Page 55 - guidance-supporting-europe-s-aspiring-entrepreneurs-policy-and-practice-to-harness-future-potential

Guidance supporting Europe’s aspiring entrepreneurs
Policy and practice to harness future potential

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Europeans have been also asked in the global GEM surveys ( ) to indicate
how they feel about entrepreneurship as a career choice (Kelley et al, 2010).
Across the countries that participated in the GEM 2010 survey, around 59% feel
that starting a new business in their country is considered a desirable career
choice (see Figure 7). Across the EU, the level who feel entrepreneurship is a
good career choice varies; it is lowest in Finland (46%), followed by relatively low
levels in the UK, Iceland and Ireland ranging between 51-52%. Conversely, a
high proportion of those in the Netherlands feel it is a good career choice; nearly
nine out of 10 inhabitants feel so (85%). Although, the next highest value is Italy
where 69% feel it is a good career choice, the level of agreement in the
Netherlands is not necessarily felt elsewhere in the EU.

Figure 7. Entrepreneurship as a good career choice (% of respondents in
GEM Adult Population Survey APS 2010)

90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
NL IT PT RO EL ES FR BE LV SE HU SI DE IE UK FI TR CH NO IS Average

Source: Kelley et al, 2010.
The GEM surveys have also been used to gauge whether high status is given to
successful entrepreneurs in their countries (see Figure 8). Finnish people are more likely
to agree that high status is given to successful entrepreneurs within their country, despite
a low level of agreement that being an entrepreneur is a good career choice. Finland is
followed by Ireland and Germany. A low proportion of Belgians feel that high status is
given to entrepreneurs in Belgium (51%), in line with inhabitants’ belief that an
entrepreneur is not necessarily a good career choice.

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( ) The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) is the largest single study of entrepreneurial
activity in the world. Available from Internet: http://www.gemconsortium.org/ [cited 2.2.2011].

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