Individual entrepreneurial characteristics and entrepreneurial success potential

Entrepreneurial technology-based new venture constitutes a dominant proportion of incubated firms. Often, such firms are established by engineering graduates. This paper investigates a methodology for assessing the potential for success of new ventures set up at an early stage by engineering students via an evaluation of the entrepreneurial personalities of engineering students. The survey of 215 students of Manufacturing Engineering indicates particular traits have a strong predictive impact on the proclivity towards the different ‘idea factors on innovation’ suggested by Goldenberg et al. (1999). In particular, ‘risk-taking propensity’ and ‘need to achieve’ are two critical characteristics that significantly influence the selection of ‘success-intended’ idea factors whereas ‘external locus of control’ influences the selection of ‘failure-intended’ idea factors. The findings have important implications for researchers, business incubators, and policy makers inside and outside universities. Based on the extensive literature and successful result in demonstrating entrepreneurial characteristics as predictors of sustainable competitive advantage of future entrepreneurs by identifying types of idea factor adopter, the results of this study can be used either as a self-evaluation (self-screening) before starting a new venture that has a higher success probability. Specifically, the results indicate that the classification of idea factor adopters, in terms of entrepreneurial behavior, the incubator may be better able to identify the go or no-go decision for applicants. For instance, incubators could try to base their selection process for business incubation programme partly on information provided by applicants about personality traits and preferences regarding entrepreneurship.