Abstract
Small business is supposed to be the driver of economies. The pressing problem of involving young people in entrepreneurship could be resolved within the theory of βpersonal helplessness β self-relianceβ, which are considered to be the poles of one continuum. Personal helplessness refers to a personal complex characteristic involving a low level of ability to transform reality, to control events of oneβs own life, to set and reach goals, and to overcome difficulties (D. Tsiring 2010). To test the idea of the influence of βpersonal helplessness β self-relianceβ on individualsβ choice of professional activity, we studied this phenomenon in groups of entrepreneurs (Nβ=β30) and civil servants (Nβ=β30) and then compared the results. The comparison revealed business owners to be more close to the pole of self-reliance: they are more purposeful, creative, and independent, and they are less aggressive and susceptible; they have a higher behavior censorship and an internal locus of control. However, Russian entrepreneurs are more pessimistic: they perceive βbadβ events as permanent, and they do not expect future changes for the better, which is considered to be an indicator of personal helplessness. Moreover, it was revealed that the motivational component of βpersonal helplessness β self-relianceβ (autonomy and internality) influenced the choice of entrepreneurial career the most. Further theoretical applications are discussed, and recommendations for the entrepreneurial career choice are proposed.
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Zabelina, E., Tsiring, D. & Chestyunina, Y. Personal helplessness and self-reliance as predictors of small business development in Russia: pilot study results. Int Entrep Manag J 14, 279β293 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-018-0502-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-018-0502-y