This study examines the impact of role model activities on potential entrepreneur's desire to own a business. A group of students, whose role model owned a business, were asked to rank the influence on career intentions of twenty specific activities in which role models and potential entrepreneurs might engage. The study looks at the relationship between these activities and the desire to own a business. Role model activities related to involving the respondent in professional activities, employment in the business, and discussions about the business were found to be significantly related with interest in starting a business. The results can be useful to those involved in teaching entrepreneurship courses, owners of businesses who are interested in encouraging entrepreneurship, and providers of assistance who council owners of firms.

Most research and popular writing includes entrepreneurial role models as an important factor in the decision to start a business. Few, if any, studies compare the influence of business owner role models between two different countries. Further, studies cite the importance of role models for potential entrepreneurs but ignore how the role model process actually works. This study looks at activities that role models might engage in and compares their influence on respondents in the US and Mexico. This is the first study that examines differences in role model influence between two countries. Ten of the variables are significantly different between respondents in the two countries. Nine of the differences were rated as being significantly more influential among Mexican students than US students while only one variable was rated as being significantly less influential. Results of the study, especially as related to the specific influence of role models on career intentions, may be relevant in designing entrepreneurship programs. The results may also be appropriate in courses that discuss entrepreneurship in different countries (e.g., international entrepreneurship). The results may also be relevant in family businesses where eventual continuity of family ownership through succession is desired.

An incubator houses a number of new, small businesses that share space and administrative support. Management assistance is usually available and financial assistance is sometimes provided. Incubator managers can aid tenants also by encouraging and assisting them in their planning efforts. However, this study found a wide variance among incubators regarding the amount of planning by tenant firms. Further, the amount of planning by tenants appears to be a function of the amount of planning that is required or encouraged by incubator managers. The major implication is that planning can be affected by incubator managers. Thus, incubator managers should see part of their role as a planning facilitator. Additional areas for future research are suggested.

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