Motivations for entrepreneurship: necessity versus opportunity?

Abstract

Most research purports to show the prevalence of either need or opportunity as the driving motive for entrepreneurship. Some has suggested that there is no such dichotomy; other motives can interfere, with interaction among them. This paper delves into such matters insofar as it brings to bear a qualitative research associated with a quantitative one, both targeted to identify the motives underlying the genesis of new undertakings. While the first procedure suggests the presence of multiple motives, the second - built from generated references - ratifies the occurrence of such motives. Results suggest that underlying motives bypass the binary conundrum of need versus opportunity and go deeper, in order to include: opportunity, personal attributes, labor markets, job frustration, family pressures, and external influences.

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