EDP Notes

There are large number of varied factors which contribute to the growth of entrepreneurship. These
factors can be broadly classified into five.
 PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS: - Inspiration for achievement prepares an entrepreneur to
set higher goals and achieve them. The important psychological factors influencing
entrepreneurial growth may be outlined as below:
(A) Need for Achievement: - Need for achievement means the drive to achieve a goal. People
having need for achievement will be so much self – confident that they do not believe in mere
luck. If an individual has need for achievement, he will become a successful entrepreneur.
(B) Personal Motives: - These have been found to be one of the crucial factors responsible for
entrepreneurship amongst individuals. Bill Gates dreamt that one day he would become the richest
person. His dream became a reality later.

(C) Recognition: - Many people become successful entrepreneurs just for getting recognition
from others.
(D) Need of Authority: - ‘Need of authority’ will inspire men to work. When they become
entrepreneurs, they can exercise authority over managers, employees etc.
 CULTURAL FACTORS: - Culture consists of (1) Tangible man – made objects like furniture,
buildings etc.., (2). Intangible concepts like Laws, morals, knowledge etc.., (3) Values and
behaviour acceptable within the society. The important cultural factors influencing
entrepreneurial growth are briefly explained as follows:
(A) Culture: - Culture is closely related with accepted values and human behaviour. For e.g.
some societies have customs of polygamy and some have not.
(B) Religious Belief: - According to Max Weber, entrepreneurism is a function of religious belief
and the impact of religion shapes the entrepreneurial culture. He emphasized that the
entrepreneurial energies are exogenous supplied by means of religious belief.
(C) Minority Groups: - Hoselitz explained that the supply of entrepreneurship is governed by
cultural factors, and culturally minority groups are the spark plugs of entrepreneurial and
economic development. Minority groups like the Jews and Greeks in Medieval Europe, the
Lebanese in West Africa, the Indians in East Africa has important roles in promoting economic
development.
(D) Spirit of Capitalism: - It guides the entrepreneur to engage in activities that can bring more
and more profits. The profit motive character coupled with the attitude towards acquisition of
money urges the individual to start new venture.
 SOCIAL FACTORS: - What mould a man into an entrepreneur is the sociological and
environmental factors during childhood, and at the school, personal experience in adult life at
the college and job environments, the mobility, occupation and support from parents. The
social factors include:
(A) Legitimacy of Entrepreneurship: - System of norms and values within a socio – cultural
setting is responsible for the emergence of entrepreneurship. The degree of approval or
disapproval granted to entrepreneurial behaviour will influence its emergence and its
characteristics if it does emerge.
(B) Social Marginality: - Individuals or groups on the perimeter of a given social system or
between two social systems provide the personnel to assume the entrepreneurial roles. Social
marginality is likely to promote entrepreneurship are largely determined by two factors, namely
the legitimacy of entrepreneurship and social mobility.
(C) Family, Role Models and Association with Similar Type of Individuals: - If an individual
has a supportive family, he or she is more likely to become an entrepreneur. Similarly, if an
individual has role models who have been successful in entrepreneurship, certainly, he may be
motivated to start ventures. If a person is in association with entrepreneurs, this may add to his or
her desire of setting up a new venture. Reliance, Tata, Birla etc. are the industries depend upon
family based inheritance. Roberts (1991) has developed the idea of the ‘entrepreneurial heritage ‘
to describe the importance of the family background for the entrepreneur. This heritage includesfactors such as the father’s occupation, the family work ethic and religion, family size and the first
born son, growing up experience and so on.
(D) Caste System: - Certain religions and caste encourage the growth of entrepreneurial talent.
Some religious communities like the parsees, marwaris and sindhees seem to have an affinity for
entrepreneurial activity. The caste system in Hindu society has promoted to the growth of business
and professional skills.
(E) Occupation :- Those born in rich families with silver spoons in their mouth have not only an
advantage of having financial resources for carrying out business but also learn the business skill
by continuous interaction and contacts with parents, customers, employees and visitors in family
shops, offices and homes.
(F) Education and Technical Qualifications: - Education is the best means of developing man’s
resourcefulness which encompasses different dimensions of entrepreneurship. It may be expected
that the high level of education may enable the entrepreneurs to exercise their entrepreneurial
talent more efficiently and effectively.
(G) Social Status: - Every human being aspires for a high social status and once he achieves a
reasonable level, his aspirations and desires for its start getting multiplied. People work hard to
maintain their status as it also contributes to their entrepreneurial growth.
(H) Social Responsibility: - It is the obligation to the society in which the business enterprise
operates. An entrepreneur generates employment for others besides helping himself.
 ECONOMIC FACTORS: - Economic factors also influence the growth of entrepreneurship.
The important economic factors are:
(A)Infrastructural Facilities: - Entrepreneurship development requires certain basic
infrastructure like power, transportation, communication, technical information etc. These provide
external economies and improve the efficiency of investments by entrepreneurs. These
infrastructural facilities are scarce in less developed countries. The entrepreneurs themselves have
to procure these facilities at their own cost. They have to obtain these facilities at higher costs.
This will greatly discourage the entrepreneurship development. In advanced countries, those who
are desirous of starting an enterprise will find no difficulty in procuring the infrastructural
facilities at reasonable costs.
(B) Financial Resources: - Finance is the life blood of business activity. Capital is required to
obtain materials, machinery, equipment, etc. and to undertake innovation. Capital is regarded as
lubricant to the process of production. The lack of financial resources discourages the youth and
potential entrepreneurs to start new ventures. Hence, the need for fixed and working capital should
be adequately met if new entrepreneurs are to come forward and grow.
(C) Availability of Material and Know – How: - Entrepreneurship is encouraged only if there is
an adequate supply of materials and know-how. Easy availability of materials attracts more
individuals towards entrepreneurship. Technical know-how is essential for innovation. With
technical knowledge, men discover more and sophisticated techniques of production.
(D) Labour Conditions: - The quality rather than quantity of labour is another factor which
influences the emergence and growth of entrepreneurship. The availability of cheep labour
positively affects entrepreneurship. Labour problem can be solved not by capital intensive
technologies but by increasing their mobility, by offering them facilities, incentives and
concessions in every remote corner of the country.

(E) Market: - The size and composition of market influence entrepreneurship in their own ways.
Practically, monopoly in a particular product in a market becomes more influential for
entrepreneurship than a competitive market.
(F) Support System: - Ability, initiative and support systems include financial and commercial
institutions, research, training, consultancy services, ancillary industry etc.
(G) Government Policy: - The socio- political and economic policies of the government inhibit or
foster entrepreneurial growth. Land and factory sheds at concessional rates, adequate sources of
power, supply of materials and other physical facilities should be provided by the government to
facilitate the setting up of new enterprises. The government has a dominant role to play in the
industrial development of backward regions with a view to attain a balanced regional
development.
 PERSONALITY FACTORS: - The supply of entrepreneurship in a society is largely
influenced by the presence of individuals with the initiativeness, foresightedness and organizing
and managerial competence. The following personality factors contribute to the entrepreneurial
development:
(A). Personality: - The entrepreneurial personality comprises of the person, his skills, styles and
motives. Impressive personality and individual skill help to develop entrepreneurship. These
qualities are required for entrepreneurs because they have to work with officers, managers,
engineers, labourers, customers, investors, govt. officers, ministers etc.
(B). Independence:-Another personality factors which influences entrepreneurship is
independence. An entrepreneur works out plans on his own, searches and explores resources and
experiences and uses inner urge to make the enterprise a success instead of waiting for
suggestions or directions from others.
(C). Compulsion: - Certain compelling reasons also force the people to become entrepreneurs.
These include: (a) unemployment or dissatisfaction with existing job or occupation, (b) to use
technical or professional knowledge and skills, (c) to put the idle funds to use. A large number of
technically qualified people after gaining initial experience and confidence and not being satisfied
by their growth in the profession have a compulsive reason to try entrepreneurship