IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/pra/mprapa/29506.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

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

Author

Listed:
  • 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
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/29506/2/MPRA_paper_29506.pdf
    File Function: original version
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Carter, Nancy M. & Gartner, William B. & Shaver, Kelly G. & Gatewood, Elizabeth J., 2003. "The career reasons of nascent entrepreneurs," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 13-39, January.
    2. Wagner, Joachim, 2005. "Nascent and Infant Entrepreneurs in Germany: Evidence from the Regional Entrepreneurship Monitor (REM)," IZA Discussion Papers 1522, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Kolvereid, Lars, 1992. "Growth aspirations among Norwegian entrepreneurs," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 7(3), pages 209-222, May.
    4. Gavin Cassar, 2007. "Money, money, money? A longitudinal investigation of entrepreneur career reasons, growth preferences and achieved growth," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(1), pages 89-107, January.
    5. Joern Block & Philipp Koellinger, 2009. "I Can't Get No Satisfaction—Necessity Entrepreneurship and Procedural Utility," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(2), pages 191-209, April.
    6. Howard J. Wall & Yannis Georgellis, 2000. "What makes a region entrepreneurial? Evidence from Britain," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 34(3), pages 385-403.
    7. David B. Audretsch & A. Roy Thurik, 2000. "Capitalism and democracy in the 21st Century: from the managed to the entrepreneurial economy," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 10(1), pages 17-34.
    8. Audretsch, David & Vivarelli, Marco, 1995. "New-firm formation in Italy: A first report," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 77-81, April.
    9. Joern H. Block & Marcus Wagner, 2010. "Necessity and Opportunity Entrepreneurs in Germany: Characteristics and Earning s Differentials," Schmalenbach Business Review (sbr), LMU Munich School of Management, vol. 62(2), pages 154-174, April.
    10. Sander Wennekers & Andre van Stel & Niels Noorderhaven & Roy Thurik, 2004. "The Role Of Dissatisfaction And Per Capita Income In Explaining Self-Employment Across 15 European Countries," Papers on Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy 2004-11, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy Group.
    11. Simeon Djankov & Edward Miguel & Yingyi Qian & Gerard Roland & Ekaterina Zhuravskaya, 2004. "Entrepreneurship: First Results from Russia," Working Papers w0046, Center for Economic and Financial Research (CEFIR).
    12. Jonas Gabrielsson & Diamanto Politis, 2011. "Career motives and entrepreneurial decision-making: examining preferences for causal and effectual logics in the early stage of new ventures," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 36(3), pages 281-298, April.
    13. R T Hamilton, 1989. "Unemployment and Business Formation Rates: Reconciling Time-Series and Cross-Section Evidence," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 21(2), pages 249-255, February.
    14. Marco Gelderen & Roy Thurik & Niels Bosma, 2006. "Success and Risk Factors in the Pre-Startup Phase," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 26(4), pages 319-335, May.
    15. Joachim Wagner, 2005. "Nascent and Infant Entrepreneurs in Germany. Evidence from the Regional Entrepreneurship Monitor (REM)," Working Paper Series in Economics 1, University of Lüneburg, Institute of Economics.
    16. Lorraine Uhlaner & Roy Thurik, 2010. "Postmaterialism Influencing Total Entrepreneurial Activity Across Nations," Springer Books, in: Andreas Freytag & Roy Thurik (ed.), Entrepreneurship and Culture, chapter 0, pages 301-328, Springer.
    17. C. Mirjam van Praag, 2003. "Business Survival and Success of Young Small Business Owners," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 1-17, August.
    18. Block, Joern & Sandner, Philipp, 2006. "The Effect of Motivation on Self-Employment Duration in Germany: Necessity versus Opportunity Entrepreneurs," MPRA Paper 215, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Jörn Block & Philipp Sandner, 2009. "Necessity and Opportunity Entrepreneurs and Their Duration in Self-employment: Evidence from German Micro Data," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 9(2), pages 117-137, June.
    20. Ritsila, Jari & Tervo, Hannu, 2002. "Effects of Unemployment on New Firm Formation: Micro-level Panel Data Evidence from Finland," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 31-40, August.
    21. 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.
    22. Marco Vivarelli, 2004. "Are All the Potential Entrepreneurs So Good?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 41-49, August.
    23. Evans, David S & Leighton, Linda S, 1989. "Some Empirical Aspects of Entrepreneurship," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 79(3), pages 519-535, June.
    24. Alberto Arias & Inaki Pena, 2010. "The effect of entrepreneurs' motivation and the local economic environment on young venture performance," International Journal of Business Environment, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 3(1), pages 38-56.
    25. Foti, Alessandro & Vivarelli, Marco, 1994. "An Econometric Test of the Self-Employment Model: The Case of Italy," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 6(2), pages 81-93, April.
    26. Robson, Martin T, 1996. "Macroeconomic Factors in the Birth and Death of U.K. Firms: Evidence from Quarterly VAT Registrations," The Manchester School of Economic & Social Studies, University of Manchester, vol. 64(2), pages 170-188, June.
    27. Guido Buenstorf, 2009. "Opportunity spin-offs and necessity spin-offs," International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 1(1), pages 22-40.
    28. Roy Thurik & Ingrid Verheul & Isabel Grilo & Reena Bhola, 2006. "Explaining engagement levels of opportunity and necessity entrepreneurs," Scales Research Reports H200610, EIM Business and Policy Research.
    29. Joachim Wagner, 2005. "Nascent Necessity and Opportunity Entrepreneurs in Germany. Evidence from the Regional Entrepreneurship Monitor (REM)," Labor and Demography 0506004, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    30. Dafna Kariv & Teresa V. Menzies & Gabrielle A. Brenner & Louis Jacques Filion, 2009. "Transnational networking and business performance: Ethnic entrepreneurs in Canada," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(3), pages 239-264, May.
    31. Zoltan Acs & Sameeksha Desai & Jolanda Hessels, 2008. "Entrepreneurship, economic development and institutions," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 31(3), pages 219-234, October.
    32. Niels Noorderhaven & Roy Thurik & Sander Wennekers & André van Stel, 2004. "The Role of Dissatisfaction and per Capita Income in Explaining Self–Employment across 15 European Countries," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 28(5), pages 447-466, September.
    33. Colin C. Williams & Sara Nadin, 2010. "Entrepreneurship And The Informal Economy: An Overview," Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship (JDE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 15(04), pages 361-378.
    34. Heiko Bergmann & Rolf Sternberg, 2007. "The Changing Face of Entrepreneurship in Germany," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 28(2), pages 205-221, March.
    35. Birley, Sue & Westhead, Paul, 1994. "A taxonomy of business start-up reasons and their impact on firm growth and size," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 9(1), pages 7-31, January.
    36. Marco van Gelderen & Roy Thurik & Jolanda Hessels, 2007. "Drivers of entrepreneurial aspirations at the country lever: the role of start-up motivations and social security," Scales Research Reports H200710, EIM Business and Policy Research.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. 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.
    2. Tariq Ahmed & Jane E. Klobas & V. G. R. Chandran & Muhammad Waheed Akhtar & Bruno S. Sergi, 2025. "How perceived contextual barriers for entrepreneurship reduce entrepreneurial intentions: a TPB study," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 1-27, December.
    3. repec:osf:osfxxx:aksv5_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    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. 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.
    6. Caroline Bayart & Séverine Saleilles, 2019. "Rethinking the opportunity/necessity dichotomy with a risk management- based approach," Post-Print hal-02143039, HAL.
    7. 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.
    8. 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.
    9. Robert W. Fairlie & Frank M. Fossen, 2018. "Opportunity versus Necessity Entrepreneurship: Two Components of Business Creation," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 959, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    10. 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.
    11. 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.
    12. 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.
    13. 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.
    14. 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.
    15. 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.
    16. 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).
    17. 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.
    18. 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.
    19. 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.
    20. 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.
    21. 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.
    22. 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.
    23. 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.
    24. 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.
    25. 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.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Olivier Giacomin & Frank Janssen & Jean-Luc Guyot & Olivier Lohest, 2023. "Opportunity and/or Necessity Entrepreneurship? The Impact of the Socio-Economic Characteristics of Entrepreneurs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-21, July.
    2. Preeya Mohan & Patrick Watson & Eric Strobl, 2018. "Nascent Entrepreneurs In Caribbean Small Island Developing States: Opportunity Versus Necessity," Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship (JDE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 23(04), pages 1-18, December.
    3. Jolanda Hessels & Marco Gelderen & Roy Thurik, 2008. "Entrepreneurial aspirations, motivations, and their drivers," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 31(3), pages 323-339, October.
    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. Preeya S. Mohan, 2019. "Necessity Versus Opportunity Motivation: Nascent Firm Performance In Caribbean Small Island Developing States," Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship (JDE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 24(04), pages 1-22, December.
    6. Renaud Bourlès & Anastasia Cozarenco, 2018. "Entrepreneurial motivation and business performance: evidence from a French Microfinance Institution," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 51(4), pages 943-963, December.
    7. André Stel & Ana Millán & José María Millán & Concepción Román, 2018. "The relationship between start-up motive and earnings over the course of the entrepreneur’s business tenure," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 28(1), pages 101-123, January.
    8. Marco Vivarelli, 2013. "Is entrepreneurship necessarily good? Microeconomic evidence from developed and developing countries," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 22(6), pages 1453-1495, December.
    9. Mahnoor Asif & Anum Ellahi, 2016. "Correlates of Entrepreneurship in Pakistan: The Regional Dimension," Lahore Journal of Economics, Department of Economics, The Lahore School of Economics, vol. 21(Special E), pages 193-210, September.
    10. Enrico Santarelli & Marco Vivarelli, 2007. "Entrepreneurship and the process of firms’ entry, survival and growth," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 16(3), pages 455-488, June.
    11. 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.
    12. Marco Caliendo & Alexander S. Kritikos & Claudia Stier, 2023. "The influence of start-up motivation on entrepreneurial performance," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 61(3), pages 869-889, October.
    13. 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.
    14. Brahim Gaies & Massimiliano Vesci & Chiara Crudele & Andrea Calabrò & Adnane Maalaoui, 2025. "Panta Rhei! Disentangling the temporal dynamics of nascent and future entrepreneurship," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 1-46, December.
    15. 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.
    16. Katherine Gundolf & Johanna Gast & Mickaël Géraudel, 2017. "Startups’ Innovation Behaviour: An Investigation Into The Role Of Entrepreneurial Motivations," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 21(07), pages 1-26, October.
    17. Hui He & Yan Bai & Xia Xiao, 2020. "How Past Failure Predicts Subsequent Entrepreneurial Intention: A Comparative Study of Mainland China and Taiwan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-17, March.
    18. 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.
    19. Lucio Fuentelsaz & Consuelo Gonz�lez-Gil & Juan P. Maicas, 2015. "What determines entepreneurial failure: taking advantage of the institutional context," Documentos de Trabajo dt2015-05, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, Universidad de Zaragoza.
    20. Martin Binder, 2017. "Entrepreneurial Success and Subjective Well-Being: Worries about the Business Explain One's Well-Being Loss from Self-Employment," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 947, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).

    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

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:29506. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Joachim Winter (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/vfmunde.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.