain view," SPRU Working Paper Series 2014-17, SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    entrepreneurship; trust; risk aversion; personality characteristics; autonomy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • M13 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - New Firms; Startups

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