Rita Gunther McGrath

More like each other than anyone else? A cross-cultural study of entrepreneurial perceptions

A proposition is offered regarding entrepreneurial values that may be drivers of entrepreneurial behavior -- that a basic set of beliefs exists in entrepreneurs about themselves and others in society which, from the entrepreneurs point of view, differentiates entrepreneurs from other people. These beliefs transcend cultures and may create a dissonance which causes behavior different from others in society-this behavior may, in turn, cause both functional and dysfunctional entrepreneurial activity. Data were gathered from 770 responses to surveys sent to entrepreneurs in the United States, England, Australia, Taiwan, China, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland. Findings show that, even among societies with different cultural values, there is a pattern of similar beliefs that entrepreneurs hold about others in their societies. These findings suggest that entrepreneurial behavior might originate from this core set of perceptions, and further research is needed on the relationship between perception and activities. (SFL)