Abstract
This thesis contributes to the study of entrepreneurship, adding comprehension to the factors, motives, and obstacles of entrepreneurship through a comprehensive analysis of potential and active youth entrepreneurs in the United Kingdom and Bangladesh. Findings confirm established entrepreneurship theories when investigating the cross-national determinants of an entrepreneurial mindset, with individual entrepreneurial attributes analysed in light of self-perceived environmental factors related to economic, institutional, and cultural situations. A survey instrument was developed by drawing on established models and scales, including Hofstede's cultural indices, Rotter's I-E scale, Jackson's personality assessment, and Linan and Chen's (2009) and Giacomen et al.'s (2011) entrepreneurship scales, thus, ensuring validity and reliability of the research methods. Both offline and online modes of survey questionnaire were administered to a diverse sample of potential and active entrepreneurs in the United Kingdom and Bangladesh. To ensure sample homogeneity across nations, a mix of emic and etic procedures were employed. The resulting data was subjected to rigorous statistical analyses, including regression and multivariate analysis, to identify the key entrepreneurial traits, determinants, motivations, and barriers in each country. The findings demonstrated that culture, institutional assistance, and personal strength have a substantial impact on practicing/active entrepreneurs, with work flexibility and administrative regulations predicting entrepreneurial qualities in an intriguing manner. The comparative analysis shows that the British group scored higher on perceived risk-taking, innovativeness, and accomplishment requirements, while the Bangladesh group demonstrated a strong centre of control and self-confidence. This thesis introduces a new model that validates previous theories by predicting the required characteristics for an entrepreneurial mindset. The findings consequently contribute to knowledge on the complex interplay of personal, cultural, and institutional factors that shape the youth entrepreneurial mindset, which has implications for policy makers, educators, and aspiring entrepreneurs seeking to foster and sustain entrepreneurship in different national contexts.