Social Progress Orientation and Entrepreneurship

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to examine the influence of social progress orientation on entrepreneurial activity in an international analysis. Through a cross-sectional model with information from the Global Entrepreneurial activity Monitor, the Indices of Social Development, the World Values Survey, the Hofstede Centre and the United Nations Development Programme, this chapter finds that social progress orientation approached through voluntary spirit, survival versus self-expression values, power distance, and masculinity versus femininity explain entrepreneurship. More specifically, the main findings demonstrate that high voluntary spirit influences positively total entrepreneurial activity driven by innovation, whereas high voluntary spirit and low masculinity (femininity) affect positively the prevalence of entrepreneurial activity driven by opportunity over the entrepreneurial activity driven by necessity. This chapter may serve to keep advancing on the discussion about what social progress orientation means, and comprehending those factors that influence entrepreneurial activity in the light of institutional approach. Additionally, this chapter may serve to discuss policies to promote entrepreneurship in different contexts.