ENTREPRENEURIAL GOAL ORIENTATIONS: A COMPARATIVE EXPLORATION OF U.S. AND RUSSIAN ENTREPRENEURS
JoAnn and
James Carland, Western Carolina University
Warren Watson, University of
North Texas
Principal Topic
Recognizing the existence of an array of entrepreneurial types, our research question focused on how the often cited psychological constructs of achievement motivation, risk taking propensity and preference for innovation are associated with differences in entrepreneurial goal orientation in the U.S. and in Russia. Accordingly, we concentrated on entrepreneurs who focus on generating profit and growth (P&G) or on producing family income (FI) (Carland et al., 1984).
Method
We used the Achievement Scale of the Personality Research Form (Jackson, 1967) to measure achievement motivation, and the Risk Taking and Innovation Scales of the Jackson Personality Inventory (Jackson, 1976) to measure risk taking propensity and preference for innovation. Entrepreneurial goal orientation was measured with a self-reported forced-choice response between the primary goals of P&G or FI. The operational definition of an entrepreneur was an individual who owned and actively managed the business. A personalized survey technique resulted in a final usable data set consisting of 248 P&G entrepreneurs in the U.S. and 58 in Russia, and 179 FI entrepreneurs in the U.S. and 33 in Russia.
The hierarchical multinomial LOGIT regression analysis indicated that, in addition to some differences in the demographic control variables, the U.S. P&G entrepreneurs had a significantly higher risk taking propensity than did the FI entrepreneurs in the U.S., the Russian P&G entrepreneurs and the Russian FI entrepreneurs. Moreover, the U.S. P&G entrepreneurs were significantly higher in achievement motivation than were the U.S. FI entrepreneurs, the Russian P&G entrepreneurs or the Russian FI entrepreneurs. Likewise, the U.S. FI entrepreneurs were significantly higher in achievement motivation than the P&G entrepreneurs and the FI entrepreneurs in Russia. Smaller achievement motivation differences existed between the P&G and FI entrepreneurs in Russia. Finally, preference for innovation was not significant in distinguishing among the groups, either by country or by entrepreneurial goal orientation.
Implications
The findings suggest that the influence of culture and psychological disposition on entrepreneurial goal orientation has implications for theory development in a host of areas associated with entrepreneurial behavior and outcomes. A key issue is the heterogeneity of entrepreneurs and the development of entrepreneurial typologies. Further, the results serve as part of a growing baseline of knowledge that can be used to better understand entrepreneurial variation, both in the U.S. and abroad, in generating theories of entrepreneurial behavior that are more precise and cross-culturally comprehensive.
CONTACT: Wayne Stewart, Department of Management, 101 Sirrine Hall, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634; (T) 864-656-3776; (F) 864-656-2015; waynes@clemson.edu
© 1999 by Babson College. All rights reserved. Last updated March 2000.