The Illusions of Entrepreneurship; The Costly Myths That Entrepreneurs, Investors, and Policy Makers Live By

There are far more entrepreneurs than most people realize. But the failure rate of new businesses is disappointingly high, and the economic impact of most of them disappointingly low, suggesting that enthusiastic would be entrepreneurs and their investors all too often operate under a false set of assumptions.

This book shows that the reality of entrepreneurship is decidedly different from the myths that have come to surround it. Scott Shane, a leading expert in entrepreneurial activity in the United States and other countries, draws on the data from extensive research to provide accurate, useful information about who becomes an entrepreneur and why, how businesses are started, which factors lead to success, and which predict a likely failure.

The Illusions of Entrepreneurship is an essential resource for everyone who has dreamed of starting a new business, for investors in start ups, for policy makers attempting to facilitate the formation and survival of new businesses, and for researchers interested in the economic impact of entrepreneurial activity. Scott Shane offers research-based answers to these questions and many others:

- Why do people start businesses?

- What industries are popular for start-ups?

- How many jobs do new businesses create?

- How do entrepreneurs finance their start-ups?

- What makes some locations and some countries more entrepreneurial than others?

- What are the characteristics of the typical entrepreneur?

- How well does the typical start-up perform?

- What strategies contribute to the survival and profitability of new businesses over time?

"For its myth-busting findings and analytical ‘’-Nick Schulz Wall Street Journal

"Business scholar Scott Shane debunks popular theories with research-based answers to questions such as why people start businesses, which industries are most popular for startups and what are the most common characteristics of the typical entrepreneur.”-Mark Henricks, Entrepreneur Magazine

“This book is important not just for clearing our minds of what's erroneous but for reconsidering our public policy, which is based on the widespread feeling that startups are a magic bullet that will create a lot of jobs and generate innovation.”-Harvey Schachter, Toronto Globe and Mail

Scott A. Shane is A. Malachi Mixon III Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies, Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University. He is the author or editor of eleven books and more than sixty scholarly articles on entrepreneurship and innovation management. He lives in Shaker Heights, OH.

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.