Entrepreneurial Need for Achievement in China, Latvia, and the USA

Abstract

Purpose -The decision one makes to engage in entrepreneurial activity is affected by many different motivators. The paper aims to focus on one specific motivator for entrepreneurial activity which is the Need for Achievement. The prevailing methods of studying achievement motivation will also be discussed as shall constructs related to Need for Achievement. The paper also examines the dynamics of achievement motivation. The dynamic ability of individual traits is important, if it were not one's traits would be constant and not capable of being changed or developed. Some of the main factors that can influence achievement motivation are also examined in the paper. Design/methodology/approach -Specifically, data from 249 entrepreneurs from the USA, 220 from China, and 173 from Latvia were used in order to examine the relationships between variables related to Need for Achievement. Findings -Goal orientation, conscientiousness, cognitive complexity, age, and gender were found to be able to account for 29.4 percent of the variance in Need for Achievement among American entrepreneurs, 45.3 percent among Chinese entrepreneurs, and 33.5 percent among Latvian entrepreneurs. Differences are found between the countries with cognitive complexity being statistically significant in the USA and China, but not in Latvia. Gender was significant in the USA and China but not in Latvia. Age was not significantly related to Need for Achievement in any of the three countries, while goal orientation and conscientiousness were significantly related to Need for Achievement in all three countries. Finally, the implications of this research as well as areas that need to be considered for future research are discussed.Research limitations/implications -The paper is limited to entrepreneurs of small to medium-sized enterprises in North America, Asia, and the Baltics. The implications of the research include that Need for Achievement is important for entrepreneurs across these three very diverse cultures and that variables related to Need for Achievement vary between the countries. As Need for Achievement is related to economic development, it is important to understand the factors which might be able to influence the Need for Achievement of entrepreneurs from around the world. Originality/value -The development of entrepreneurs is important if economies desire to have sustainable growth. Little empirical research has examined these issues with data-sets from three continents. Even less research has examined these issues among entrepreneurs. The paper addresses these areas.

Pengaruh Kelompok Referensi, Motif Ekonomi Dan Pendidikan Kewirausahaan Di Sekolah Terhadap Intensi Berwirausaha Siswa SMK Di Kota Malang

“…Carraher et al (2010) berargumen bahwa keinginan untuk mencapai sesuatu merupakan motif yang kuat bagi individu untuk menjadi wirausaha. Individu termotivasi untuk menjadi wirausaha ketika ia termotivasi untuk mencapai prestasi, otonomi, keinginan untuk menghindari frustasi dalam mencari kerja, dan keinginan untuk mengumpulkan uang.…”

Motivational focus of international entrepreneurs in Spain: From early explorers to straggler exploiters

“…Some venture out to conquer far flung and quite different markets whereas others are content to focus on neighbouring and kindred markets. Such a starting point leads us to focus attention on studies into entrepreneurs' motivation in the business world, particularly those that seek to analyze the creation of a firm and the various driving forces behind it: a desire for independence, wealth, challenge, recognition, prestige, power, and the need to achieve (Carraher, Buchanan & Puia, ; Degeorge & Fayolle, ; Hessels, Gelderen & Thurik, ; Morales‐Gualdrón, Gutiérrez‐Gracia & Roig‐Dobón, ; Seibokaite & Endriulaitiene, ; Shane, ). Certain authors have posited a bipolar structure that serves to group the previously mentioned factors into two forces: pull versus push, or put differently, necessity versus opportunity (Harms, Luck, Kraus, & Walsh, ; Hesseles et al, ; Morales‐Gualdrón et al, ).…”

Opportunities and Obstacles for Information Technology Start-Ups in Europe: A Comparison between Germany and Latvia

“…According to Carraher, Buchanan and Puia (2010), healthy economies are dependent on the growth created from business formations. For instance, entrepreneurship promotes regional development in noncore regions, as they generate higher productivity at the firm level as well as a contribution to added social values (Baumgartner, Pütz & Seidl, 2013).…”

“…This fact can be explained by factors of the so-called Need for Achievement (i.e. effect of consciousness), which is a main driving force of entrepreneurial behaviour and is affected significantly by goal orientation, conscientiousness (higher conscientiousness leads to higher levels of Need for Achievement), cognitive complexity (high cognitive complexity leads to lower Need for Achievement) and gender (being male leads to higher levels of Need for Achievement) (Carraher et al, 2010). The last mentioned point somehow explains the fact of less female founders in comparison to males (Elam & Terjesen, 2010).…”