Locus of control, nAch and values of community entrepreneurs

Abstract

Over the last two decades social scientists have paid greater attention to the phenomenon of the creation of companies and, especially, to the personality of entrepreneurs. This article examines the prevalence of a range of psychological attributes in a sample of entrepreneurs from Andalusian cooperatives. These attributes are locus of control, assessed by a version of the I-E Rotter Scale (1966); need of achievement, using Lynn’s Achievement Motivation Questionnaire – LAMQ – (Lynn, 1969) and Values, assessed by the Rokeach (1973) Value Survey. We have analyzed the similarities and differences of this kind of entrepreneurship compared with other entrepreneurs who do not operate within the community economy. Our results show the double profile of the cooperative entrepreneur, halfway between the manag er and the qualified worker