Identifying entrepreneurs through risk taking behaviour: illegal downloading

Abstract

Purpose – This paper aims to explore, and is the first in a series, whether it is possible to use risk-taking activities as way of identifying potential entrepreneurs. The research examines the motivations of individuals to engage in deviant consumer behaviour, in this case illegal downloading and the link between this behaviour and possible entrepreneurial characteristics. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology approach was of a quantitative nature using a 32-item questionnaire disseminated to 215 undergraduate students at a UK university. Findings – Although there was strong evidence of entrepreneurial traits existing across the participants, including risk-taking propensity, no relationship could be found between risk-taking propensity and illegal downloading. Reasons put forward for these findings were that the level of risk involved was too low to be identified as such by the downloaders, even though the non-downloaders were worried about being caught and, therefore, were not participating in it. Attitudes towards this misbehaviour change when it is not for their own consumption and very few students participated in that activity. Research limitations/implications – This study is limited to a cohort of undergraduate students at only one university. This study begins to understand the potential link between misbehaviour and entrepreneurial traits. Originality/value – This paper examines the possible link between consumer misbehaviour, in this case illegal downloading and the display of entrepreneurial risk-taking characteristics. The implication of “consumer misbehaviour” through illegal downloading being “entrepreneurial” has, to our knowledge, not been previously tested and could be a useful and inexpensive way of identifying future entrepreneurs and consequently directing relevant support and training to the right people.

Examining the Effects of Entrepreneurial Competencies on Students’ Entrepreneurial Intention

“…Students who have necessary skills coupled with adequate resources will choose entrepreneurship as their career. Even though risk-taking propensity is always linked to entrepreneurship (Pascor & Mortimer, 2014), the finding in this study is contradictory. However, innovativeness is found to be one of the factors that affect students' entrepreneurial intentions.…”

The effects of need for cognition, gender, risk preferences and marketing education on entrepreneurial intentions

“…New venture development has for a long time been recognized as a risky undertaking, from professional, personal and financial perspectives (Mullins et al , 2002; Pascoe and Mortimer, 2014). Past research indicates that the creation and management of a startup enterprise is a highly stressful form of occupation (Lofstrom et al , 2014).…”

“…However the strength of such a relationship has been challenged. For example, Pascoe and Mortimer (2014), using a student sample, found that while risk taking is correlated with entrepreneurial traits, it is not related to illegal downloading of content from the internet.…”

Comparative Analysis of the Level of Development of Entrepreneurial Competencies among Students in Russia and the Czech Republic

“…The participants are therefore likely to be able to analyse problems, identify opportunities for solving them, have the skills to generate ideas and make decisions, are able to develop a strategic vision for solutions, and maintain a sufficient degree of ethical thinking, as evidenced by actions to achieve goals. It is assumed that entrepreneurial activity and the initiation thereof requires a fairly high level of investment with a high level of risk because the success of any initiative depends on entrepreneurial competencies in the field of resource management [24,26]. For the cluster "Resources", and based on the scope diagram in Figure 4, it can be said that the results of the assessments in the two populations is fairly similar.…”

“…Learning and developing as a person is an important component of entrepreneurial competence [6,27]. The same can be said about the manifestation of initiative [26], planning and management [5], risk management [21], and interaction with people [5,6]. For the competencies in the cluster "Into action", the assessment focuses on the students´ ability to act and apply their knowledge and skills in various situations (see Figure 5).…”