Risk attitudes and personality traits of entrepreneurs and venture team members

Sari Pekkala Kerr, William R. Kerr, Margaret Dalton
2019 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America  
Personality distinctions between entrepreneurs, nonfounder CEOs/leaders, and inventor employees have received limited attention, especially in innovative settings where they are working together. We surveyed these groups, along with other employees of innovative firms, at 4 locations of a prominent innovation and coworking center. Entrepreneurs display the greatest tolerance of risk, even in small gambles, as well as the strongest self-efficacy, internal locus of control, and need for
more » ... t. Nonfounder CEOs/leaders typically sit in between entrepreneurs and employees for personality traits. Entrepreneurs, nonfounder CEOs/leaders, and inventor employees all show more innovative personalities than the noninventor employees in the same companies.
doi:10.1073/pnas.1908375116 pmid:31427505 pmcid:PMC6731656 fatcat:hpmlno2c7jbdfk6yx2cuzy3tdm