Fundamental Determinants of Entrepreneurial Behaviour (eBook)

Dr. Christian Willi Scheiner wrote his dissertation at the Chair of Industrial Management of Prof. Dr. Kai-Ingo Voigt at the Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg.

Foreword 6
Preface 7
Contents 10
List of Figures 16
List of Tables 18
List of Abbreviations 20
1 Introduction 21
2 Fundamental Determinants of Entrepreneurial Behaviour 25
2.1 Introduction 25
2.2 Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneur 27
2.3 Intention Models as Base of the Theoretical Framework 29
2.3.1 Intention Models 29
2.4 Social Learning Theory 34
2.4.1 Social Learning Theory 34
2.4.2 Social Learning and Entrepreneurial Behaviour Development 37
2.4.3 Social Learning Theory and Entrepreneur Career Selection 37
2.4.4 Social Learning in the Theoretical Framework 40
2.5 Organisational Socialisation 41
2.5.1 Organisational Socialisation 41
2.5.2 Entrepreneurship Education as Form of Organisational Socialisation 42
2.5.3 Organisational Socialisation Strategies and Entrepreneurship Education 50
2.5.4 Organisational Socialisation and Entrepreneurship Education in the Theoretical Framework 53
2.6 Gender and Gender Theory 54
2.6.1 Sex and Gender 54
2.6.2 Gender in Entrepreneurship Research 55
2.6.3 Gender in the Theoretical Framework 59
2.7 Linkages to the Chapters 60
3 Gender-related Differences in the Founding Intention 65
3.1 Introduction 65
3.2 Literature Review 66
3.2.1 Gender 66
3.2.2 Business Foundation Intention 67
3.2.3 The Influence of the Family Background 69
3.2.4 Cognition towards Entrepreneurship (Motives and Hurdles) 69
3.2.5 Longitudinal Studies 71
3.3 Methodology 71
3.3.1 Data Collection and Sample Characteristics 71
3.3.2 Operationalisation of Variables 72
3.4 Results 74
3.4.1 Intention 76
3.4.2 Motives for Becoming Self-employed 77
3.4.3 Motives against Becoming Self-employed (Perceived Hurdles) 79
3.5 Regression Analyses 82
3.6 Discussion and Limitations 84
4 Gender-related Differences in Goals and Performance Evaluation? 86
4.1 Introduction 86
4.2 Theoretical Perspective and Research Questions 87
4.2.1 Students as a Focus in the Entrepreneurial Research 87
4.2.2 Male and Female Entrepreneurs in General 88
4.2.3 Working Goals 89
4.2.4 Success Perception 91
4.2.5 Longitudinal Studies 92
4.3 Methodology 93
4.3.1 Data Collection and Sample Characteristics 93
4.3.2 Operationalisation of the Variables 94
4.4 Results 95
4.4.1 Working Goals 97
4.4.2 Success Evaluation 99
4.5 Discussion and Conclusion 103
5 Students’ Attitude towards Entrepreneurship: Does Gender Matter? 105
5.1 Introduction 105
5.2 Literature Review 106
5.2.1 Gender Theory 106
5.2.2 Male and Female Entrepreneurs 106
5.2.3 Business Foundation Intentions 108
5.2.4 The Influence of Family Background 109
5.2.5 The Influence of the Educational Environment 110
5.2.6 Perceived Inhibiting (Hurdles) and Fostering (Motives) Factors towards the Founding Intention 111
5.3 Methodology 112
5.3.1 Research Methodology 112
5.3.2 Operationalisation of Variables 113
5.3.3 Data Collection and Sample Characteristics 114
5.4 Results 114
5.4.1 Descriptive Findings 114
5.4.2 Hypotheses Testing 118
5.5 Discussion and Conclusion 122
5.6 Implications for Entrepreneurship Research and Practice 123
5.7 Limitation – Suggestions for Further Research 124
6 Entrepreneurship Education in the United Kingdom and Germany 125
6.1 Introduction 125
6.2 Entrepreneurship Education in Germany and the United Kingdom 126
6.3 Entrepreneurship Education Concepts 128
6.3.1 Entrepreneurship Education at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg 129
6.3.2 Entrepreneurship Education at Leeds Metropolitan University 130
6.4 Methodology 133
6.4.1 Questionnaire 133
6.4.2 Operationalisation 133
6.5 Research Questions 135
6.6 Descriptive Findings 138
6.7 Empirical Analysis 143
6.7.1 Comparison of all Students 143
6.7.2 Comparison of Students with Entrepreneurship Education Attendance 146
6.7.3 Comparison of Founding Intention 149
6.8 Limitations 149
6.9 Discussion and Conclusion 151
7 Foundation and Development Support for Business Start-ups and Small Enterprises in Germany 154
7.1 Introduction 154
7.2 Financial Stages as Theoretical Framework 154
7.3 Shortages, Problems and Challenges of Business Start-ups and New Enterprises in the Financing Phases 158
7.3.1 Seed Stage 158
7.3.2 Start-up Stage 159
7.3.3 Expansion Stage 159
7.3.4 Summary 160
7.4 Methodology 161
7.5 Empirical Results 165
7.5.1 General Information 165
7.5.2 Support Activities 167
7.5.3 Organisational Network 182
7.6 Limitations 188
7.7 Discussion and Conclusion 189
8 Concluding Remarks 191
Appendix to Chapter 4 198
Appendix to Chapter 6 204
References 208

2 Fundamental Determinants of Entrepreneurial Behaviour (p. 5)

2.1 Introduction

According to Scase and Goffee (1980) the conventional thinking about how entrepreneurial ideas, intention and behaviour emanate in a society is so complex and individual that it lies beyond analysis. Being and becoming an entrepreneur was attributed to something almost inborn and inherited (Gibb & Ritchie, 1982).

It was argued that some psychological characteristics exist that are shared by entrepreneurs (Brockhaus, 1982) which illustrate a main research objective. A major stream in academic entrepreneurship research has been focussed on determining psychological characteristics that are associated with entrepreneurs and factors that encourage them to start a business (Rauch & Frese, 2007, Scherer et al., 1989).

It was further argued that this personality profile of entrepreneurs would differ from the one of the general population on factors as risk-taking propensity (e.g. Petrakis, 2005, Sexton & Bowman, 1983, McClelland, 1961, Welsh & White, 1981, Palmer, 1971, Timmons, 1978), locus of control orientation (e.g. Borland, 1975, Brockhaus & Nord, 1979) and achievement motivation (e.g. Sexton & Bowmann, 1983, Bowen & Hisrich, 1986, DeCarlo & Lyons, 1979).

In addition, a multitude of normative and descriptive studies attributed characteristics such as need for achievement (e.g. Liles 1974, Hornaday & Aboud 1971), need for power (e.g. Winter, 1973, Hartmann, 1959), desire for responsibility (Welsh & White, 1981, Sutton, 1995, Davids, 1963) to the entrepreneur. Carland et al. (1984) and Gartner (1988) have presented an excellent overview of identified characteristics (see table 1). Bearing in mind those numerous identified characteristics, it can be argued that this plethora on findings, that are even not stable when they are compared, impede or illustrate a major obstacle to find a common understanding of an entrepreneur and hence, for a common definition of the term entrepreneur itself.

A focus only on traits to describe an entrepreneur is likely to be almost useless in building a common knowledge (e.g. Sexton & Smilor 1985, Casrud et al., 1985, Gartner, 1988).

Well supported theoretical frameworks from different research areas and disciplines can be adapted to give support to the conceptual development of entrepreneurial studies. In this context, Scherer et al. (1989) point out that the “use of behavioural and social psychology theories presents an opportunity to move entrepreneurship research from its rich descriptive history to more scientific goals of explanations and prediction” (p. 17).

Consequently, the perspective on entrepreneurship research is drawn from the question “what is an entrepreneur” to the question “what influences people to develop entrepreneurial behaviour” (e.g. Carsrud & Johnson, 1989, Scherer et al, 1990) respectively “what are the antecedents of entrepreneurial behaviour”. Thus, factors have to be examined that lead to entrepreneurial activity.

The majority of research in entrepreneurship however has concentrated on entrepreneurs during their professional activities. Hence, research mainly starts with the decision to start a business or the foundation itself (e.g. Hisrich & O´Brien, 1981, Voigt & Brem, 2006, Renzulli et al., 2000, Hisrich & O`Brien, 1982, Rosa & Hamilton, 1994, Voigt et al., 2007, Man et al., 2008). The phase before the entrepreneurial behaviour has not attracted the same attention.

To predict and to influence people in their decision to become an entrepreneur, exactly the phase before the entrepreneurial behaviour takes place, offers essential insights for researcher and educators.