A comparative study of entrepreneurial competencies of small business’ owners in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA and companies winning the top prize in Brazil

Abstract

This paper presents a discussion about competitiveness, competitive strategy and the entrepreneur’s competences starting from (Man and Lau, 2000) researches. As a tool to subsidize this analysis, we adopted a descriptive and exploratory study. A questionnaire utilizing open questions was used. It refers to qualitative research performed through Content Analysis Method, having Categorical Analysis as the registration unit Theme. The main objective is to describe the existing relationship between competitiveness and entrepreneurial competences from the point of view of entrepreneurs who won the business TOP prize. It was observed that the Opportunity Competences, Relationship, Conceptual, Administrative, Strategic and Compromising are the most relevant points to achieving success as an entrepreneur, since they allow them to formulate strategies to achieve a high level of competitiveness. Supporting competences, or knowing how to learn, are important because they complete all the other competences and depend on the learning based on previous experience. These competences are inherent to the entrepreneur’s success, for they are part of their background. A subsequent survey of entrepreneurs in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, a rural area in the north central United States, was conducted to attempt to gain comparative data to see if any conclusions could be drawn between entrepreneurial drivers in these two diverse areas.