International Entrepreneurship: A Cross-Country Comparison

Given the importance of entrepreneurial activity in the economic development of a nation, there is a continuing need to examine and develop entrepreneurial models. The purpose of the first study of a total of three studies is to test the ability of Ajzen s theory of planned behavior to predict entrepreneurial intent and to test the moderating role of national cultures. The second study develops a survey instrument from the World Bank s Doing Business Report and other sources in order to examine the relationship between selected formal and informal institutions and entrepreneurial intent. The third study examines the impact of personal characteristics and skills on the decision to become an entrepreneur. Moreover, the study explores which triggers affected the entrepreneurs to actually start the business. The results of the first two studies show that national frameworks moderate the relation between the perception of institutions, social norms, attitudes, as well as behavioural control and entrepreneurial intent. There are a number of implications of these results including guidance for government policy makers.