Entrepreneurs transcend time: a biographical analysis

Abstract

Aims to provide an insight relative to the motivations of individuals entering into entrepreneurship. Analysis is made of the respective biographies of a female and a male immigrant entrepreneur who chose to participate in the domain of commercial hospitality, albeit separated by 68 years. A model of entrepreneurial motivation first presented by Naffziger guides this analysis. The model is attractive in that it combines wider environmental forces with the intrinsic motivations and social context of the entrepreneurs. It is concluded that it may be possible to isolate an independent common set of “out‐of‐time” factors associated with entrepreneurial motivation, that encompass the personal domain of the entrepreneur (characteristics, environment, goals). These combine with dependent “in‐time” factors (business idea, business environment) arising from the economic and social trends of the day to present a complex amalgam of events, characteristics and traits. It is proposed that entrepreneurs are “travellers through time”. Times may change, but the motivation, emotion, drive, purpose and “mania” of entrepreneurs remain constant.