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

by Scott A. Shane

Overview

A challenge to the myths we hold about entrepreneurs in America—who they are, what they do, and how they succeed

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. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780300158564
Publisher:	Yale University Press
Publication date:	01/26/2010
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

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.

Editorial Reviews

★ 12/01/2015
This title uses data to create a lucid and unexpected look at who entrepreneurs are and the sorts of problems they must overcome. Shane offers a valuable antidote to overoptimistic coverage and could save owners a lot of pain.

Library Journal