Achievement motivation, proactivity and locus of control as indicators of entrepreneurial orientation among immigrants and native Irish

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Authors
Ryan, Marie
Issue Date
2004
Degree
BA in Psychology
Publisher
Dublin Business School
Rights
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Abstract
The present study suggests that a high need for achievement, a proactive personality and an internal locus of control are indicators of an entrepreneurial orientation. The term entrepreneurial orientation is used to refer to an individual predisposed to entrepreneurial behaviour and therefore more likely to initiate a business venture than individuals lacking these traits. These three personality variables were measured using three self-report questionnaires. The Manifest Needs Questionnaire (Steers and Braunstein, 1976), The Proactive Personality Scale (Bateman and Crant, 1993) and the Internal-External Locus of Control Scale (Rotter,1966). This study aims to investigate whether entrepreneurial orientation is higher among an immigrant group and an Irish group. The participants are fifty- four immigrants and fifty- six native Irish people. The participants received either an English, or Russian, version of the questionnaire to be completed there and then, collected afterwards, or posted back. The results were calculated and a MANOVA was used to check for a significant difference between the groups on each of the tests. A significant difference was found. (f(2,108) = 23.14, p<0.01) The results support the notion that immigrants have a significantly higher entrepreneurial orientation than Irish. Closing suggestions include a change to the current immigration law to encourage immigrants' innate entrepreneurial orientation and a call for more culture specific research into entrepreneurial behaviour.
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