The Motives of Small Scale Entrepreneurs:An Exploratory Study

In a developing country like India, small scale entrepreneurship plays a significant role in the economic development of the country. Therefore, the development of motivation in individuals is a crucial input to entrepreneurship. Basically, entrepreneurship is a result of one’s motivation to achieve specific goals in life which is supported by other environmental factors. Motivation causes goal-directed behavior. A motivated person is likely to have broader vision which helps him/her to make life more meaningful. Motivation is an index of one’s belief in his/her own resourcefulness to take up challanging tasks like entrepreneurship. In this context, this paper examines the motives of entrepreneurs in starting a small-scale enterprise in the socioeconomic milieu of Nellore district. The sample units were selected randomly resulting in a sample size of 196 units. The data were collected through a structured questionnaire and informal interviews. The conclusions drawn from the empirical study showed that the direct support from their family members (in the form finance) encouraged them to start their new ventures, which is a healthy signal for economic development of the country.