Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Measuring entrepreneurial quality in southern Europe

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

Abstract

The main objective of this paper is working out an empirical methodology to measure the quality of the entrepreneur’s booster function, so that policy makers have an appropriate diagnosis of the qualities of entrepreneurs in their area. In this sense, two essential elements are the construction of an explanatory model, and the establishment of an entrepreneurial typology with respect to quality levels. This methodology is then applied to determine the quality level of entrepreneurs in Seville province (southern Spain), using Partial Least Squares estimation technique on a survey of 278 entrepreneurs from various activity sectors and with firms of different sizes.

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
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. The neoclassical theory of economic growth elaborated from the seminal work of Solow (1956) and Swan (1956) has been used by authors such as Barro (1991) or Sala-i-Martin (1990) to predict the convergence among countries and regions. Nevertheless, as Romer has demonstrated (Romer, 1986), the convergence is difficult or not possible because there are increasing returns in the long run due to technological spillovers and knowledge spillovers.

  2. Fritz Redlich (1949b), one of the researchers who belonged to the Research Center in Entrepreneurial History of Harvard, refers to three kinds of functions in a business: the capitalist function, the manager function and, most important, by the entrepreneur function. This latter could be assimilated to the booster function. Forty years later, Mark Blaug (1983) also refers to three entrepreneurial functions: financing function, managerial function and, finally, power-decision function. This would also be connected with the booster function.

  3. See for example, with regards to management quality, Azzone and Cainarca (1993). They define quality in two ways: quality in the production process (the ability to reduce or eliminate waste and sources of defective products) and quality of conformance (the respondance of a product to design specifications) and grade (the capacity of a product to satisfy customers’ requirements).

  4. A different taxonomy of motivations close to the intrinsic/extrinsic type is better described in Kuratko et al. (1997). Regarding the distinction among push factors (unemployment) and pull factors (education) of motivation (Cooper & Dunkelberg, 1986), although it is also close to the former, we think it is insufficient because each variable can positively or negatively influence motivations, depending on the person.

  5. Three relevant papers on entrepreneurship where Partial Least Squares is used to test a conceptual model can be found in Davidsson (1991); Chua, Chrisman, and Sharma (1999) and Julien and Ramangalahy (2003).

References

  • Acs, Z. J. (1996). Small firms and economic growth. In P. H. Admiraal (Ed.), Small business in the modern economy. De Vries lectures in economics (pp. 1–62). Oxford: Balckwell Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, 179–211.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aldrich, H. E., & Martinez, M. (2003). Entrepreneurship as social construction: A multilevel evolutionary approach. In Z. A. Acs & D. Audretsch (Eds.), Handbook of entrepreneurship research: An interdisciplinary survey and introduction (pp. 359–399). London: Kluwer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Audretsch, D. B. (2002). Entrepreneurship: A survey of the literature. Brussels: European Commission Working Paper, Enterprise Directorate General.

    Google Scholar 

  • Audretsch, D. B., & Thurik, A. R. (2001). Linking entrepreneurship to growth. Directorare for Science, Technology and Industry, OECD, DSTI/DOC (2001)2.

  • Azzone, G., & Cainarca, G. C. (1993). The strategic role of quality in small size firms. Small Business Economics, 5, 67–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barreto, H. (1989). The entrepreneur in microeconomic theory: Disappearance and explanation. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barro, R. J. (1991). Economic growth in a cross section of countries. Quarterly Journal of Economics, 106, 407–433.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baumol, W. J. (1990). Entrepreneurship: Productive, unproductive and destructive. Journal of Political Economy, 98, 893–921.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baumol, W. J. (2004). Entrepreneurial enterprises, large established firms and other components of the free-market growth machine. Small Business Economics, 23, 9–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Binks, M., & Vale, P. (1990). Entrepreneurship and economic change. London: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blaug, M. (1983). Marx, Schumpeter y la teoría del empresario. Revista de Occidente, 21–22, 117–130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butler J. E., & Hansen, G. S. (1991). Network evolution, entrepreneurial success and regional development. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 3(1), 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cappellin, R. (1992). Los nuevos centros de gravedad del desarrollo regional en la Europa de los noventa. Revista de Estudios Regionales, 33, 15–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carree, M. A., & Thurik, A. R. (2003). The impact of entrepreneurship on economic growth. In Z. A. Acs & D. D. Audretsch (Eds.), Handbook of entrepreneurship research: An interdisciplinary survey and introduction (pp. 437–472). London: Kluwer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Casson, M. (1991). The entrepreneur: An economic theory. Brookfields: Gregg Revivals. (First version published in 1982, Oxford: Martin Robertson).

    Google Scholar 

  • Chin, W., & Frye, T. (2003). PLS Graph V.3.00 (Build 1126). Houston: University of Houston.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chua, J. H., Chrisman, J. J., & Sharma, P. (1999). Defining the family business by behavior. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 23(4), 19–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collins, O. F., & Moore, D. G. (1964). The enterprising man. East Lansing: MI Michigan State University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, A. C., & Dunkelberg, W. C. (1986). Entrepreneurship and paths to business ownership. Strategic Management Journal, 7, 53–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, A. C., & Dunkelberg, W. C. (1987). Entrepreneurial research: Old question, new answers and methodological issues. American Journal of Small Business, 11(3), 11–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Costa Campi, M. T., & Callejón, M. (1992). La cooperación entre empresas: Una nueva estrategia competitiva. Madrid: Ministerio de Industria Comercio y Turismo.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cromie, S., & O’Donaghue, J. (1992). Assesing entrepreneurial inclinations. International Small Business Journal, 10(2), 67–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cross, M., & Payne, G. (coor) (1991). Work and the enterprise culture. London: The Falmer Press.

  • Cuadrado, J. R. (2001). Convergencia regional en la Unión Europea. De las hipótesis teóricas a las tendencias reales. In T. Mancha & D. Sotelsek (Coor.), Convergencia económica e integración: La experiencia de Europa y América Latina. Madrid: Ed. Pirámide.

  • Cuadrado, J. R., Mancha, T., & Garrido, R.(1998). Convergencia regional en España. Hechos, tendencias y perspectivas. Madrid: Fundación Argentaria & Ed. Visor.

    Google Scholar 

  • Curran, J., Jarvis, R., Blackburn, R. A., & Blach, S. (1993). Networks and small firms: Constructs, methodological strategies and some findings. International Small Business Journal, 11(2), 13–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davidsson, P. (1991). Continued entrepreneurship: Ability, need and opportunity as determinants of small firm growth. Journal of Business Venturing, 6, 405–429.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davidsson, P. (1995). Culture, structure and regional levels of entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 7(1), 41–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diez de Castro, E. (coor) (1995). La empresa en Andalucía. Madrid: Ed. Cívitas.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fujita, M., Krugman, P., & Venables, A. J. (1999). The spatial economy. Massachusetts: Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garrido, R. (2002). Cambio estructural y desarrollo regional. Madrid: Ed. Pirámide.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gartner, W. B. (1985). A conceptual framework of new venture creation. Academy of Management Review, 10, 696–706.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gefen, D., Straub, D. W., & Boudreau, M. C. (2000). Structural equation modeling and regression: Guidelines for research and practice. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 4, article 7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibb, A. A. (1993a). Small business development in Central and Eastern Europe—Opportunity for a rethink? Journal of Business Venturing, 8, 461–486.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibb, A. A. (1993b). The enterprise culture and education: Understanding enterprise education and its links with small business, entrepreneurship and wider educational goals. International Small Business Journal, 3(11), 11–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gnyawali, D. R., & Fogel, D. S. (1994). Enviroments for entrepreneurship development: Key dimensions and research implications. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 18(4), 43–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goerlich, F. J., & Mas, M. (2001). La evolución económica de las provincias españolas, vol i: Capitalización y crecimiento. Bilbao: Fundación BBVA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guerreri, P., Iammarino, S., & Pietrobelli, C. (2001). The global challenge to industrial districts. Small and Medium-sized enterprises in Italy and Taiwan. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gupta, V., MacMillan, I. C., & Surie, G. (2004). Entrepreneurial leadership: Developing and measuring a cross-cultural construct. Journal of Business Venturing, 19, 241–260.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guzmán, J. (1994). Towards a taxonomy of entrepreneurial theories. International Small Business Journal, 12(4) 77–88.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guzmán, J., & Santos-Cumplido, F. J. (2001). The booster function and the entrepreneurial quality: An application to the province of Seville. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 13, 211–228.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hagen, E. E. (1962). On the theory of social change: How economic growth begins. Cambridge, MA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology & The Dorsey Press Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, N. M. (1981). Development from above: The centre-down development paradigm. In W. B. Stohr & D. R. F. Taylor (Eds.), Development from above or below? The dialectics of regional planning in developing countries (pp. 15–37). Chichester: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hebert, R. F., & Link, A. N. (1989). In search of the meaning of entrepreneurship. Small Business Economics, 1, 39–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herron, L., & Robinson, R. B. (1993). A structural model of the effects of entrepreneurial characteristics on venture performance. Journal of Business Venturing, 8, 281–294.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirschman, A. O. (1958). The strategy of economic development. New Haven: Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoselitz, B. F. (1971). El Nacimiento de la Teoría Empresarial. In J. Sengler (coor) El Pensamiento Económico de Aristóteles a Marshal (pp. 250–272). Madrid: Ed Tecnos.

  • Hunt, D. (1989). Economic theories of development. An analysis of competing paradigms. New York: Harvester Wheatsheaf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johannisson, B. (1995). Paradigms and entrepreneurial networks: Some methodological challenges. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 7, 215–231.

    Google Scholar 

  • Julien, P., & Ramangalahy, C. (2003). Competitive strategy and performance of Exporting SMEs: An empirical investigation of the impact of their export information search and competencies. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 27(3), 227–245.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirzner, I. (1997). Entrepreneurial discovery and the competitive market process: An Austrian approach. Journal of Economic Literature, 35, 60–85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krueger, N. (2003). The cognitive psychology of entrepreneurship. In Z. A. Acs & D. D. Audretsch (Eds.), Handbook of entrepreneurship research: An interdisciplinary survey and introduction (pp. 105–140). Londres: Kluwer

    Google Scholar 

  • Krueger, N., & Brazeal, D. V. (1994). Entrepreneurial potential and potential entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 18(3), 91–105.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krueger, N., & Casrud, A. L. (1993). Entrepreneurial intentions: Applying the theory of planned behavior. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 5, 315–330.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krueger, N., Reilly, M. D., & Carsrud, A. L. (2000). Competing models of entrepreneurial intentions. Journal of Business Venturing, 15, 411–432.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krugman, P. (1991). Increasing returns and economic geography. Journal of Political Economy, 99, 483–499.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuratko, D. F., Hornsby, J. S., & Naffziger, D. W. (1997). An examination of owner’s goals in sustaining entrepreneurship. Journal of Small Business Management, 35, 25–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, W. A. (1955). The theory of economic growth. Londres: George Allen.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lumpkin, G. T., & Dess, G. G. (1996). Clarifying the entrepreneurial orientation to construct and linking it to performance. Academy of Management Review, 21, 135–172.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lumpkin, G. T., Hills G. E., & Shrader, R. C. (2001). Opportunity recognition. A CEAE White Paper, Chicago: Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies and University of Illinois.

    Google Scholar 

  • Markusen, A. (1996). Sticky places in slippery spaces: A typology of industrial districts. Economic Geography, 72(3), 293–313.

    Google Scholar 

  • McClelland, D. C. (1961). The achieving society. London: The Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Monsted, M. (1995). Processes and structures of networks: Reflections on methodology. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 7, 193–213.

    Google Scholar 

  • Myrdal, G. (1957). Economic theory and underdeveloped countries. London: Duckworth.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nolan, A. (2003). Entrepreneurship and local economic development. Paris: OECD.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nurkse, R. (1952). Some international aspects of the problem of economic development. American Economic Review, 42, 571–583.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perroux, F. (1955). Note sur la notion de pole de croissance. Economie Appliquée, 7, 307–320.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pyke, F., Becattini, G., & Sergenberger, W. (1992). Los distritos industriales y las pequeñas empresas. Vol I. Distritos industriales y cooperación interempresarial en Italia. Madrid: Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social.

    Google Scholar 

  • Porter, M. E. (1991). La ventaja competitiva de las naciones. Barcelona: Plaza and Janes.

    Google Scholar 

  • Porter, M. E. (1998). On competition. Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ray, D. M. (1993). Understanding the entrepreneur: Attributes, experiences and skills. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 5, 345–357.

    Google Scholar 

  • Redlich, F. (1949a). On the origin of the concepts of “entrepreneur” and “creative entrepreneur.” Explorations in Entrepreneurial History, 1(2), 1–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Redlich, F. (1949b). The business leader in theory and reality. The American Journal of Economic and Sociology, 8, 223–237.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds, P. D., Hay, W. M., & Camp, S. M. (1999). Global entrepreneurship monitor 1999, executive report. London: London Business School and Babson College.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roldán, J. L., & Leal, A. (2003). A validation test of an adaptation of the Delone and Mclean’s model in the Spanish EIS field. In J. J. Cano (Ed.), Critical reflections on information systems. A systemic approach (pp. 66–84). Hershey, PA: Idea Group Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Romer, P. M. (1986). Increasing returns and long-run growth. Journal of Political Economy, 94, 1002–1037.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenstein-Rodan, P. N. (1943). Problems of industrialization of Eastern and South-eastern Europe. Economic Journal, 53, 202–211.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rostow, W. (1953). The process of economic growth. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rus, G., & Rastrollo, M.A. (2001). Capitalización y crecimiento de la economía andaluza 1955–1998. Bilbao: Fundación BBVA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sala-i-Martin, X, (1990). On growth and states. PhD Dissertation, Harvard University, Harvard.

  • Sanchis, E., Picó, J., & Olmos, J. M. (1989). La nueva pequeña empresa de la industria valenciana. Revista Sociología del Trabajo, 5, 41–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Santos, F. J. (2001). La calidad del empresario sevillano. Sevilla: Ed. Sevilla Siglo XXI.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scherer, R. F, Brodzinsky, J. D., & Wiebe, F. A. (1991). Examining the relationship between personality and entrepreneurial career preference. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 3, 195–206.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schumpeter, J. A. (1944). Teoría del desenvolvimiento económico. México: Fondo de Cultura Económica. (First version published in German in 1911).

    Google Scholar 

  • Shane, S. (1994). Cultural values and the championing process. Entrepreneruship Theory and Practice, 18(4), 25–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shane, S. (2000). Prior knowledge and the discovery of entrepreneurial opportunities. Organizations Science, 11(4), 448–469.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shane, S., Locke, E. A., & Collins, C. J. (2003). Entrepreneurial motivation. Human Resource Management Review, 12, 257–279.

    Google Scholar 

  • Solow, R. M. (1956). A contribution to the theory of economic growth. Quarterly Journal of Economics, 70(1), 65–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sombart, W. (1993). El burgués. Madrid: Alianza. (First version published in German in 1913).

    Google Scholar 

  • Stohr, W. B. (Ed.) (1990). Global challenge and local response, initiatives for economic regeneration in contemporary Europe. London: Mansell Publishing Limited.

  • Stohr, W. B., & Taylor, D. R. F. (1981). Development from above or below? The dialectics of Regional Planning in Developing Countries. Chichester: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stormer, F., Kline, T., & Goldenberg, S. (1999). Measuring entrepreneurship with the General Enterprising Tendency (GET) Test: Criterion-related validity and reliability. Human Systems Management, 18, 47–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suarez-Villa, L. (1989). The evolution of regional economies. Entrepreneurship and macroeconomic change. New York: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swan, T. W. (1956). Economic growth and capital accumulation. Economic Record, 32, 334–361.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tiessen, J. H. (1998). Individualism, collectivism and entrepreneurship: A framework for international comparative research. Journal of Business Venturing, 12, 367–384.

    Google Scholar 

  • Timmons, J. (2004). Opportunity recognition. In W. Bygrave & A. Zacharakis (Eds.), The portable MBA in entrepreneurship (pp. 29–70). New Jersey: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tondl, G. (2001). Convergence after divergence? Regional growth in Europe. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Toribio, M. R. (1996). Factores característicos del empresario gaditano. Políticas de fomento. Doctoral Dissertation, Universidad de Cádiz, Cadiz.

  • Van de Ven, A., & Garud, R. (1989). A framework for understanding the emergence of new industries. In R. Rosenbloom & R. Burgelman (Eds.), Research on technical innovation. Management and policy, 4 (pp. 195–225). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vázquez Barquero, A. (2002). Endogenous development. Networking, innovation, institutions and cities. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Veciana, J. M. (1999). Creación de empresas como programa de investigación científica. Revista Europea de Dirección y Economía de Empresa, 3, 11–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vélaz, J. I. (1996). Motivos y motivación en la empresa. Madrid: Ed. Díaz de Santos.

    Google Scholar 

  • Verheul, I., Wennekers, S., Audretch, D., & Thurik, R. (2003). An eclectic theory of entrepreneurship: Policies, institutions and culture. In D. Audretsch (Ed.), SMEs in the age of globalization (pp. 537–606). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vivarelli, M. (2004). Are potential entrepreneurs so good? Small Business Economics, 23, 41–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weber, M. (1969). La ética protestante y el espíritu del capitalismo. Barcelona: Ediciones Península. (First version published in German in 1904).

    Google Scholar 

  • Wennekers, S., & Thurik, R. (1999). Linking entrepreneurship and economic growth. Small Business Economics, 13, 27–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilken, P. H. (1979). Entrepreneurship. A comparative and historical study. New Jersey: Ablex Publishing Corporation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wold, H. (1985). System analysis by partial least squares. In P.H. Nijkamp, H. Leitner, & N. Wrigley (Eds.), Measuring the unmeasurable (pp. 221–251). Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff Pub.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Economics I., School of Economics and Management, University of Seville, Av. Ramón y Cajal 1, 41018, Sevilla, Spain

    Francisco Javier Santos-Cumplido & Francisco Liñán

Authors
  1. Francisco Javier Santos-Cumplido
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Francisco Liñán
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Francisco Javier Santos-Cumplido.

Appendices

Appendices

Partial Least Squares results

Appendix A

Table 4 Construct weights and collineality tests
Full size table

Appendix B

Table 5 Discriminant validity coefficients
Full size table

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Santos-Cumplido, F.J., Liñán, F. Measuring entrepreneurial quality in southern Europe. Int Entrep Manag J 3, 87–107 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-006-0015-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-006-0015-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation