Abstract
This paper examines the relationship between entrepreneurial attributes and life stages of entrepreneurs and enterprises in a sample of 276 entrepreneurs. Findings revealed that most attributes remained constant across the life stages of the enterprises. Yet, as was expected, flexibility and awareness of opportunities became less characteristic as the enterprise moved from the start-up stage through its entrepreneurial and maturity stage. The attributes achievement orientation, assertiveness, awareness of opportunity and integrity became less characteristic across the life stages of the entrepreneur. The results are in contrast with the findings of the maturity model of personality development (Roberts, Robin 2004) but confirm organizational and vocational choice models (Schneider, Goldstein, and Smith 1995). A self-selection principle is probably at work: individuals who score very high on entrepreneurial attributes are attracted to this vocation but over their lifetime the scores on these attributes converge to more average levels.
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