Entrepreneurship in Emerging Versus Mature Econom ies: An Exploratory Survey

Abstract

PROFESSOR LARS KOLVEREID IS WITH the Bodo Graduate School of Business, Bodo, Norway, and Krzysztof Obloj is with the School of Management, University of Warsaw, Poland. The main aim of this research was to investigate similarities and differences between entrepreneurs and their businesses in an emerging market economy represented by Poland, and in mature, developed economies, portrayed by Great Britain and Norway. Because Polish entrepreneurs are new entrants in the developing market economy, the authors did not have a body of theories, or models or even empirical research that could be used to develop hypotheses or research questions. Therefore, the study is primarily of an exploratory character and focused on four questions: 1) How supportive and resourceful are the environments of entrepreneurs in these countries; 2) To what extent are policy and support services available to new businesses; 3) What are the reasons leading to new firm formation; 4) What attitudes to entrepreneurship do the owners of new ventures have? The results indicate that Polish entrepreneurs, in spite of different backgrounds and starting conditions, are surprisingly similar to those in developed countries, face similar problems and resource constraints.