¶ … utility of the GET test as a measure of entrepreneurial potential. Why are People Entrepreneurial?

In order to evaluate the general entrepreneurial tendencies (GET) test it's important to understand the evolving theories that try to explain why people are entrepreneurial. Theory and research in the social sciences support a model of dynamic interactive processes between individual characteristics and the environment which lead to complex behaviors such as the creation of new ventures and other entrepreneurial activities (Huefner, 1991). Neither the characteristics of the individual nor the characteristics of the environment (social, physical, financial, etc.) are sufficient in themselves to explain the phenomenon of entrepreneurship (Huefner, 1991). There is not one set of factors that appears to come together to explain the entrepreneurial person or why they are different from non-entrepreneurs. Past research on the entrepreneur has been primarily based on the assumption that stable personality characteristics can explain how entrepreneurs are different from non-entrepreneurs (Huefner, 1991). The research has been largely based upon trying to identify what traits are common to entrepreneurs. While many definitions of entrepreneurship are currently being used, Gartner (1990) identified eight recurring themes in definitions of entrepreneurship: the entrepreneur (personality traits), innovation, organization creation, creating value, profit or nonprofit, growth, uniqueness, and the owner-manager.

II. The General Entrepreneurial Tendencies Test (GET)

The original GET test was developed in 1987-1988 following a literature review to identify what key psychological characteristics of entrepreneurs were general to other...

A more complex picture of the differences between occupational groups emerged when specific enterprising characteristics were examined by the test (Caird, 1999).
The design of the GET is a 54-item questionnaire assessing five dimensions that are traditionally believed to be indicative of entrepreneurial personality (Stormer, 1999). The five dimensions are: Need for Achievement (12 items), Autonomy (6 items), Drive and Determination (12 items), Risk Taking (12 items) and Creativity (6 items) (Stormer, 1999). Each statement on the test requires participants to either agree or disagree with it (Stormer, 1999). The test is scored by giving each dimension a score of 0-12 (0-6 for the Autonomy dimension) with a composite score for the Test of 0-54 (Stormer, 1999). The results of the GET study showed that entrepreneurs did not score significantly higher than lecturers and trainers on the enterprising characteristics of the need for autonomy, creative tendency and calculated risk taking (Caird, 1999). These are the areas where researchers have indicated that entrepreneurs are different from non-entrepreneurs. The study also found that teachers, nurses, and civil servants did not have a significantly different creative tendency to entrepreneurs (Caird, 1999). The conclusion of the study indicated that entrepreneurs do not have the monopoly on enterprising characteristics, but are generally more enterprising than the other occupational groups in the study (Caird, 1999).

III. Personality Trait Theories of Entrepreneurship

For the most part, the instruments used in measuring entrepreneurship have been based on personality models in psychology which purport to measure personality characteristics that are…