Entrepreneurs – those people among us who seek to serve others through business – are an optimistic bunch. So says the 2014 Amway Global Entrepreneurship Report, published annually by Amway Corporation, the world’s largest direct sales company. It’s a good thing entrepreneurs are optimistic; they have a lot of work to do. According to Amway Chairman Steve Van Andel:
Entrepreneurs play an important role in growing economies. They create jobs, encourage competition and help communities grow and flourish. As the business environment has changed through the years, so have the reasons people decide to venture out on their own.”
The report covers 38 countries, with over forty thousand people participating. Entrepreneurs from ages 14-99 were included. Interestingly, the study shows that entrepreneurship is not always an innate trait; it can be taught.
For example, entrepreneurship education strengthens people’s beliefs in their ability to successfully start a business, helps in evaluating entrepreneurship as a career option, and strengthens entrepreneurial intentions. It is no coincidence that entrepreneurship education has evolved into an important topic for policy makers around the world to fight unemployment and bolster economic growth.
Respondents want more education to strengthen their skills, and they see a strong correlation between education about business and entrepreneurship. The better-educated people are about entrepreneurship, the more they see it as a viable career path.
Amway’s President Doug DeVos says he is happy to see how excited younger people are about entrepreneurship.
The report points to their great potential. We must use this key insight to continue fostering the entrepreneurial spirit and create a global culture that unleashes the capabilities of younger people.”
