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Opportunity and/or necessity entrepreneurship? The impact of the socio-economic characteristics of entrepreneurs

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  • Giacomin, Olivier
  • Janssen, Frank
  • Guyot, Jean-luc
  • Lohest, Olivier

Abstract

Few studies have tried to identify the impact of the socio-economic characteristics of entrepreneurs on their opportunity-necessity positioning. Based on a sample of 538 entrepreneurs, we point out that individuals who get involved in an entrepreneurial process, have encountered a situation of necessity and/or opportunity and that the latter can take various forms. We point out the impact of the socio-economic characteristics of entrepreneurs on the alignment of their project with a necessity or opportunity entrepreneurial dynamics. The existence of sub-profiles of entrepreneurs within the necessity-opportunity typology is also highlighted. We point out, for instance, that not all jobseekers are necessity entrepreneurs and that new venture creation based on family pressure may convey both a necessity and opportunity dimension. Finally, our survey reveals a new kind of entrepreneurship: the hobby entrepreneurship.

Suggested Citation

  • Giacomin, Olivier & Janssen, Frank & Guyot, Jean-luc & Lohest, Olivier, 2011. "Opportunity and/or necessity entrepreneurship? The impact of the socio-economic characteristics of entrepreneurs," MPRA Paper 29506, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:29506
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    1. Marian Holienka & Anna Pilková & Zuzana Jančovičová, 2016. "Youth Entrepreneurship in Visegrad Countries," Entrepreneurial Business and Economics Review, Centre for Strategic and International Entrepreneurship at the Cracow University of Economics., vol. 4(4), pages 105-121.
    2. Halil Dincer Kaya, 2017. "The Characteristics Of Small Firms That Serve As Owners’ Primary Employment," Annals - Economy Series, Constantin Brancusi University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 1, pages 5-13, February.
    3. Robert W. Fairlie & Frank M. Fossen, 2020. "Defining Opportunity versus Necessity Entrepreneurship: Two Components of Business Creation," Research in Labor Economics, in: Change at Home, in the Labor Market, and On the Job, volume 48, pages 253-289, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    4. Peter Zwan & Roy Thurik & Ingrid Verheul & Jolanda Hessels, 2016. "Factors influencing the entrepreneurial engagement of opportunity and necessity entrepreneurs," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 6(3), pages 273-295, December.
    5. Giuliano Guerra & Roberto Patuelli, 2016. "The Role of Job Satisfaction in Transitions into Self–Employment," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 40(3), pages 543-571, May.
    6. McAdam, Maura & Crowley, Caren & Harrison, Richard T., 2019. "“To boldly go where no [man] has gone before” - Institutional voids and the development of women's digital entrepreneurship11The title is taken from the original titles voice-over for the TV series St," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 912-922.
    7. Caroline Bayart & Séverine Saleilles, 2019. "Rethinking the opportunity/necessity dichotomy with a risk management- based approach," Post-Print hal-02143039, HAL.
    8. Juergen Bruenjes & Javier Revilla Diez, 2012. "Opportunity entrepreneurs - potential drivers of non-farm growth in rural Vietnam?," Working Papers on Innovation and Space 2012-01, Philipps University Marburg, Department of Geography.
    9. Nurul Ashykin Abd Aziz & Nurul Aien Abd Aziz & Noreen Noor Abd Aziz & Siti Fariha Muhamad & Afifah Hanim Md Pazil, 2016. "Determining the Factors to Engage in Batik Business: A Study among Batik Entrepreneurs in East Cost Malaysia," International Journal of Management Sciences, Research Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 7(5), pages 273-286.
    10. Fairlie, Robert W & Fossen, Frank M, 2018. "Opportunity Versus Necessity Entrepreneurship: Two Components of Business Creation," Santa Cruz Department of Economics, Working Paper Series qt0rd0g01g, Department of Economics, UC Santa Cruz.
    11. Backman, Mikaela & Karlsson, Charlie, 2013. "Exploration of Wisdom Ages: Firm survival," Working Paper Series in Economics and Institutions of Innovation 339, Royal Institute of Technology, CESIS - Centre of Excellence for Science and Innovation Studies.
    12. Wioletta Czemiel-Grzybowska, 2022. "Conceptualization and Mapping of Predictors of Technological Entrepreneurship Growth in a Changing Economic Environment (COVID-19) from the Polish Energy Sector," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-14, September.
    13. Hannu Tervo, 2014. "Who turns to entrepreneurship later in life? - Push and pull in Finnish rural and urban areas," ERSA conference papers ersa14p236, European Regional Science Association.
    14. Pham, Anh D., 2020. "Employees’ Motivation For Creating International Business Venture: The Role Of Perceived Competence And Job Satisfaction," OSF Preprints aksv5, Center for Open Science.
    15. Niclas Lavesson, 2018. "How does distance to urban centres influence necessity and opportunity‐based firm start‐ups?," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 97(4), pages 1279-1303, November.
    16. Obinna C. Ojiaku & Anayo D. Nkamnebe & Ireneus C. Nwaizugbo, 2018. "Determinants of entrepreneurial intentions among young graduates: perspectives of push-pull-mooring model," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 8(1), pages 1-17, December.
    17. Pau Sendra-Pons & Sara Belarbi-Muñoz & Dolores Garzón & Alicia Mas-Tur, 2022. "Cross-country differences in drivers of female necessity entrepreneurship," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 16(4), pages 971-989, December.
    18. Ashish Vazirani & Titas Bhattacharjee, 2022. "Necessity or opportunity: A case of business venturing decision during COVID‐19 pandemic," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(3), pages 768-778, April.
    19. Marian Holienka & Zuzana Jančovičová & Zuzana Kovačičová, 2016. "Women Entrepreneurship in Visegrad Region and its Drivers," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 64(6), pages 1899-1910.
    20. Ugo Rizzo, 2015. "Why do scientists create academic spin-offs? The influence of the context," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 40(2), pages 198-226, April.
    21. Jürgen Brünjes & Javier Revilla Diez, 2013. "‘Recession push’ and ‘prosperity pull’ entrepreneurship in a rural developing context," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(3-4), pages 251-271, April.
    22. Begoña Cueto & Patricia Suárez & Matías Mayor, 2021. "Effects of human capital and regional context on entrepreneurial survival," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 66(2), pages 331-357, April.
    23. Nandera Ernest Mhando & Nasibu Rajabu Mramba, 2021. "Improving young women's working conditions in Tanzania's urban food vending sector," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2021-157, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Necessity - Opportunity - motivations;

    JEL classification:

    • L2 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship

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