Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

An exploratory study of characteristics and attributes of Turkish entrepreneurs: A cross-country comparison to Irish entrepreneurs

  • Published:
Journal of International Entrepreneurship Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

There has been limited research on entrepreneurship in Turkey. Given the fact that globalization has rapidly been increasing, that foreign direct investment is spreading throughout the world, and that more and more foreign investors are seeking partners in emergent markets such as Turkey. One important reason for the interest in Turkish entrepreneurs is because they have many characteristics that are similar to entrepreneurs in Western markets. Even if there are many differences between Western entrepreneurs and Turkish entrepreneurs, it would be valuable to compare the characteristics of Turkish entrepreneurs with others. Moreover, a few cross-cultural studies have examined the similarities among entrepreneurs in various nations. Ireland and Turkey have many striking similarities despite varying cultural backgrounds. Hence, this empirical research was undertaken to investigate the characteristics and attributes of Turkish entrepreneurs and compare them to Irish entrepreneurs. The research design in this study focused on 161 Turkish entrepreneurs who were randomly selected from a list (obtained from local Chamber of Commerce) and interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The questions assessed relevant areas, such as demographic and business information, motivations, entrepreneurial characteristics, business problems, personality characteristics, and management skills. Information on the Irish entrepreneurs was incorporated from a published study. Overall, in terms of entrepreneurial characteristics, Turkish entrepreneurs displayed surprisingly similar characteristics to the Irish. The implications of this study are discussed along with some recommendations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aybar S, Lapavitsas C (2002) The recent Turkish crisis: another step toward free market authoritarianism. Hist Materialism 8:297–308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bartell E, Payne L (1995) Business and democracy in Latin America. University of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, PA

    Google Scholar 

  • Berger B (1991) The culture of entrepreneurship. ICS Press, San Francisco

    Google Scholar 

  • Birley S, Westhead P (1990) Growth and performance contrasts between “types” of small firms. Strateg Manage J 11(7):535–557

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bolton WK, Thompson JL (2000) Entrepreneurs: talent, temperament, technique. Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Carroll G, Mosakowski E (1987) The career dynamics of self-employment. Adm Sci Q 32:570–589

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cetindamar D (2005) Policy issues for Turkish entrepreneurs. Int J Entrep Innov Manag 5(3/4):187–205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper AC, Woo CY, Dunkelberg WC (1989) Entrepreneurship and the initial size of firms. J Bus Venturing 4(No. 5):317–332

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coskun A (2004) Motors of innovation and development. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, The OECD Observer, May, 243:48–49

  • Cromie S, Johns S (1983) Irish entrepreneurs: some personal characteristics. J Occup Behav 4(4):317–324

    Google Scholar 

  • Duxbury L, Haines G, Riding A (1996) A personality profile of Canadian informal investors. J Small Bus Manage 34(2):44–55 (April)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gartner WB (1985) A conceptual framework for describing the phenomenon of new venture creation. Acad Manag 10:696–706 (October)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • GEM, 2001, Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Executive Report, GEM, London

  • Gibb A (1993) Enterprise culture and education: understanding enterprise education and its link with small business, entrepreneurship and wider educational goals. Int Small Bus J 11(3):11–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Gnyawali DR, Fogel DS (1994) Environments for entrepreneurship development: key dimensions and research implications. Entrep Theory Pract 18:43–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodbody Economic Consultants (2000) http://www.forfas.ie/ncc/pdfs/09_ Entrepreneurship In_Ireland_FINAL.pdf

  • Gurol Y, Atsan N (2006) Entrepreneurial characteristics amongst university students: some insights for entrepreneurship education and training in Turkey. Educ Train 48(no 1):25–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herron L, Sapienza HJ (1992) The entrepreneur and the initiation of new venture launch activities. Entrep Theory Pract 17(No. 1):49–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Hisrich RD (1988) The entrepreneur in Northern Ireland: characteristics, problems, and recommendations for the future. J Small Bus Manage 26(3):32–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Hisrich RD (1990) Entrepreneurship/intrapreneurship. Am Psychol 45(2):209–222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hisrich RD, Grachev MV (1995) The Russian entrepreneur: characteristics and prescriptions for success. J Manag Psychol 10(2):3–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Hisrich RD, Peters MP (1996) Entrepreneurship, 4th edn. McGraw-Hill, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Hofstede G (1984) Culture’s consequences: international differences in work-related values. Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • Huisman D (1985) Entrepreneurship: economic and cultural influences on the entrepreneurial climate. Eur Res 13:10–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Huntington G (1996) The clash of civilizations and the remaking of world order. Simon and Schuster, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Ireland DR, Webb JW (2005) Entrepreneurship research in AMJ: what has been published, and what might the future hold? Acad Manage J 48(4):556–564

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones K (2000) Psychodynamics, gender, and reactionary entrepreneurship in Metropolitan Sao Paulo, Brazil. Women Manage Rev 15(4):207–215

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kao RWY (1989) Entrepreneurship and enterprise development. Holt, Rinehart & Winston, Toronto

    Google Scholar 

  • Kurtulus K (1987) Entrepreneurship in Turkey. J Small Bus Manage 25(4):66–69 (October)

    Google Scholar 

  • Machado HPV, Gimenez FAP, Gomes V, Aligleri LM, Pelisson C, Aligleri LA (2002) Female and male entrepreneurs’ managerial behavior: a Brazilian study. Manag Int 7(1):21–32 (Fall)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mazzarol T, Volery T, Doss N, Thein V (1999) Factors influencing small business start-ups: a comparison with previous research. Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior and Research 5(2):48–55

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McClelland DC (1965) The achieving society. Van Nostrand, Princeton, NJ

    Google Scholar 

  • McGrath RG, MacMillan IC, Yang EA, Tsai W (1992) Does culture endure, or is it malleable? Issues for entrepreneurial economic development. J Bus Venturing 7:115–135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrison A (2000) Initiating entrepreneurship. In: Carter S, Jones-Evans D (eds) Enterprise and Small Business. Pearson Education, London, pp 97–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Okechuku C, Man VYW (1991) Comparison of managerial traits in Canada and Hong Kong. Asia Pac J Manage 8:223–235 (October)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Othman MdN, Ghazali E, Cheng OC (2005) Demographics and personal characteristics of urban Malaysian entrepreneurs: an ethnic comparison. Int J Entrep Innov Manag 5(5/6):421–440

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ozilhan T (2002) Entrepreneurship and sustainable development in Turkey: risks and opportunities. The Speech by the Chairman of the Board of TUSIAD, in World Conference and Exhibition on Oil Seeds and Edible, Industrial and Specialty Oils, August 12, TS/SEK/02-27

  • Palmer M (1971) The application of psychological testing to entrepreneurial potential. Calif Manage Rev 13(3):32–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Peterson K (1985) Raising risk takers. Metrop Tor Bus J 75(7):30–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Petrakis PE (2005) Risk perception, risk propensity and entrepreneurial behavior: the Greek case. J Am Acad Bus 7(1):233–242 (September)

    Google Scholar 

  • Pistrui D, Huang W, Oksoy D, Zhao J, Welsch H (1999) The characteristics and attributes of new Chinese entrepreneurs and their emerging enterprises. Bus Forum 24(3/4):31–38 (Summer)

    Google Scholar 

  • Puffer S (1993) A riddle wrapped in enigma: demystifying Russian managerial motivation. Eur Manag J 11:473–480 (December)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ray D, Turpin D (1990) Factors influencing Japanese entrepreneurs in high technology venture. J Bus Venturing 5:91–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson S, Hogan S (1993) Family business: ideal vehicle for Indian business success? Mont Bus Q:2–5 (Winter)

  • Ronen S, Shenkar O (1985) Clustering countries on attitudinal dimensions: a review and synthesis. Acad Manage J 10:435–454 (September)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosa P (1998) Entrepreneurial process of business cluster formation and growth by “Habitual” entrepreneurs. Entrep Theory Pract 22(1):43–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Schumpeter JA (1934) The theory of economic development. Harvard Press, Cambridge, MA

    Google Scholar 

  • Schumpeter JA (1965) Economic theory and entrepreneurial history. In: Aitken HG (ed) Explorations in enterprise. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA

    Google Scholar 

  • Shane S (2000) Prior knowledge and the discovery of entrepreneurial opportunities. Organ Sci 11(No. 4):448–469

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shane S, Venkataraman S (2000) The promise of entrepreneurship as a field of research. Acad Manage Rev 25:217–226

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shane S, Kolvereid L, Westhead P (1991) An exploratory examination of the reasons leading to new firm formation across country and gender. J Bus Venturing 6(No. 6):431–446

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shapero A, Sokol L (1982) The social dimensions of entrepreneurship. In: Kent CA, Sexton DL, Vesper KH (eds) Encyclopedia of entrepreneurship. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, pp 72–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Specht PH (1993) Munificence and carrying capacity of the environment and organization formation. Entrep Theory Pract 17(No. 2):77–86

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas AS, Mueller SL (2000) A case for comparative entrepreneurship: assessing the relevance of culture. J Int Bus Stud Second Quarter 31(2):287–299

    Google Scholar 

  • TUSIAD Report (2002) Turkiye’de Girisimcilik (“Entrepreneurship in Turkey”), available at: http://www.tusiad.org/turkish/girisimcilik/girisimcilik.pdf

  • Ucbasan D, Westhead P, Wright M (2001) The focus of entrepreneurial research: contextual and process issues. Entrep Theory Pract 25:57–80 (Summer)

    Google Scholar 

  • Vaduva S, Keillor BD, d’Amico M (2005) Emerging entrepreneurship in Eastern Europe. Int J Manag Prac 1(no. 3):279–293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weber M (1956) The protestant ethic and the sprit of capitalism. Allen & Unwin, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Welsh JA, White JF (1981) Converging on characteristics of entrepreneurs. In: Vesper KH (ed) Frontiers of entrepreneurship research. Babson Centre For Entrepreneurial Studies, Wellesley, MA, pp 504–515

    Google Scholar 

  • Yasin M (1996) Entrepreneurial effectiveness and achievement in Arab culture: new evidence to rekindle interest in an old predictor. J Bus Res 35:69–77

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yasin M, Stahl M (1990) Models for effective motivation in the Arab and American business cultures: review and directions for future research. Int J Manag 7:43–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Young EC, Welsch HP (1993) Major elements in entrepreneurial development in Central Mexico. J Small Bus Manage 31(94):80–85

    Google Scholar 

  • Zapalska A (1997) Profiles of Polish entrepreneurs. J Small Bus Manage 35(2):111–117 (April)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey

    Mehmet Turan

  2. College of Business, Pennsylvania State University, York, 1031 Edgecomb Ave., York, PA, 17403, USA

    Ali Kara

Authors
  1. Mehmet Turan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ali Kara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ali Kara.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Turan, M., Kara, A. An exploratory study of characteristics and attributes of Turkish entrepreneurs: A cross-country comparison to Irish entrepreneurs. J Int Entrepr 5, 25–46 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10843-007-0014-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10843-007-0014-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation