Exploring the characteristics of potential entrepreneurs: An empirical study

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is a popular research topic over the last several decades. Various authors study the characteristics that best define future entrepreneur profiles. In this paper, we apply a framework to screen school populations in the Azores Islands, Portugal, for the prospects of entrepreneurship and to study the profiles of those who show noticeably entrepreneurial orientations. In this paper, we apply the ordinal probit regression model, often referred to as the ordered probit model, in order to explain the entrepreneurial prospects of students in high school in the Azores Islands. The findings revealed that the factor “Entrepreneurial orientation” only explains, in part, prospects for entrepreneurship. In this context, the results emphasize the importance of some entrepreneurial skills and personality characteristics in the development of entrepreneurial spirit. The findings also highlight the role of entrepreneurship education in the entrepreneurial attitudes and the role of entrepreneurial learning in the development of entrepreneurial skills

Research paper

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Entrepreneurial prospects; Personality traits; Ordinal regression

Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Couto, G., Sousa, A., & Pimentel, P. (2017). Exploring the characteristics of the potential entrepreneurs: An empirical study, Journal of Entrepreneurship, Business and Economics, 5(2), 1–18.