2014 Amway Global Entrepreneurship Report Reveals Canadian Attitudes Toward Self-Employment
TORONTO, Nov. 21, 2014 /CNW/ - Are entrepreneurs born or made? And what drives them to start their own businesses? These concepts were posed by the 2014 Amway Global Entrepreneurship Report (AGER), a survey that takes the public pulse on the state of self-employment around the world. This year's report explored entrepreneurship education.
At a resounding 67%, Canadians reported that they believe entrepreneurship can be taught – 4% higher than global findings. Those under the age of 35 held the strongest beliefs (75%), and women had slightly stronger opinions than men, at 70% and 65% respectively.
When ranking the reasons to choose entrepreneurship, 79% of Canadians identified "self-fulfillment, possibility to realize own ideas" – notably higher than the global average (43%) – while 78% responded "independence from an employer, being my own boss," again much higher than the international average (46%). Though consistent with worldwide findings, Canadians reversed the order of importance. Factoring in age, the youngest respondents were again most passionate of all groups, at 90% and 89% respectively.
"Attitudes toward entrepreneurship are strongly positive in Canada," remarks Dr. Howard M. Armitage, special advisor to the president and founding director of the Conrad Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology Centre at the University of Waterloo. "Entrepreneurship is thriving here. In the last few years, it has moved into societal mainstream with widespread support throughout education, business and politics."
Unique in its broadness and regularity, the AGER fosters global discussion on entrepreneurship, as well as raises awareness of the significant role entrepreneurs play in modern economies. The groundbreaking first survey launched in 2010 as the Amway European Entrepreneurship Report, then expanded worldwide with the 2013 AGER to encompass 24 markets. The 2014 AGER spans a record 38 countries – including Canada – and more than 43,000 people aged 14-99. Additional key Canadian findings include:
"The positivity expressed by Canadians is inspiring," notes Lydia Ayora, Country Manager of Amway Canada. "The results conclude that Canada is a world leader in positive attitudes toward entrepreneurship. We're proud to advance the global entrepreneurial spirit through the AGER, and we hope that the findings will spark the advent of more entrepreneurship education around the world. Doing so will help sustain the success of Amway business owners while inspiring their prospects to choose entrepreneurism."
The 2014 AGER was conducted by Amway, in partnership with the Chair of Strategy and Organization of the School of Management, Technische Universität München in Munich, Germany. Fieldwork was completed by the Gesellschaft fuer Konsumforschung Nuremberg from April through July. Results are shared with the scientific community, including the 38 AGER academic advisors and all interested think tanks and academic and public institutions. Please visit AmwayEntrepreneurshipReport.com for more information and contact [email protected] for full Canadian research details.
About Amway
Amway is an $11.8 billion direct selling business based in Ada, Michigan, USA. Top-selling brands for Amway are Nutrilite™ vitamin, mineral and dietary supplements, Artistry™ skincare and color cosmetics, and eSpring™ water treatment systems – all sold exclusively by Amway Business Owners. Global sales in 2013 made Amway the #1 direct selling business in the world, according to the Direct Selling News 2014 Global 100. For company news, visit globalnews.amway.com.
Image with caption: "Starting a Business Sparks Self-Fulfillment and Freedom in Canada (CNW Group/Amway Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20141121_C4064_PHOTO_EN_8376.jpg
SOURCE: Amway Canada
For further information: MEDIA CONTACT: Carmela Ianni, Public Relations, [email protected], O: 519-685-7925/C: 519-871-6376
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