Title: Entrepreneurship: multiple meanings and consequences

Authors: Dieter Bogenhold

Addresses: Faculty of Economics and Management, Free University of Bolzano/Bozen, Sernesistrasse 1, Postbox 276, 39100 Bozen, Italy

Abstract: Aim of the paper is to question for the meaning of entrepreneurship. A view through relevant pieces of the literature indicates that no consensual understanding exists about the understanding of the term. The most conventual practise is to translate entrepreneurship with self-employment. In this sense, the political postulated need to strengthen entrepreneurship will mean consequently to strengthen the ratio of self-employment. What is taken too less into account, however, is the fact that even self-employment is fragmented into different classes of actors having different socioeconomic attributes, rationalities, and related biographies. Among this category of people, one may find the potential keys for future positive developments as well as one can meet with just the opposite, e.g. people who are settled here since they have no other chances in the labour market for getting a job and related income. One of the conclusions is that entrepreneurship has multiple meanings and consequences.

Keywords: entrepreneurship; self-employment; innovation; growth; labour markets.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEIM.2004.004496

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 2004 Vol.4 No.1, pp.3 - 10

Published online: 10 May 2004 *

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