Title: Toward a new entrepreneurial skills and competencies framework: a qualitative and quantitative study

Authors: Christophe Loué; Jacques Baronet

Addresses: NOVANCIA, 3 rue Armand Moisant, 75015 Paris, France. ' Faculty of Administration, University of Sherbrooke, 2500, Boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1K 2R1, Canada

Abstract: This paper develops and tests a new framework for addressing entrepreneurial skills. We first used a qualitative research methodology and interviewed entrepreneurs from France, Canada, and Algeria in order to figure out the relevant skills. Then we used a quantitative research methodology to validate our findings. Our framework relies on 44 skills and abilities. Using a principal component analysis (PCA) they were clustered into eight key categories that are making the backbone of our framework: 1) opportunity recognition and exploitation; 2) financial management; 3) human resources management; 4) marketing and commercial activities; 5) leadership; 6) self-discipline; 7) marketing and monitoring; 8) intuition and vision.

Keywords: factor analysis; entrepreneurial competence; entrepreneurial skills; qualitative research design; quantitative research design; France; Canada; Algeria; entrepreneurial competencies; entrepreneurial abilities; PCA; principal component analysis; human resource management; HRM; opportunity recognition; opportunity exploitation; financial management; marketing; commercial activities; leadership; self-discipline; monitoring; intuition; vision; small and medium-sized enterprises; SMEs; entrepreneurs; entrepreneurship.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2012.050164

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2012 Vol.17 No.4, pp.455 - 477

Published online: 16 Aug 2014 *

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