Abstract

The word Entrepreneur carries a deluge of definitional and operational ambiguity. A review of the literature on entrepreneurship affords "strange and contradictory results." The literature also demonstrates the in adequacy of definitions to describe the entrepreneur in terms necessary for ex ante measurement. All definitions are ex post facto. A person is defined as an entrepreneur because of something he has done, in terms of a function. Although the functional definition may be constructed to indicate something he is capable of doing, the measurement problem is not solved. He still has to perform the function before he can be called an entrepreneur. Before examining various definitions of the entrepreneur, it would be beneficial to speculate why an investigation such as this is important. To study the businessman is to study the main figure in economic activity. However, a reason such as this does not specifically answer what important consequences might ensue from such a study. A qualification to this thesis is the reasoning that in areas void of entrepreneurial talent, if the market is right, and if opportunities are available, entrepreneurs will be forthcoming. But, this assumes perfect mobility of existing entrepreneurs or that existing entrepreneurs have additional time to devote to the region.