TSE Entre will organize a research seminar in Entrepreneurship on Wednesday 9.11.2011. At the first seminar you have an opportunity to hear and discuss about results from the Academy of Finland research project (WORK-program):
”Entrepreneurship, work and well-being in the life course perspective”
Research seminar provides information on the main aims of the research project and the survey-based dataset collected among highly educated professionals in Finland. Thereafter, the main findings of articles submitted for review (1 and 2), and preliminary ideas of work-in-process papers are presented and discussed (3 and 4).
1. Determinants of job satisfaction for self-employed and salaried professionals
2. Job satisfaction and retirement age intentions: self-employed versus salary earners
3. Life and job satisfaction among entrepreneurs and employees during the life course
4. “Spillover from work domains onto life satisfaction” (preliminary title)
Presenters: TSE Entre // WORK project research team (Heinonen, project leader, Akola, Hytti, Kautonen, Luomala)
Time: Wednesday 9.11.2011 at 13–15:30
Location: Turku School of Economics, lecture hall OP-Pohjola
Welcome!
10/25/11
Startups, startups...
Morning news show's story (in Finnish) on the current trend. Startups run over entrepreneurship. Hah.
Finnish Entrepreneurship Review
Now it's out. The annual Entrepreneurship Review (by the Ministry of Employment and the Economy) overviews the trends in entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial activity in Finland. The following is taken from the Summary:
According to an estimate, a total of around 270.000 enterprises were active in Finland at the end of 2010, excluding primary production enterprises. At present, the number of enterprises is experiencing a slight upswing. There were nearly 50 enterprises per 1.000 people in Finland at the end of last year. The number of start-ups began to increase, and the number of enterprises that terminated their operations reduced markedly compared to the previous year.
The percentage of SMEs (with less than 250 employees) from the enterprise population was 99.8%. Micros with less than ten employees accounted for 93.4 per cent of all SMEs, and the majority of micro-enterprises employed less than two people (calculated on the basis of one year of employment). Finland had more than 600 large enterprises with a staff of at least 250.
At the end of 2009, the total number of entrepreneurs in Finland was approximately 248.000, excluding those in the agriculture and forestry sectors, i.e. ten per cent of employed people. Of these, 62 per cent were self-employed. At the end of 2009, there were some 82.000 female entrepreneurs, constituting one-third of all entrepreneurs.
Report (in Finnish) can be downloaded from here.
According to an estimate, a total of around 270.000 enterprises were active in Finland at the end of 2010, excluding primary production enterprises. At present, the number of enterprises is experiencing a slight upswing. There were nearly 50 enterprises per 1.000 people in Finland at the end of last year. The number of start-ups began to increase, and the number of enterprises that terminated their operations reduced markedly compared to the previous year.
The percentage of SMEs (with less than 250 employees) from the enterprise population was 99.8%. Micros with less than ten employees accounted for 93.4 per cent of all SMEs, and the majority of micro-enterprises employed less than two people (calculated on the basis of one year of employment). Finland had more than 600 large enterprises with a staff of at least 250.
At the end of 2009, the total number of entrepreneurs in Finland was approximately 248.000, excluding those in the agriculture and forestry sectors, i.e. ten per cent of employed people. Of these, 62 per cent were self-employed. At the end of 2009, there were some 82.000 female entrepreneurs, constituting one-third of all entrepreneurs.
Report (in Finnish) can be downloaded from here.
10/19/11
TSE Entre's latest Bulletin
TSE Entre's long-term investment on entrepreneurship research yields desired outcomes: a doctoral thesis, a Collegium researcher´s position in the Institute of Advanced Studies within the University of Turku, a membership of the editorial board of the esteemed entrepreneurship journal, and quality publications.
Here you go.
Here you go.
10/18/11
10/17/11
Spot on
Steve Blank is again at it. Top points from the summary of his recent visit in Finland.
Toxic Business Press and Contradictory Government Incentives
Unique to Finland with its strong cultural emphasis on equality and the redistribution of wealth is a business press that doesn't understand startups and is overtly hostile to their success. Instead, the business press dumped on the founders for "selling out."... In 2010 it got worse, with an Act in parliament about the Monitoring of Foreigners' Corporate Acquisitions. Many founders mentioned this as a reason not to incorporate or grow their companies in Finland.
Nokia as "He Who Must Not Be Named".
..Nokia was Finland's symbol of national competence. Most Finns take their failure as a personal embarrassment. (Note to Finland -- lighten up. Nokia was blind-sided in a classic disruptive innovation. 50 percent the fault of a Nokia management that didn't see it coming, while 50 percent was due to brilliant Apple execution.) Ultimately, Nokia's difficulties will turn out to be good news for Finnish entrepreneurs. They've stopped hiring the best talent, and startups are not looking so risky compared to large companies.
Nanny Culture, Lack of Risk Taking, Not Sharing
...There's a safety net in almost every part of one's public and private life--health insurance, free college tuition, unions, collective bargaining, fixed work hours, etc. And what's great for the mass of society--a government safety net verging on the ultimate nanny state--makes it impossible to fail. There isn't much of a killer instinct among the masses... By nature, Finns are not good at tolerating risk. This gets compounded by the cultural tendency not to share or talk in meetings, sometimes to the point of silence. This is a fundamental challenge in creating an entrepreneurial culture...
Lessons Learned II
Toxic Business Press and Contradictory Government Incentives
Unique to Finland with its strong cultural emphasis on equality and the redistribution of wealth is a business press that doesn't understand startups and is overtly hostile to their success. Instead, the business press dumped on the founders for "selling out."... In 2010 it got worse, with an Act in parliament about the Monitoring of Foreigners' Corporate Acquisitions. Many founders mentioned this as a reason not to incorporate or grow their companies in Finland.
Nokia as "He Who Must Not Be Named".
..Nokia was Finland's symbol of national competence. Most Finns take their failure as a personal embarrassment. (Note to Finland -- lighten up. Nokia was blind-sided in a classic disruptive innovation. 50 percent the fault of a Nokia management that didn't see it coming, while 50 percent was due to brilliant Apple execution.) Ultimately, Nokia's difficulties will turn out to be good news for Finnish entrepreneurs. They've stopped hiring the best talent, and startups are not looking so risky compared to large companies.
Nanny Culture, Lack of Risk Taking, Not Sharing
...There's a safety net in almost every part of one's public and private life--health insurance, free college tuition, unions, collective bargaining, fixed work hours, etc. And what's great for the mass of society--a government safety net verging on the ultimate nanny state--makes it impossible to fail. There isn't much of a killer instinct among the masses... By nature, Finns are not good at tolerating risk. This gets compounded by the cultural tendency not to share or talk in meetings, sometimes to the point of silence. This is a fundamental challenge in creating an entrepreneurial culture...
Lessons Learned II
- Finland is trying to engineer an entrepreneurial cluster as a National policy to drive economic growth through entrepreneurial ventures
- They've gotten off to a good start with a start around Aalto University with passionate students
- Startup incubators, business angels and VCs are starting to emerge
- The country needs to figure out a long term privatization strategy for Venture investing
- Finnish culture makes risk-taking and sharing hard
10/14/11
"A government that's trying to help, but gets in the way"
Make a wild guess of which country Steve Blank (the author this post's topic) is writing about...
Are we really eager to enhance entrepreneurship in Finland?
One case, one opinion, but quite disturbing if you remember that Finnish citizens have one of the lowest rates of entrepreneurial intentions and entrepreneurial activity among innovation-driven economies.
Entrepreneurship visa in Finland...
Entrepreneurship visa in Finland...
10/12/11
Research seminar in Entrepreneurship
TSE Entre will organize a research seminar in Entrepreneurship on Friday 4.11.2011. At the first seminar you have an opportunity to hear and discuss about results from the Academy of Finland research project (WORK-program):
”Entrepreneurship, work and well-being in the life course perspective”
Research seminar provides information on the main aims of the research project and the survey-based dataset collected among highly educated professionals in Finland. Thereafter, the main findings of articles submitted for review (1 and 2), and preliminary ideas of work-in-process papers are presented and discussed (3 and 4).
1. Determinants of job satisfaction for self-employed and salaried professionals
2. Job satisfaction and retirement age intentions: self-employed versus salary earners
3. Life and job satisfaction among entrepreneurs and employees during the life course
4. “Spillover from work domains onto life satisfaction” (preliminary title)
Presenters: TSE Entre // WORK project research team (Heinonen, project leader, Akola, Hytti, Kautonen, Luomala)
Time: Friday 4.11.2011 at 13–15:30
Location: Turku School of Economics, LS08 (at Mercatori)
Welcome!
”Entrepreneurship, work and well-being in the life course perspective”
Research seminar provides information on the main aims of the research project and the survey-based dataset collected among highly educated professionals in Finland. Thereafter, the main findings of articles submitted for review (1 and 2), and preliminary ideas of work-in-process papers are presented and discussed (3 and 4).
1. Determinants of job satisfaction for self-employed and salaried professionals
2. Job satisfaction and retirement age intentions: self-employed versus salary earners
3. Life and job satisfaction among entrepreneurs and employees during the life course
4. “Spillover from work domains onto life satisfaction” (preliminary title)
Presenters: TSE Entre // WORK project research team (Heinonen, project leader, Akola, Hytti, Kautonen, Luomala)
Time: Friday 4.11.2011 at 13–15:30
Location: Turku School of Economics, LS08 (at Mercatori)
Welcome!
10/6/11
10/5/11
Wohoo Finland, Wohoo!
Richard Florida et al. just launched new Global Creativity Index (download the report here). The Global Creativity Index ranks 82 nations on Technology, Talent, and Tolerance (the critical “3Ts” of economic development). The index is a broad composite measure based on key measures of technology (R&D investment, researchers, and patents per capita), talent (educational attainment and the creative class) and tolerance (the treatment of immigrants, racial and ethnic minorities, and gays and lesbians).
To start with, Finland is relatively prevalent (nr. 1) in the rankings based on pure R&D figures.
"Finland takes the top spot overall, ranking first in researchers, third in R&D investment, and fourth in innovation. Home to Nokia and many innovative small firms, Finland is an acknowledged leader in innovative communications technology." (p. 6)
What comes to the Talent Finland is kicking strong and is also ranked nr. 1 among the 82 nations. This is mostly because of high attendance in tetriary education in Finnish population. Finland's worst result is related to the Tolerance. Finland is ranked only 19th basically due to low acceptance of racial and ethnic minorities as well as gays and lesbians. Based on the Florida's approach this is an important proxy for creativity. Accordingly, Finland is ranked "only" third in the Global Creativity Index even if two "T"s are highly prevalent in Finland.
Importantly, the association between the Global Creativity Index based on 3T's and entrepreneurial activity is pretty high and thus, it makes sense to assess the role of 3T further.
Who's with me?
To start with, Finland is relatively prevalent (nr. 1) in the rankings based on pure R&D figures.
"Finland takes the top spot overall, ranking first in researchers, third in R&D investment, and fourth in innovation. Home to Nokia and many innovative small firms, Finland is an acknowledged leader in innovative communications technology." (p. 6)
What comes to the Talent Finland is kicking strong and is also ranked nr. 1 among the 82 nations. This is mostly because of high attendance in tetriary education in Finnish population. Finland's worst result is related to the Tolerance. Finland is ranked only 19th basically due to low acceptance of racial and ethnic minorities as well as gays and lesbians. Based on the Florida's approach this is an important proxy for creativity. Accordingly, Finland is ranked "only" third in the Global Creativity Index even if two "T"s are highly prevalent in Finland.
Importantly, the association between the Global Creativity Index based on 3T's and entrepreneurial activity is pretty high and thus, it makes sense to assess the role of 3T further.
Who's with me?
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