One of the
factors of production. The
entrepreneur is the risk-taker. He or she is traditionally seen as the
manager/
owner of the business.
This person puts up the finance for a business, as well as running it. They receive rewards in the form of profit. As a business grows there is likely to be a split between the role of owner and manager, so the entrepreneur has a reduced role.
In recent years, the governments of Western countries have been trying to persuade people to take up entrepreneurship as an alternative to unemployment. The government provide grants for such, although many such businesses fail after a short period.
Well-known entrepreneurs include Richard Branson (Virgin) and Anita Roddick (Body Shop).