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Entrepreneurship studies have usually focused on either the influence of the general
economic situation on the start-up of firms (Storey, 1994), or on the choices and behavior of
an individual (entrepreneur) (Douglas and Shepherd, 2000 and 2002). It is important to find
out the reasons behind the start-up of firms because new firms are seen to be crucial for
the enhancement of the economical well-being as well as a sign of the vitality and
functionality of the regions (Lee et al., 2004). In general, the entrepreneurial activeness of a region can
be defined by the local culture comprising values, attitudes and beliefs of the population
and by the structural factors of the local economies, such as the structure of population or
industry and the demand of products and services (Davidsson, 1995; Davidsson and Wiklund,
1995 and Arenius et al., 2005).
The labor market sees entrepreneurship as a career choice, where the individual
chooses the most suitable alternative between paid work, entrepreneurship and unemployment,
in different economical and employment situations (Storey, 1994). Douglas and Shepherd
(2000) suggest that the decision to become an entrepreneur is about maximizing the
individual benefit, and entrepreneurship is chosen instead of paid work, if the estimated total benefit
is greater than that of the best possible paid work opportunity. The individual decides
between the alternatives by comparing the income levels, independence, the economical risks,
the workload and the benefits of each possibility. A general suggestion is that the probability
of becoming an entrepreneur increases if the professional goals and the hopes of an
individual contradict the position he has gained in the work market (Lee and
Venkataraman, 2006). |
