Entrepreneurship Across the Life Span

Entrepreneurship is of economic and social importance for people from different age groups. Based on the lifespan developmental perspective, this chapter describes the physical, cognitive, socioemotional and motivational changes that go along with aging and how these changes affect and are affected by entrepreneurial action. The chapter first introduces a process perspective on entrepreneurship and aging. It then merges the two processes by providing insights into the effects of aging on outcomes in the different phases of entrepreneurship. The chapter closes with some suggestions for future research in the areas of entrepreneurship and lifespan development and for the support of entrepreneurs in different life stages.