Communities in processes of change: comparative differences in entrepreneurial motivation

Abstract

Kibbutzim in Israel constitute a particular type of traditionally collective oriented communities, the first of which has been established in 1909. This paper aims to investigate the impact of environments upon motivations of entrepreneurs. More specifically, I explore internal and external motivations of entrepreneurs in three institutionally different mezzo environments in the larger context of the Israeli society. Based on a combination of convenient and snow-ball sample, students interviewed 360 entrepreneurs via a questionnaire. The sample includes 88 entrepreneurs living in collective kibbutzim, 107 entrepreneurs in differential kibbutzim and 165 entrepreneurs living in Israeli cities. Both types of kibbutzim are communities in the classical sense. When comparing external and internal motivation between the three environments I found that entrepreneurs in collective kibbutzim rate significantly lower on external motivational items than entrepreneurs in differential kibbutzim and in cities. Entrepreneurs in differential kibbutzim rate significantly lower on internal motivation items than entrepreneurs in collective kibbutzim and in cities. The study shows not only that environments influence entrepreneurial motivations but also points to the importance of analysing particularities of communities. Thus, the paper contributes to the understanding of community- based entrepreneurship and illustrates the importance to account for specific characteristics of communities.