Entrepreneurship is often discussed as a matter of opportunity, innovation, or timing, but a growing body of research suggests that who an entrepreneur is may matter just as much as what they do. Traits such as self efficacy, conscientiousness, risk propensity, and an internal locus of control consistently appear in studies of entrepreneurial intention and success. While these characteristics are frequently treated as innate or fixed, this perspective limits how educators, mentors, and aspiring entrepreneurs think about development and readiness.
This accepted scholarly research presentation explores entrepreneurship through the lens of character traits, asking not only which traits are associated with entrepreneurial success, but how those traits can be intentionally developed. Rather than framing entrepreneurship as a personality type that one either has or does not have, the study positions entrepreneurial character as something that can be strengthened through experience, learning, and structured intervention.
Grounded in Albert Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory and Social Learning Theory, the research builds on well established strategies used to enhance self efficacy. These include mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, social persuasion, and managing emotional and psychological states. The presentation argues that these same mechanisms can be applied more broadly to cultivate other entrepreneurial traits, including the need for achievement, conscientiousness, and a healthy propensity for risk.
By connecting theory with practical pathways for trait development, the research offers a framework that moves beyond identification toward action. It outlines how individuals, educators, and organizations can create environments that support the intentional growth of entrepreneurial character, increasing both entrepreneurial intention and the likelihood of long term success.
Designed for scholars, educators, and practitioners, this session contributes to ongoing conversations about entrepreneurship education, talent development, and small business formation. Attendees will gain insight into how entrepreneurial traits develop over time and how structured experiences can play a decisive role in shaping future entrepreneurs.
Author and Affiliation
Sean-Michael Green, Southern Connecticut State University
This presentation will be delivered in person at the SAM International Business Conference and will invite participants to engage with research that reframes entrepreneurship as a learnable and developable pathway rather than a fixed disposition. For more information visit www.samnational.org/conference