Are (Active) Entrepreneurs a Different Breed?
Jiang, B., & Capra, C. M. (2018). Are (active) entrepreneurs a different breed?. Managerial and Decision Economics, 39 (6), 613–628.
Posted: 5 Dec 2012 Last revised: 27 Sep 2018
Date Written: September 2, 2018
Abstract
We present data from an incentivized online experiment and responses from a set of validated psychological questionnaires to measure entrepreneurs' risk and time preferences and to identify entrepreneurs' personality characteristics. The analyses of the data suggest that intrinsic motivation positively relates to the likelihood of owning a business (i.e., being an active entrepreneur). We also found that subjects who scored higher on drive were relatively more risk seeking while those who scored higher on pessimism were more patient. The results of our study highlight the importance of studying personality traits to better understand what drives people to own a business.
Keywords: Entrepreneurs; Experiments; Risk and Time Preferences; Personality.
JEL Classification: D8, C91, C83
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation