Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. Renowned entrepreneurship scholar Robert D. Hisrich provides insights into the venture creation process, as well as the entrepreneur as a person. He outlines the characteristics, motivations and decision making processes of the entrepreneur in different settings (including businesses, government organizations and non-profits/social enterprises) to provide a comprehensive understanding of the individual who creates a new venture. Key features include: * Insights into how creativity and innovation provide a base for developing an idea * A history of the development of entrepreneurship and the changing nature of the entrepreneur * A focus on important aspects of a business plan * Unique perspectives from corporate executives, entrepreneurs and small business managers * Ideas on building a lasting company and/or ending the venture. Offering a concise, accessible and timely introduction to entrepreneurship, this thoughtful book will prove a valuable supplement to advanced students as well as practitioners of entrepreneurship and anyone interested in the field.