The role of the socio-professional trajectory of entrepreneurs in triggering the SME creation process in the Bejaia region (Algeria)

Abstract

The transition of Algeria from an administered economy to a market economic tends to recover the national economy and the hopes of creation of wealth and employment rest henceforth on the small and medium enterprise and the entrepreneur. Many researches have confirmed that the socio-professional trajectory has an important impact on the triggering of the business creation process. Our article aims to present a typology of the Algerian entrepreneur and to show the importance of the professional assets and the relational and family capital mobilized during the process of creation of the company. The qualitative survey that we carried out with the help of semi-directive interviews with about thirty entrepreneurs operating in the region of Bejaia showed that the entrepreneurs are divided into five following socio-professional trajectories: the unemployed entrepreneurs, the entrepreneurs coming from the public sector, the immigrant entrepreneurs, the heir entrepreneurs and of entrepreneurial tradition, the entrepreneurs coming from the private sector. The survey also revealed the presence of helpers from family members and relative of the entrepreneur in the majority of the cases studied