GEM 2009 Monitoring Report

In 2009, the research consortium Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) measured the entrepreneurial activity of people from the general population in over 50 economies.

GEM surveyed 30,003 adults aged 16-80, making it the world’s most authoritative comparative study of entrepreneurial activity in the general adult population.

The report on the survey presents analysis on how the UK compares to BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and G7 (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and United States) countries in terms of social entrepreneurial activity. It examines the views of entrepreneurs on the impact of the global recession on their own businesses and reports expert views on the environment for entrepreneurship in the UK.

Entrepreneurial activity in the UK in 2009 was little changed on the previous year, continuing a pattern of no substantial change in activity rates since 2002. Overall, entrepreneurial activity in the UK has maintained the G7 average for the past six years.

However, there is evidence of a downturn in sentiment in 2009, particularly among non-entrepreneurial individuals and established business owner-managers. Those questioned suggested that the reason for this was the lack of apparent entrepreneurial opportunities, less endorsement of the benefits of self employment on the whole and little media coverage celebrating successful entrepreneurs.

The report does note, however, that the negative reaction to the concept of entrepreneurialism is unsurprising considering the context of the economic condition in the country,

Responding to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor UK 2009 report published today, Minister for Business Mark Prisk commented that:

“The coalition Government is well aware of the challenge it faces to raise enterprise awareness and start-up activity in the UK. We will meet that challenge by making this decade the most entrepreneurial and dynamic in our history. This ambition demands a coherent and comprehensive strategy for enterprise:

Challenging aspirations and capability - embedding enterprise awareness and business management skills into mainstream education: schools, FE colleges and HE institutions.

Modernising business support – ensuring the support, information and advice provided to businesses is fit for the 21st Century.

Supporting cash flow and access to finance – ensuring individuals and businesses have the skills, tools and networks they need to understand the options and to access finance, and that Government identifies and addresses market failures.

Reducing burdens - making it easier to start and grow a business by delivering long-term certainty and stability in the tax system, and pushing ahead with the promise to reduce regulation.

Transforming opportunities for individuals and their communities – a radical change in the support offered to workless people through Work for Yourself and providing access to mentors and small loans for the most disadvantaged”.
To access the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor’s UK2009 Report please follow this link:
http://www.gemconsortium.org/files.aspx?Ca_ID=107.