Research samples to detect creative potential and entrepreneurial skills

A research project conducted in Italy aimed to investigate the relationships between variables relating to entrepreneurial skills and values within a specific population composed of individuals who were professional models, The project had a dual purpose: investigating the issue in question by extending it to a type of population on which there was a vast literature, and using the information gleaned in view of a larger project on entrepreneurship education, through stimulation on the emergence of trends and entrepreneurial skills in different and specific types of people and jobs. The sample consisted by 84 models: 49% men and 51% women. The majority of people (48) were between 21 to 26 years,15% were single, and 85% were bachelor. Regionally, 74% lived in the capital of a province or region, and 26% lived outside the capital. In terms of education, 74 people had a degree or frequency of a college, where 46 were employees, 29 were students, and nine were entrepreneurs.

Considering the inferential part of this research, the following hypotheses were formulated:

Based on several studies 1 , 2, 3it was assumed that in the research sample the value of self-direction turns out to have a significant positive correlation to variables related to the Internal Locus of Control, Employability, and Engagement, while negative ones related to the External Locus of Control;

It was assumed that the variable of risk taking had a significant positive correlation on the Internal Locus of Control and Pro-activity during employment transitions, and correlated negatively on the External Locus of Control 4.

Based on values theories 5, it was assumed that the pro-activeness and job transitions in both were positively correlated to employability and self-efficacy in regards to work transitions and success values.

These hypotheses were then applied to the third questionnaire, mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, through the use of an online platform for investigations and scientific research — “Survey Monkey” — where the findings were influenced by disturbance variables such as territorial and cultural difference, typical of a single place residence. In general, the attempt was made to recruit as heterogeneous a sample as possible that was best able to reflect the population in question. It was confirmed that the research had been able to make more information available regarding the broader scope of entrepreneurial skills and values. What has been obtained from the analysis could also provide some interesting insights for further in-depth studies aimed at identifying training models for different types of personalities and professions which are effective in promoting and developing the skills in an entrepreneurial culture.

With regard to the first hypothesis, it was seen that there was a significant association between entrepreneurial skills and specific values. Specifically, those with higher values of Internal Locus of Control also tended to have a sense of personal value as well as self-direction, and it seems that when both were present the subjects felt more likely to find a job (employability) and were even more involved in the work they performed (engagement). However, what could not be confirmed was a negative relationship between those values and the External Locus of Control. So, even though it was a negative trend, the tendency to attribute the causes of events to the External Locus of Control was not sufficient to establish the emergence of an internal value in connection with self-direction. For these data it was possible, however, only to establish a correlation but one which did not give guidance on which variable was independent and which was dependent. Therefore, in this study, it cannot be determined which of these variables was due to the other.

The External Locus of Control, on the other hand, was found to be related to the variable of Risk Taking, so it seems that people who tended to attribute causes to outside events would also avoid entering into risky situations, probably because they did not indicate the possibility of personal control. Even so, conversely, the more people tended to attach themselves to situations, the more inclined they were to take risks. This behavioural tendency, corresponding to the second hypothesis, also tended to increase when people demonstrated pro-action in periods of career transition, which precisely corresponded to a state of uncertainty.

Finally, the evidence was interesting regarding the third hypothesis because we saw that while people were pro-active in situations of work transition, this was not the same as having good or high levels of self-efficacy in the same situations. This was probably because new people, even if proven to be pro-active, were in quite uncertain situations and may not have developed a sense of self-efficacy, which was formed after these experiences had been experienced. It was said that those who feel effective in situations like that tended to act pro-actively, probably because they did not know well enough what to do in those situations. Even in that case, it would be useful to conduct further studies in order to identify the causative reasons behind these results.

This hypothesis, however, confirmed expectations concerning employability and the value of success. The first showed how to be pro-active in situations of transition regarding work and also involved the perception of greater ease in finding a new job, while the second relationship may be interpreted on the basis of a motivational value of success, which was a result produced by pro-active behaviours in those situation. The value of pro-activity during employment transitions was also founded or linked to another which was not provided on the initial assumption: the value of stimulation. This could be due to the fact that people who have the need for, and value the search for, new stimulation would be more likely to act pro-actively in situations, but those conclusions are to be examined by future studies.

This research, therefore, provided certain evidence as to the psychological variables affecting entrepreneurship. According with this study, the cognitive open cases evidenced self-efficacy to undertake, and strong involvement in entrepreneurial initiatives through different effects from self-intentions. Since the study took this point of view, this involved taking into account psychological variables of this type in order to remedy the deficiencies of initiatives aimed at enterprising people in the part of Italy considered here. Taking consideration of the entrepreneurship level of the youngest students and employees, and their potential for entrepreneurship, has the effect of changing the region’s business landscape and economy. The propensity of people to engage with the variables of Locus of Control and Risk was significant and explains their enterprising intentions. Therefore, despite the fact of existing lack of support, it was prudent to conclude that this fact does not explain at all the quality of entrepreneurship, but that other variables of personal behaviour came into play. In conclusion, these findings showed, among other things, the need to continue delving into this subject, both in regard to the design and greater reliability of scales, and to research on other components (both personal and contextual) in order that future research takes into greater account the variables involved in the emergence of entrepreneurial initiatives.

Research conducted in Portugal in a public community college (Polytechnic Institute of Tomar) aimed to characterize the use of subject’s cerebral hemispheres in order to determine their creative potential. In a sample, I see where 103 subjects comes from (21 men and 82 women), but the total of 210 is not then explained in a manner that the reader can understand. As such, I cannot rephrase the rest of the sentence without fear of misrepresenting the study. The following hypotheses were then formulated:

The Hermann creative potential test and the SPSS (Social Packet Statistical Software) were then applied to these hypotheses. The Hermann test confirmed that the group in question was not creative: originality or creativity did not account for their behavioural decisions. However, a balance between the two hemispheres was prevalent in most of the population, which ensured some stability and also possibility to learn about creativity and become creative.

In the same domain, but in another research project in Portugal were studied two courses in the same public community college: one of which was eminently creative for its scientific and pedagogical content with a focus on the “plastic arts”, the other being photography. A sample, was taken, consisting in a set of 71 subjects, 30 men and 41 women from a total of 171, representing 42 % of the universe in question shared by two courses of three years respectively, with 25 on the first year, 28 on the second year, and 18 from the last year. The photography course had 48 subjects and the visual arts 23. The following hypotheses were then formulated:

The Hermann creative potential test and the SPSS statistical software were then applied to these hypotheses and the following variables: the year of course attendance, gender, hemisphere predominance, rational approach, predominance, balancing hemispheres use, slight creative predominance, sensory and intuitive approach, creativity, and rationality of decision. These tests confirmed the hypotheses that the sample in question constituted a creative group. Originality and creativity were found to be superior to the rationality of decisions in their behaviour. However, a balance between the two hemispheres was prevalent in most of the studied population, which presupposed a general stability and possibility of creativity in order to learn and become creative or potentially more creative.

Another similar research project, which took place in a higher institute of psychology in Portugal with a sample of 28 subjects (six males and 22 females) who were graduates in psychology, undertaking a Master’s degree in this scientific area, from a total of 199, representing 14% of the universe in question, aimed to address the following hypotheses and research questions:

The Hermann creative potential test and the SPSS statistical software were then applied to these hypotheses. taking the following variables into account: the year of course attendance, gender, slight predominance of the rational approach, balance of the two hemispheres use, slight predominance of a creative, sensory, and intuitive approach, creativity and rationality of decision making. The research concluded that the study group was not creative, because as was found on the application of the Hermann test, neither originality nor creativity of rational decisions influenced the subjects’ behaviour. The balance between the two hemispheres, however, was predominant in the population studied, which assumed some stability and also a possibility that subjects might learn more about creativity and become creative.