Log in Sign up
Back to Discover
💻

Entrepreneurship

technology Maturity 13-18

Some people start new businesses.

Sir JACK COHEN 1898-1979 Entrepreneur Founder of Tesco Stores lived here as a child.jpg
Sir JACK COHEN 1898-1979 Entrepreneur Founder of Tesco Stores lived here as a child.jpg
They use new ideas. They might take a big risk. This can help people get what they need. It is hard work. Do you have a big idea?

47 words

An entrepreneur is a person who starts a business.

Sir JACK COHEN 1898-1979 Entrepreneur Founder of Tesco Stores lived here as a child.jpg
Sir JACK COHEN 1898-1979 Entrepreneur Founder of Tesco Stores lived here as a child.jpg
They look for new ways to help people. They might use a new idea or a new tool. This can be a big risk for them.
Computer industry entrepreneur workshop.jpg
Computer industry entrepreneur workshop.jpg
If the business works, they get a reward. If it fails, they may lose money. They must organize people and tools to grow. This hard work can help a whole land grow.
Ambassador Verveer Greets African Womens Entrepreneurship Program Participants.jpg
Ambassador Verveer Greets African Womens Entrepreneurship Program Participants.jpg
It is an exciting way to change the world.

102 words

An entrepreneur is a person who starts a business.

Sir JACK COHEN 1898-1979 Entrepreneur Founder of Tesco Stores lived here as a child.jpg
Sir JACK COHEN 1898-1979 Entrepreneur Founder of Tesco Stores lived here as a child.jpg
They look for new ways to make things useful. This process is called entrepreneurship. It involves finding a chance to sell a product or a service.
Computer industry entrepreneur workshop.jpg
Computer industry entrepreneur workshop.jpg

Being an entrepreneur involves some risk. This means they might lose money if the business fails. But if they succeed, they get a reward. They must use their own time and effort. They also have to organize people and tools.

Ambassador Verveer Greets African Womens Entrepreneurship Program Participants.jpg
Ambassador Verveer Greets African Womens Entrepreneurship Program Participants.jpg

Some thinkers have big ideas about this work. Joseph Schumpeter spoke of creative destruction. This is when new ideas replace old ways of doing things. It helps the economy grow and stay healthy. In the Ashanti Empire, successful traders were honored. They were called Abirempon, which means big men. The state even gave them special badges. Entrepreneurship can happen in small shops or big companies. It even happens in groups that help others.

174 words

Entrepreneurship is the way people create or find value in the world. It happens when someone finds an opportunity to offer a new product or a service. This process usually needs a lot of energy and drive. It also involves taking a risk because things might not work out. An entrepreneur is the person who starts or invests in these businesses. They take on most of the risks to find success. They also get to enjoy most of the rewards if they do well.

Computer industry entrepreneur workshop.jpg
Computer industry entrepreneur workshop.jpg

How does this work in real life? First, an entrepreneur must find a chance to use resources in a new way. They often look for ways to make a profit. Second, they need to use special information or connections to see an opportunity. Third, they must be willing to face a level of risk. Finally, they have to organize people and tools to make the business run. This might involve making a plan or hiring workers. They also need to find money and materials to get started.

Sir JACK COHEN 1898-1979 Entrepreneur Founder of Tesco Stores lived here as a child.jpg
Sir JACK COHEN 1898-1979 Entrepreneur Founder of Tesco Stores lived here as a child.jpg

People have studied this idea for a very long time. In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, thinkers like Richard Cantillon and Adam Smith looked at it. Cantillon said an entrepreneur is someone who buys things at one price and sells them at an uncertain price. This means they deal with uncertainty every day. In the early 19th century, the French economist Jean-Baptiste Say gave another view. He said entrepreneurs move resources from places of low use to places of high use. This helps make things more productive.

Wimbit-Jellinek-Phoenix8hp.jpg
Wimbit-Jellinek-Phoenix8hp.jpg

In the 1930s, Joseph Schumpeter shared a famous idea. He called it "creative destruction." This is when new ideas or inventions replace old ways of doing things. It is like a wave that brings new products to the market. This process can change whole industries. Some people think this is what keeps an economy healthy and growing. In the Ashanti Empire, successful traders were even honored for their work. They were called Abirempon, which means "big men." The state even gave them a special badge called a Mena.

Ambassador Verveer Greets African Womens Entrepreneurship Program Participants.jpg
Ambassador Verveer Greets African Womens Entrepreneurship Program Participants.jpg

Today, entrepreneurship happens in many different places. It is not just for tiny new shops. It also happens in huge companies and even in government groups. Some people work in businesses that help others, like charities. Many countries try to help people start businesses to grow their economies. They provide things like school training or bank loans. You might see this in how we use new technology every day. Even small changes, like using plastic straws instead of paper, can be part of this process.

Tulane University Environmental Action League, New Orleans, February 2011.jpg
Tulane University Environmental Action League, New Orleans, February 2011.jpg

469 words

Entrepreneurship is the process of creating or extracting economic value. This happens when individuals identify and commercialize new opportunities. They do this by delivering specific products or services to others. This process requires a great deal of personal initiative. It also involves taking on significant risks. An entrepreneur is the person who creates or invests in these businesses. They bear most of the risks of the venture. However, they also enjoy most of the rewards if the business succeeds.

Sir JACK COHEN 1898-1979 Entrepreneur Founder of Tesco Stores lived here as a child.jpg
Sir JACK COHEN 1898-1979 Entrepreneur Founder of Tesco Stores lived here as a child.jpg

To understand how entrepreneurship works, we can look at its core mechanics. First, there must be an opportunity to recombine resources to generate a profit. Second, entrepreneurs often use differences in information or personal connections. This allows them to recognize opportunities that others might miss. Third, the individual must be willing to accept a level of risk. Finally, the process requires the organization of both people and resources. This might involve developing a business plan or hiring human resources. They must also acquire the necessary financial and material resources to operate.

Computer industry entrepreneur workshop.jpg
Computer industry entrepreneur workshop.jpg

There are different ways to study this subject in academia. Some scholars use a functionalistic approach. They focus on the specific traits and actions of the individual entrepreneur. Other scholars prefer a processual approach. This view focuses on the entrepreneurial process itself. It looks at the interplay between human agency and the surrounding context. Entrepreneurship is not limited to small startups. It also encompasses the activities of large, established firms. It can even occur within non-profit organizations, charities, or government groups.

Ambassador Verveer Greets African Womens Entrepreneurship Program Participants.jpg
Ambassador Verveer Greets African Womens Entrepreneurship Program Participants.jpg

History shows that people have studied these ideas for centuries. In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, Richard Cantillon provided foundational work. He defined the entrepreneur as someone who buys at a certain price. They then resell the product at an uncertain price. This definition highlights the role of uncertainty and risk. In the early 19th century, Jean-Baptiste Say offered a different perspective. He argued that entrepreneurs shift resources from low productivity to high productivity. This movement helps create a greater yield for the economy.

Wimbit-Jellinek-Phoenix8hp.jpg
Wimbit-Jellinek-Phoenix8hp.jpg

In the 1930s, economist Joseph Schumpeter introduced a very influential concept. He called it "creative destruction." This describes how new innovations replace older, inferior products or methods. This process can destroy old industries while ushering in entirely new ones. Schumpeter believed this dynamic equilibrium was a sign of a healthy economy. Other economists, like Israel Kirzner, offered a different view. He suggested that many innovations are actually incremental improvements. An example might be replacing paper straws with plastic ones.

Different cultures have recognized the importance of these individuals throughout time. In the Ashanti Empire, successful entrepreneurs were highly honored. If they accumulated wealth through heroic deeds, they were called "Abirempon," meaning "big men." The state even provided them with a formal heraldic badge called a "Mena," which was an elephant tail. In Germany, historical rules once required craftspeople to have a "Meister" certificate. This was a specific proof of competence needed to operate as an entrepreneur.

Wimbit-Jellinek-Phoenix8hp.jpg
Wimbit-Jellinek-Phoenix8hp.jpg

Today, many nations try to promote entrepreneurship to stimulate economic growth. They hope it will increase competition and improve the economy. An "entrepreneurship ecosystem" helps support this goal. This ecosystem includes government programs and small-business associations. It also includes business incubators and seed accelerators. Education plays a major role through training programs at colleges and universities. Finally, financing is essential. This includes bank loans, venture capital, and angel investing. These systems work together to help new ideas become real products.

Tulane University Environmental Action League, New Orleans, February 2011.jpg
Tulane University Environmental Action League, New Orleans, February 2011.jpg

610 words
🖼️ Images & Media (5)
File:Wimbit-Jellinek-Phoenix8hp.jpg
Wimbit-Jellinek-Phoenix8hp.jpg
File:Ambassador Verveer Greets African Womens Entrepreneurship Program Participants.jpg
Ambassador Verveer Greets African Womens...
File:Sir JACK COHEN 1898-1979 Entrepreneur Founder of Tesco Stores lived here as a child.jpg
Sir JACK COHEN 1898-1979 Entrepreneur...
File:Tulane University Environmental Action League, New Orleans, February 2011.jpg
Tulane University Environmental Action...
File:Computer industry entrepreneur workshop.jpg
Computer industry entrepreneur workshop.jpg
Up Next
💻
Startup company
Technology
More to explore

🔬 Go deeper

More advanced topics to explore

🪜 Step back

Simpler topics to build understanding

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.