BIJED

Abstract

The research aimed at comparing entrepreneurs and employees’ perception, attitudes and values towards entrepreneurship in order to understand the factors/characteristics that motivate entrepreneurs across cultures. For this purpose, written survey questionnaire was used. This study examined cultural perspectives of entrepreneurship from four countries of France, Italy, Nigeria and Scotland. The results of the study were interpreted within the cultural context of the four countries examined in the study. A major research question was whether the results of this study could help elicit information on the differences and similarities of cultural values among the countries involved based on Hofstede's dimensions of national cultural variability. In particular, with dimensions of culture, the French displayed more power orientation, with the Italians displaying high degree of uncertainty, Nigerians displaying very high power distance, while Scottish were more at ease with the uncertainty of life and work. It was concluded that the desire for creativity, independence and power were the factors that motivated the entrepreneurs in the different countries involved in the study.