The characteristics of successful entrepreneurs

Abstract

This paper examines the economic, psychological and social-behavioral theories of the entrepreneur in order to determine the characteristics of a successful entrepreneur. The major contribution of economic theories of the entrepreneur is better understanding of the entrepreneur and his/her role in economic development. The psychological characteristic theory of entrepreneur argues that successful entrepreneurs possess certain personality traits that mark them out as special, and tries to determine and to evaluate these special traits. The social-behavioral theories stress the influence of experience, knowledge, social environment and ability to learn on the entrepreneur?s success as well as his/her personality traits. Neither of the examined theories of entrepreneur gives a satisfactory explanation of the entrepreneur?s success, but taken as a whole, they can explain key factors of entrepreneur?s success. The entrepreneur?s success comes about as a result of his/her personality traits, ability to learn from experience and ability to adjust to his/her environment.U radu se razmatraju ekonomske, psiholoske i socio-bihevioristicke teorije o preduzetniku, sa ciljem da se odrede karakteristike uspesnih preduzetnika. Ekonomske teorije doprinele su boljem razumevanju preduzetnika, i ukazale na znacaj preduzetnika za privredni rast. Teorija licnih karakteristika preduzetnika polazi od pretpostavke da uspesni preduzetnici imaju jedinstvene osobine, koje ih cine posebnim, i bavi se identifikovanjem i merenjem osobina uspesnih preduzetnika. Socio-bihevioristicke teorije pretpostavljaju da uspeh preduzetnika zavisi ne samo od njegovih licnih karakteristika, vec i od iskustva, znanja, uticaja okruzenja i sposobnosti ucenja. Ni jedna od razmatranih teorija ne daje celovito tumacenje kljucnih faktora uspeha preduzetnika, ali integralno, one omogucavaju da se razumeju i objasne razlozi njihovog uspeha. Uspeh je rezultat licnih karakteristika preduzetnika, sposobnosti ucenja iz iskustva, kao i prilagodjavanja uticajima iz okruzenja.