Science and Technology Some Characteristics of Technical Entrepreneurs Received Jun 29 V Some Characteristics of Technical Entrepreneurs

Sixty-nine technical entrepreneurs were studied emphasizing description of several of their characteristics such as family background, education, and motivation. The results indicate that entrepreneurial fathers are more likely to produce entrepreneurial sons. An individual's home environment and attitudes that seem to be embodied in his religious background are likely to have strong influences on his goal orientation, education, and whether or not he becomes an entrepreneur. In addition, those technical entrepreneurs whose fathers had high occupational status were educated sooner and to a higher level than those whose fathers had low occupational status. At the same time it was determined that the technical entrepreneurs who had self-employed fathers were educated usually to around the Master of Science degree level, the median education of the entire sample. The predominance of such educational behavior for entrepreneurial sons may be explained by their goal orientation. Low levels of education usually do not provide sufficient knowledge to run effectively a technically-based enterprise. Higher levels of education appear not to be necessary and may be regarded as over-preparation by a would-be entrepreneur. *Associate Professor of Management, Sloan School of Management, M.I.T. fstaff Associate, Sloan School of Management, M.I.T.