1. The relationship between optimism, pre-entrepreneurial curiosity and entrepreneurial curiosityMitja Jeraj, 2014, original scientific article Abstract: Background: Entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs become more and more interesting fields for a scientific research. This paper addresses the relationship between optimism, pre-entrepreneurial curiosity and entrepreneurial curiosity as three determinants of entrepreneurial psychology. Literature review showed optimism is important for entrepreneurs and influence them mostly in a positive way. Although entrepreneurial curiosity is important determinant for entrepreneurs and it was connected with entrepreneurial self-efficacy, openness, and company's growth the connection with optimism remained unexplored until this research.
Methods: A multi-country empirical validation was conducted on a sample of entrepreneurs from Slovenia and USA. A structural equation modelling, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to develop a model, which complement theoretical predisposition and fit the data.
Results: The results of the study show that higher levels of optimism lead to higher levels of pre-entrepreneurial curiosity and higher levels of pre-entrepreneurial curiosity lead to higher levels of entrepreneurial curiosity.
Conclusions: The contribution of this study is manifold. From the theoretical view, a literature gap on the field of optimism and entrepreneurial curiosity combined is fulfilled and a structural equation model with optimism and entrepreneurial curiosity was established. Since openness, pre-entrepreneurial curiosity and entrepreneurial curiosity are related policy makers can test individuals according to their level of researched determinants and motivate more entrepreneurial perspective ones to become active in the entrepreneurship process. Thus, entrepreneurs can use these results to recruit more entrepreneurial oriented employees.
Keywords: enterprises, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship
Published in DKUM: 22.01.2018; Views: 1257; Downloads: 392
 Full text (330,64 KB)
This document has many files! More... |
2. Educational achievements as a determinant of an individual's formal powerMiha Marič, Mitja Jeraj, 2014, original scientific article Abstract: The scope of this study is to define how educational achievements of individuals in Slovenia define their “formal power” in the organizations where they work. The study is based on theoretical definitions of the concepts of formal power and education. A total of 509 people from Slovenia over 30 years of age participated in the study. We recognized a certain influence of educational achievement on the formal position in the organizational hierarchy. The main predictor of an individual’s formal power in an organization is the individual’s last achieved level of formal education. The average grade for the final achieved level of formal education and the initiative regarding the search for additional education has much less of an impact on power than the highest level of education obtained. One of the most important practical implications is that education is one of the basic predispositions to having formal power but not necessarily always and not in every case.
Keywords: education, formal power, work, employees, HRM
Published in DKUM: 20.11.2017; Views: 2165; Downloads: 382
Full text (540,30 KB)
This document has many files! More... |
3. Do entrepreneurʼs creative abilities influence companyʼs growth?Žiga Peljko, Gašper Jordan, Mitja Jeraj, Ivan Todorović, Miha Marič, 2017, original scientific article Abstract: The main aim of our research was to empirically test how the independent constructs representing the entrepreneur’s creative abilities are connected to the construct of the company’s growth and to develop and empirically test a structural model linking these constructs. We tested two models with structural equation modelling. We compared two structural models, which were made based on the sample of entrepreneurs from Slovenia and USA combined and Serbia. The findings showed that the entrepreneur’s creative abilities are positively related to company’s growth in case of Slovenia and USA combined; in the Serbian context, we did not find connection between the entrepreneur’s creative abilities and the company’s growth. The results of this study can be used both for further research and in practice.
Keywords: company, creativity, entreoreneurship, HRM, SEM
Published in DKUM: 03.11.2017; Views: 1608; Downloads: 382
Full text (444,03 KB)
This document has many files! More... |
4. Entrepreneurship as a solution to the unemployment problemMiha Marič, Mitja Jeraj, Jasmina Žnidaršič, 2010, professional article Abstract: The relation between entrepreneurship and unemployment has been an interesting topic for researchers for quite some time. In the time of global recession and mass layoffs different countries try to stimulate their residents to work on their ideas and to test themselves on the open market using various forms of subsidizing. It is important to point out that entrepreneurship does not constitute such a social security as employment in large companies. Entrepreneurship is not just a mixture of ideas, desires for success and a trend away from employment, integration with the right business partners and the issues of obtaining the initial capital, but largely also depends on the laws in each country and the infrastructure which this country offers. Countries with better entrepreneurial infrastructure (technology parks, university incubators, etc.) are definitely more open to competition and entrepreneurial activities than others. Globally interesting and internationally comparable study made each year by GEM (Global Entrepreneurship Monitor) (2008) notes that more and more people around the world are dealing with entrepreneurship. Schools for entrepreneurship are an important link between theoretical knowledge and practical involvement in the market. The international economic crisis has further accelerated the flow of restructuring, while unemployment continues to rise. It is therefore necessary to adopt measures that will help people with self-employment and, ultimately, in achieving a dignified life. Our contribution will be built on the hypothesis that where there is a higher rate of unemployment, more people will transit into entrepreneurship and where there is a higher rate of entrepreneurship there will be a lower level of unemployment. To test our hypothesis we will use available data from different countries and measure the correlations between the rate of entrepreneurship and the rate of unemployment and make a regression analysis of both values.
Keywords: unemployment, entrepreneurship, transition, state policy, culture
Published in DKUM: 24.07.2017; Views: 1523; Downloads: 209
Full text (707,73 KB)
This document has many files! More... |
5. The role of openness and entrepreneurial curiosity in company's growthMitja Jeraj, Miha Marič, Ivan Todorović, Mladen Čudanov, Stefan Komazec, 2015, original scientific article Abstract: Entrepreneurial curiosity is an entrepreneurial-psychology related construct that measures a level of entrepreneurial curiosity among entrepreneurs. Key research objectives of the study were to empirically test how two independent constructs as openness and company`s growth are connected to entrepreneurial curiosity and to develop and empirically test a structural model linking these three constructs. A multi-country survey was made on a sample of entrepreneurs from Slovenia, USA and Serbia. Findings showed that openness is positively related to entrepreneurial curiosity and that entrepreneurial curiosity is positively related to company`s growth. Results of this study can be used both for further research and in practice.
Keywords: entrepreneurship, openness, entrepreneurial curiosity, company growth
Published in DKUM: 24.07.2017; Views: 1174; Downloads: 104
Full text (320,53 KB)
This document has many files! More... |
6. An empirical study of the relationship between entrepreneurial curiosity and innovativenessŽiga Peljko, Mitja Jeraj, Gheorghe Sǎvoiu, Miha Marič, 2016, original scientific article Abstract: Background and Purpose: Despite scholarly interest in understanding the role of different determinants on entrepreneurs and their behavior, little is known about the relationship between entrepreneurial curiosity and innovativeness. This research explores the relationship between entrepreneurial curiosity, which motivates entrepreneurs to gather information about their business and innovativeness that motivate entrepreneurs to incorporate innovations into entrepreneurial processes.
Design/Methodology/Approach: Participants in this study were entrepreneurs from Slovenia and USA. By using structural equation modelling, we linked the two constructs of entrepreneurial curiosity and innovativeness to test the influence.
Results: Results indicate that entrepreneurial curiosity positively influences innovativeness. The results of this study indicate that at the frame of entrepreneurship psychology entrepreneurial curiosity is important for innovativeness.
Conclusion: This paper links the two studied constructs and presents a valuable contribution for entrepreneurship theory; therefore, the results could be used for a further scientific research as also for practical implications.
Keywords: entrepreneurial curiosity, innovativeness, company, entrepreneurship
Published in DKUM: 03.04.2017; Views: 1495; Downloads: 467
Full text (458,39 KB)
This document has many files! More... |
7. An empirical study of the relationship between entrepreneurial competences and innovativeness of successors in family SMEsMarina Letonja, Mitja Jeraj, Miha Marič, 2016, original scientific article Abstract: Background and Purpose: In the recent period, scholarly interest for family entrepreneurship and succession has been increasing while the question of innovative capability of family SMEs and of innovativeness of founders and successors is relatively unexplored. Little is known about the factors, which are positively correlated, or affect innovativeness of successors in family SMEs. This research explores the relationship between entrepreneurial competences of the founders in family SMEs and innovativeness of their successors.
Design/Methodology/Approach: The target group were family SMEs of the first and the second generation – their founders and successors in Slovenia. As our research includes two independent samples with mostly ordinal data, we used univariate (analysis of means, variance, reliability index Cronbach alpha, t-test) and multivariate (simultaneous analysis of more variables, correlation) statistical methods to study the two constructs - entrepreneurial competences of the founders and innovativeness of successors, to test the positive correlation between the two.
Results: Results indicate that entrepreneurial competences like creativity, attitude toward risk-taking, attitude toward negotiations, technical knowledge and skills and marketing knowledge and skills of the founders in family SMEs positively correlate with innovativeness of successors. The results of this study indicate that entrepreneurial competences of founders are important factor for fostering innovativeness of successors.
Conclusion: This paper links the two studied constructs and presents a valuable contribution for entrepreneurship theory; therefore, the results could be used for a further scientific research as also for practical implications.
Keywords: entrepreneurial competences, innovativeness, successors, founders, family SMEs, HRM
Published in DKUM: 03.04.2017; Views: 1681; Downloads: 420
Full text (820,45 KB)
This document has many files! More... |
8. Relation between entrepreneurial curiosity and entrepreneurial self-efficacy : a multi-country empirical validationMitja Jeraj, Miha Marič, 2013, original scientific article Abstract: The main purpose of this paper is to present empirical analysis of the relation between entrepreneurial curiosity and entrepreneurial self-efficacy. A detailed literature review in a broad field of entrepreneurship, narrow field of entrepreneurship psychology, and organizational sciences revealed, at one hand different connections between determinants influencing entrepreneurs, and latest scientific research trends on the other hand. Although the significance of curiosity in motivating and learning has received expressive scholarly support, like also entrepreneurial self-efficacy as one of the most studied personal attributes among entrepreneurs, no study to our knowledge existed in relation to entrepreneurial curiosity connected with entrepreneurial self-efficacy. An online multi-country survey was conducted in Slovenia and USA among entrepreneurs and results of structural equation modelling showed that entrepreneurial curiosity and entrepreneurial self-efficacy are related. Entrepreneurial curiosity has a positive impact on entrepreneurial self-efficacy of running entrepreneurial tasks. The findings of this research have both theoretical and practical implications.
Keywords: entrepreneurial curiosity, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, entrepreneur
Published in DKUM: 30.12.2015; Views: 1481; Downloads: 232
Full text (288,21 KB)
This document has many files! More... |
9. Country's development as a determinant of early-stage entrepreneurial activityMiha Marič, Jasmina Žnidaršič, Miha Uhan, Vlado Dimovski, Marko Ferjan, Maja Djurica, Mitja Jeraj, Matej Janežič, 2013, original scientific article Abstract: Our study is built on the dependence of early-stage entrepreneurial activity on GDP per capita, GDP real growth rate, unemployment rate, inflation rate, investments and public debt of different countries. We divide the early-stage entrepreneurial activity into necessity-driven and improvement-driven opportunistic entrepreneurial activity. To establish the dependencies we have conducted the regression analyses. Our three main findings are: (a) early-stage entrepreneurial activity does depend on our predictors; (b) necessity-driven entrepreneurial activity is negatively correlated to country’s development; and (c) improvement-driven opportunistic entrepreneurial activity is positively correlated to country’s development.
Keywords: entrepreneurship, early-stage entrepreneurial activity, economic developmnet indicators
Published in DKUM: 10.07.2015; Views: 1918; Downloads: 353
Full text (206,00 KB)
This document has many files! More... |
