The Impact of Skills, Working Time Allocation and Peer Effects on the Entrepreneurial Intentions of Scientists

University of Zurich, Institute of Business Administration, UZH Business Working Paper No. 325

32 Pages Posted: 24 Nov 2012 Last revised: 16 Oct 2020

See all articles by Petra M. Moog

Petra M. Moog

University of Zurich - Department of Business Administration (IBW); University of Siegen - Dept. of Entrepreneurship and Business Sucession

Arndt Werner

University Siegen

Stefan Houweling

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Uschi Backes-Gellner

University of Zurich - Institute for Business Administration; Swiss Leading House

Date Written: November 22, 2012

Abstract

Little is currently known about the effects of skill composition on academic entrepreneurship. Therefore, in this paper, following Lazear’s (2005) jack-of-all-trades approach, we study how the composition of a scientist’s skills affects his or her intention to become an entrepreneur. Extending Lazear, we examine how the effect of balanced skills is moderated by a balance in working time and peer effects. Using unique data collected from 480 life sciences researchers in Switzerland and Germany, we provide first evidence that scientists with more diverse and balanced skills are more likely to have higher entrepreneurial intentions, but only if they also balance their working time and are in contact with entrepreneurial peers. Therefore, to encourage the entrepreneurial intentions of life scientists, it must be ensured that scientists are exposed to several types of work experience, have balanced working time allocations across different activities, and work with entrepreneurial peers; e.g., collaborating with colleagues or academic scientists who have started new ventures in the past.

Keywords: Jack-of-all-Trades, Skills, Entrepreneurial Intentions, Academic Entrepreneurship, Peer Effects

JEL Classification: O32, M13, J24

Suggested Citation

Moog, Petra M. and Moog, Petra M. and Werner, Arndt and Houweling, Stefan and Backes-Gellner, Uschi, The Impact of Skills, Working Time Allocation and Peer Effects on the Entrepreneurial Intentions of Scientists (November 22, 2012). University of Zurich, Institute of Business Administration, UZH Business Working Paper No. 325, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2179451 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2179451

Petra M. Moog (Contact Author)

University of Zurich - Department of Business Administration (IBW) ( email )

Hottingerstrasse 10
Plattenstrasse 14
Zurich, 8032
Switzerland

University of Siegen - Dept. of Entrepreneurship and Business Sucession ( email )

Hölderlinstraße 3, HA 4106
Siegen, 57068
Germany

Arndt Werner

University Siegen ( email )

Unteres Schloß 3
Siegen
Germany
+491797305386 (Phone)

Stefan Houweling

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

Uschi Backes-Gellner

University of Zurich - Institute for Business Administration ( email )

Plattenstrasse 14
8032 Zurich
Switzerland
+41 44 6344281 (Phone)
+41 44 6344370 (Fax)

Swiss Leading House ( email )

Plattenstrasse 14
Zurich, 8032
Switzerland

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