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Entrepreneurship is a possibility also in the beginning and at end of a working career
Generally, entrepreneurship has been considered to be most suitable career option for the middle-aged. Based on a recently finalised study by the TSE Entre entrepreneurship can be a potential and a desirable career choice also for other “less typical” groups. For young people entrepreneurship can offer a route to the working life. Among some occupational groups, such as translators, interpreters and freelance journalists, entrepreneurship can be a typical way to employ oneself in the field. For aging people entrepreneurship can offer a way to little by little exit the labour market. Especially part-time entrepreneurship gives a possibility to continue in the working life in the stage of a career when full-time work is no longer attractive or feels too heavy.
Young and aging population are not a homogeneous group, instead there is various kinds of entrepreneurship taking place in different industries and professions among the groups. Based on the study individual’s biological age (young vs. aging) illustrates poorly the meaning of entrepreneurship on individual’s career. The most essential dimensions seem to be individual’s level of education, profession based on it and individual’s social age on a career. Therefore, lengthening the career of young and aging population does not seem to directly require age-specific measures, but instruments based on individual’s level of education, profession and career.
The research project, financed by the Ministry of Employment and the Economy , concentrated on studying entrepreneurship as a part of individual’s career especially among young (18–29 years) and aging (55 years or over) population. The research material consists of several surveys targeted to various professions and target groups as well as a large panel data of the labour statistics of Statistics Finland.
The research report will be published in the series of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy in October-November 2008. The electronic version of the report will be then available in the Ministry’s web page (in Finnish).
Reference: Akola, Elisa – Heinonen, Jarna – Kovalainen, Anne – Suvanto, Katri (2008, in print) Yrittäjyys valintana työuran eri vaiheissa – tarkastelussa nuoret ja ikääntyneet. Työ- ja elinkeinoministeriön julkaisuja: Helsinki.
Further information: Project researcher
Elisa AkolaProfessor
Jarna HeinonenProfessor
Anne KovalainenProject researcher
Katri Suvanto
The research initiative for further research of the reasons and consequences of the business exits in the lives and career of the entrepreneurs has received funding from the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation. The given grant was totaling 25 000 euros.
The research increases the understanding of the life of the entrepreneurs, the exit situations and the concurrent accumulation of knowledge, and its further exploitation in the later stages of the career. Professor Jarna Heinonen is the director of the project.
More information:
Professor Jarna Heinonen
Project researcher Satu Aaltonen
News
Extended deadline: Renessaince and Renewal of Work, Entrepreneurship & Entrepreneurial Careers – Conference Track in EURAM2009
As a part of the research project financed in the Research programme on the Future of Work and Well-being of the Academy of Finland we organize a special conference track in the EURAM (European Academy of Management) in the 11-14.5.2009, Liverpool, the UK. The theme of our track is ”Renessaince and Renewal of Work, Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurial Careers” and we are looking for related research papers from different disciplines. Please find further information on the Call For Papers (pdf).
NOTICE! The conference organisers have extended the deadline for full papers until 19th January, 2009. However, the papers submitted by the original deadline of 5th of December, 2008 will be reviewed and decisions of acceptance will be announced following the original schedule.
Please find more information on the EURAM 2009 and the related practicalities: http://www.euram2009.org
More information:
Prof. Jarna Heinonen
Adj. Prof. Ulla Hytti
New publication
Heinonen, Jarna – Toivonen, Jouko (2008) Corporate entrepreneurs or silent followers? The Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 29, No. 7, 583-599.
The study aims at exploring how employee attitudes affect management behaviour in the corporate entrepreneurship (CE) setting in Finnish public-sector Health and Social Care organisation. We found empirical evidence of the crucial role of individual attitudes and action in CE, thus indicating that certain attitude types influence management behaviour. Straightforward communication emerged as the most important bottom-up modality in that. Our results challenge previous research in the field of CE in recognising the crucial role of individual employees. It is the self-confident and satisfied corporate entrepreneurs with initiative who critically question the existing working modes and thus catalyse CE.
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