Social and demographic specifics of youth entrepreneurship in Saratov

Abstract

The results of the sociological survey conducted in 2020 proved that the specifics of youth entrepreneurship in Saratov is directly related to socio-demographic characteristics. There are predominantly male-dominated business activities such as industry, construction and transport. The age largely determines the sphere of interests, values and experience of the individual, influencing the choice of business. For the younger age it is trade, for the older generation it is the service sector and other areas. The motivational core of the young entrepreneurs depends on their gender identity. For women, they are internal motives: the desire to do what they like, independence; for men, they are external motives: increased income and public recognition. Motivation is determined by the general orientation of the person, which depends on the age and life circumstances. In the age group from 18 to 22 the desire for independence prevails. In the group from 23 to 26 the main motivating factor is the desire to do what they like. In the 27–34 age group the income growth is the main motive. The popularity of various sources of business information is also greatly based on the age. The confidence in the various courses and trainings is usually demonstrated by younger cohorts. As they grow older, their popularity declines. The representatives of older categories of entrepreneurs trust the Internet and their friends more. There is a direct correlation between the age and the use of bank lending services. The older the entrepreneur is, the more often he/she resorts to the use of bank lending, as he/she is more stable in life and has more opportunities to use this service and further repay the loan. The problems of young entrepreneurs are significantly correlated with the age or gender, although they operate in the same conditions of the existing reality, depending on the economic and political state of the region. The experience of young entrepreneurs which depends on the age is reflected in the self-assessment of their business. The older the individual is, the more positively he/she evaluates his work.