The Kauffman Foundation released a Harris Poll survey on November 13, 2007 that shows America's young people want to be their own boss. The Foundation commissioned Harris Interactive to conduct an online survey of 2,438 youth ages 8 to 21 about entrepreneurship. It shows that four in 10 young people would like to start their own business in the future, while another 37 percent believe starting their own business is a possibility.
Those who want to have their own business say their top reasons are to use their skills and abilities (92 percent), build something for their future (89 percent), be their own boss (87 percent), see their ideas realized (81 percent) and earn lots of money (85 percent).
In the United States, 63 percent of respondents in the Harris survey already believe that, if they work hard, they can be entrepreneurs. Twenty-five percent of the youth believe that entrepreneurship is a more desirable career opportunity than other options.
Survey Methodology
Harris Interactive® fielded a seven-question study online for the Kauffman Foundation from July 12 to Aug. 2, 2007 along with the questions fielded through its YouthPulseSM online annual survey, among 2,438 U.S. 8 to 21 year olds. The 8- to 17-year-olds' figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, region, urbanicity, and highest level of education for their parents were weighted where necessary to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population. The 18- to 21-year-olds' figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, region, education, and income were weighted where necessary to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for 18- to 21-year-old respondents' propensity to be online. Respondents for these surveys were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the U.S. 8- to 21-year-old population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to be invited to participate in the Harris Interactive online research panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
