Entrepreneurial spirit among East Asian Chinese

Abstract

This research showed that entrepreneurial spirit among East Asian Chinese youths is predicted by personality characteristics such as risk-taking propensity, persistence, and internal locus of control, as well as by motivational factors such as love for money and desire for security. Generally, these characteristics are not prevalent in an East Asian culture. The underlying predictors, however, differed for Hong Kong and Singapore. Risk taking was a common predictor for both groups, while persistence was a predictor for Hong Kong, and internal locus of control and love for money were significant for Singapore. Entrepreneurial spirit was associated with beliefs in ethics and self-indulgence for oneself, but not philanthropy. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.