Our Entrepreneurial Future : Examining the Diverse Attitudes and Motivations of Teens Across Gender and Ethnic Identity

The number of women creating new businesses is increasing, but the number involved in entrepreneurial activities is still much lower than the number of men.To better understand this gender disparity, the career motivations, self-perceptions, and attitudes of adolescents interested in becoming entrepreneurs are investigated. A literature review regarding similar and different motivations and attitudes of men and women involved in entrepreneurial activity is presented.Data from a previous study by Marlino and Wilson (2003) is utilized; a total of 5,000 seventh through twelfth graders completed an eight-page survey in April-June 2002.For the current study, 1,971 subjects were chosen because they indicated an interest in entrepreneurship. Measures were collected on leadership skills, motivations, and entrepreneurial interest.An ANOVA analysis was used to examine the data. The results of the study indicate that girls are less likely than boys to be interested in owning their own business.However, girls from minority groups exhibited a significantly higher interest in establishing their own business than white girls.The differences between each gender group and each racial subgroup are discussed, as are the possible reasons for the disparate characteristics and motivations of each subgroup.The implications of this study are provided, as are possible areas for future study and possible limitations. (AKP)