Mr Jonathan Styles, Lecturer in Enterprise, University of Manchester
Nature or nurture – which has the greater influence in the creation of a successful entrepreneur?
This question has long been debated in the field of business. Put simply, the debate divides those who argue that an individual is born with the innate, fundamental traits to be a successful entrepreneur against those who say the necessary skills or methods of working can be developed over time. While few would say it is solely one or the other, there are certainly many who argue that either nature or nurture is of far greater significance than the other.
It is a complex, wide-ranging topic. The discussion begins with the definition of entrepreneurship and then must consider what are typically considered to be the defining characteristics of entrepreneurs. From there, we can assess the relative influence of nature and nurture....