ABSTRACT

The central point about this chapter is that it is people who probably matter most - the first building block, in any discussion on entrepreneurship. The chapter explores how entrepreneurial people generate ideas, identify opportunities, mobilise resources and create new ventures. The reader obtains a critical overview of some of the theories and concepts that attempt to explain the personality, behaviour and actions of the entrepreneur - what they mean, why they shed light and their limitations. The chapter recognises and distinguishes between entrepreneurs and creative non-entrepreneurs, and between different types of entrepreneurs focusing particularly on what they do and how their actions are embedded in their regions.