SWITCHING TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN MID CAREER: A SINGAPOREAN PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

The phenomena of an aging population, changing social and economic circumstances, as well as the existential necessity of mid-life changes form the background to this investigation. Though statistics indicate that there are only a few who have considered entrepreneurship as a desirable and feasible career option in mid life, the option is becoming more attractive as the possibility of lifetime employment with a single employer becomes increasingly remote. The focus of this article is to understand what has motivated first time entrepreneurs in mid-career to consider this choice and how they have made sense of their mid-life situations to successfully discover and exploit entrepreneurial opportunities. This study has demonstrated that it requires the optimal interaction of four key elements to increase the likelihood of a positive outcome of entrepreneurial pursuits — knowledge, networks, rewards and risks.