Wasted talent: Battling exclusionary forces among senior entrepreneurs

Abstract

One of the phenomena involving social exclusion is the barriers to confronting senior entrepreneurs, silver entrepreneurs or older entrepreneurs. Often forced into retirement prematurely, they still have a long and potentially productive career ahead of them via self-employment. They can do whatever they dreamed of doing but never had the chance. This study examines demographic changes in society and the alternative career paths that influence retired individuals via social capital. Conceptually, it is held that many social ties are positively related to founding behaviour. Potential founders often require a variety of executive resources before and during the founding process. We found that older entrepreneurs arrange their social capital, which they have nurtured along their previous career, with specific resources needed at each stage of the business cycle.