Leadership through Entrepreneurship

Abstract

The concept of entrepreneurship has been around for a very long time, but its resurgent popularity implies a “sudden discovery”, as if we had stumbled onto a new direction for American enterprise. This is a myth, as we shall see, because the American system of free enterprise has always endangered the spirit of entrepreneurship. America was discovered by entrepreneurs, nourished by entrepreneurs, and the United State became a world economic power/leader through entrepreneurial activity. More important, our future rests squarely on entrepreneurial ventures founded by creative individuals. They are inspired people, often adventurers, who can an at once disrupt a society and instigate progress. They are risk takers who seize opportunities to harness and use resources in unusual ways, and thrust us into the twenty-first century with a thunderous roar Leadership through entrepreneurship has given a new, integrative definition as, “leadership that creates visionary scenarios that are used to assemble and mobilize a „supporting cast‟ of participants who become committed by the vision to the discovery and exploitation of strategic value creation”. This paper will discuss the origin, factors and theories of entrepreneurship, and concept of leadership through entrepreneurship besides skills required to become a successful entrepreneurial leader to conclude the interdependence of entrepreneurship and leadership.