Page 56 - 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

Figure 8. High status given to successful entrepreneurs 2010 (% of
respondents in GEM Adult Population Survey APS 2010)

100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
FI IE DE UK HU SI SE PT EL IT NL FR RO LV ES BE TR CH NO IS Average

Source: Kelley at al, 2010.
The high status is linked to the way in which media perceives entrepreneurship. Around
half of European inhabitants feel that media attention is given to successful businesses in
their country (see Figure 9) (Kelley et al, 2010). A high level of media attention is given in
northern parts of Europe, most notably in Finland (71%), as well as in Ireland, the
Netherlands and Sweden (all of them around 61%), while relatively low levels can be
found in Greece (35%) and Italy (38%).

Figure 9. Positive media attention for entrepreneurship (% of respondents
in GEM Adult Population Survey APS 2010)

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

Source: Kelley et al, 2010.

The Eurobarometer surveys have also assessed the status of entrepreneurs
in relation to civil servants and managers of large companies (The Gallup
Organization, 2007). Across the EU, 32% feel entrepreneurs have the highest
social status of the three and, according to the Eurobarometer 2009 survey, the
highest ranked were liberal professions. Generally, however, managers are
deemed to be of a higher social status than entrepreneurs with the exception of

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