Entrepreneurship, economic crisis, and the role of higher education: Evidence from Greece

Abstract

This article, through an empirical investigation, examines (a) the attitudes toward entrepreneurship among those of a productive age, and (b) the effect of the economic and political characteristics of a country on an individual’s tendency toward entrepreneurship. An anonymous questionnaire was designed and administered to a random sample of 180 people, ranging in age from 18 to 58, in the Athens area (Attica region) during the 2015–2016 academic year. Of those issued, 100 were completed sufficiently for analysis (response rate: 55.5%). The study supports the view that entrepreneurship is a vital asset for sustainable development and that integrating entrepreneurship into the formal education system (including higher education), together with greater flexibility, consistency, and continuity in public policy, will help improve its impact.