| In order to approach a more concise understanding of the career development of entrepreneurs, there is a need to explore the roles and competencies obtained by habitual starter entrepreneurs throughout their careers. Understanding these roles and competencies may provide insight for other entrepreneurs, educators, and consultants on how to better prepare and maintain an entrepreneurial career, and suggest further expansion of entrepreneurial career development theory. The Delphi method of research inquiry was used to obtain an inventory of roles and competencies from an expert panel of Small Business Development Center directors and consultants from across the nation. Through three Delphi rounds, the participants generated fourteen roles and twelve competencies, and ranked each of the roles and competencies according to their importance for a career of creating entrepreneurial ventures. In order to measure the level of consensus among the participants, Kendall's Coefficient of Concordance (W) was calculated for rounds two and three.; The resulting roles and competencies were further categorized by this study as intrinsic, or subjective and originating with the entrepreneur, and extrinsic, or originating through the needs of the current entrepreneurial organization. These findings suggest that the knowledge of roles and competencies of entrepreneurs who create multiple entrepreneurial ventures throughout their career is important for understanding entrepreneurship as a career-long endeavor. Further investigation into the precise origin and use of these roles and competencies within the context of entrepreneurship, and their contribution to entrepreneurial career development would assist in addressing the educational and consultative needs of entrepreneurship students, and other entrepreneurs who seek a career of entrepreneurship. |
