Intelligence, Self-confidence and Entrepreneurship

Arbeitspapier

I investigate the effect of human capital on entrepreneurship using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth - 1979. I find that individuals with higher measured intelligence and self-confidence are more likely to be entrepreneurs. Furthermore I present evidence suggesting that intelligence and self-confidence affect business ownership through two different channels: intelligence increases business survival while self-confidence increases business creation. Finally, once we control for intelligence and self-confidence the effect of formal college education almost completely vanishes. These results are robust to controlling for selection into entrepreneurship and selection into college.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IFN Working Paper ; No. 887

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Duration Analysis; Optimal Timing Strategies ; Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity ; Entrepreneurship
• Subject: Entrepreneurship ; College Education ; Intelligence ; Self-confidence ; Humankapital ; Intelligenz ; Persönlichkeitspsychologie ; Unternehmer ; Unternehmensgründung ; USA

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Asoni, Andrea
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN)
• (where): Stockholm
• (when): 2011

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/81523
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:42 AM CET