Business Creation: Ten Factors for Entrepreneurial Success

Business creation, or entrepreneurship, is a major source of national economic growth and adaptation as well as an important career choice for millions. In this insightful book, Paul D. Reynolds presents an overview of the major factors associated with contemporary business creation, reflecting representative samples of US early stage nascent ventures, and emphasizing the unique features of the one-third that achieve profitability. This in-depth assessment includes empirical descriptions of a broad range of relevant features of the entrepreneurial process. By using representative samples of nascent entrepreneurs and ventures in the US, it allows extrapolation to US populations of entrepreneurs, pre-profit ventures, and activity in all economic sectors. Outcomes including profitability and disengagement are identified in multiple follow-up interviews. A useful resource for scholars concerned with business creation, this book also makes an engaging supplementary course book for upper division and graduate courses in business plan creation and research methods. Policy analysts emphasizing programs and policies to enhance business creation will also find it enlightening.

Table of Contents:
Contents: Preface 1. Introduction 2. It can be very satisfying 3. Everybody gets involved; some more than others 4. Motives are diverse and may change 5. It is a social experience 6. Know what you are doing 7. Do it! 8. Some activities are more helpful than others 9. It takes some effort 10. Money may be necessary, but is not sufficient 11. Profits are elusive, prepare to pivot 12. Overview References Index

About the Author :
Paul D. Reynolds, Honorary Professor of Entrepreneurship, Aston Business School, Birmingham, UK and Founding Coordinating Principal Investigator, Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Program

Review :
Business Creation is a very comprehensive (a nearly encyclopedic) source of information on all aspects of the entrepreneurial process, such as: Who starts businesses? Why do they start? What do they do? How much effort and money is involved? How long does it take to reach profitability? Who quits and why? Are just a few of the topics covered. If you want to gain a basic understanding of the facts about business creation in the United States, then: START HERE FIRST. This book should be a required reference guide for all scholars studying the process of business creation as well as for policy makers who desire to promote and support more entrepreneurial activity. Entrepreneurs who want to know what the process of entrepreneurship requires will find this book insightful.' --William B. Gartner, Babson College, US'I met Paul Reynolds more than 25 years ago and we began working together almost immediately. Now I realize that my current work continues to draw heavily on the lessons I have learnt working with Paul. Although the readers of this book cannot expect to receive the one-to-one tuition I received, they will benefit enormously from the evidence-based insights provided here.' --David Storey OBE, University of Sussex, UK