Identifying ICT Entrepreneurship Potential in Students

Literature relating to personality and entrepreneurship focused largely on the personality characteristics of general entrepreneurs. The focus of a study done in South Africa was on personality characteristics and temperaments of potential Information and Communication Technology (ICT) entrepreneurs. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness and usefullness of using personality characteristics to identify potential ICT entrepreneurs. The Keirsey Temperament Sorter was used to ascertain the personality characteristics of the participants. Two simple entrepreneurial tests were used to determine the entrepreneurial ability of the participants. The two phenonena (temperament and entrepreneurial ability) of the participants were then compared. Third and forth year information systems students from the University of Cape Town and current ICT entrepreneurs made up the population sample. A positive relationship was found between the rational and idealist temperaments and potential ICT entrepreneurs. However, no significant relationships were found between specific personality types and potential entrepreneurial ability. A positive connection was noticed between potential ICT entrepreneurs and being male. Unfortunately the number of female respondents was insufficient to lead to a conclusive result.