Entrepreneurs in business enterprise sector, 2008-2009

About 27 700 personally owned enterprises were set up by approximately 29 800 persons in 2009. A total of 65.5 per cent of the entrepreneurs were men. The share of male entrepreneurs has gradually declined since 2002 when over 71 per cent of the entrepreneurs were men. Sole proprietorships amounted to over 94 per cent of the newly established personally owned enterprises. A total of 64.4 per cent of the entrepreneurs of enterprises with this organisation form were men.

With regard to private and public limited companies in 2008, men amounted to 82 per cent of the entrepreneurs in these companies. This share has been stable since 2004. The preliminary figures for 2009 indicate that the share of male entrepreneurs for the first time is below 82 per cent.

Clear tendency in choice of industry

Male entrepreneurs of personally owned enterprises made up the majority within all economic activities except for education and other service activities. In these economic activities female entrepreneurs amounted to 51.4 and 71.9 per cent respectively. Other service activities includes, among other things, activities of membership organisations, repair of personal and household goods and also washing and cleaning of textile and fur products and hairdressing and other beauty treatment.

Female entrepreneurs amounted to the majority of the entrepreneurs in private and public limited companies within other service activities. A total of 50.8 per cent of these entrepreneurs were women in 2008. The preliminary figures for 2009 indicate that female entrepreneurs were in the minority within all the economic activities. Of the large economic activities, construction is the one that is most dominated by men. According to the preliminary figures for 2009, almost 91 per cent of the entrepreneurs in this economic activity are men.

Young and well educated entrepreneurs

Approximately 39 per cent of the entrepreneurs of personally owned enterprises in 2009 and private and public limited companies in 2008 have higher education. Correspondingly, 27 per cent of the population over age 16 as a whole have tertiary education¹.

A total of 76.6 per cent of the entrepreneurs of personally owned enterprises in 2009 were under 45 years of age. The average age was 36. The entrepreneurs of private and public limited companies in 2008 were slightly older. Fifty-eight per cent of these were under 45 years of age and the average age was 43.

More immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents among the entrepreneurs

From 2002 to 2009, the share of immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents among the entrepreneurs has increased from 11 to 17 per cent. Within accommodation and food service activities, the immigrants are in the majority. Over half of the 683 entrepreneurs in this economic activity in 2009 had other than Norwegian national background. Another economic activity with a large share of immigrants is transportation and storage. One third of these entrepreneurs were immigrants or Norwegian-born to immigrant parents.

Most of these immigrants had national backgrounds from Asia, Africa, Latin America, Oceania except Australia and New Zealand, and Europe except EU/EEA.

Differences in the degree of survival

There are relatively small differences in the degree of survival of enterprises established by women and men respectively. One out of four personally owned enterprises established by men in 2003 had survived five years later. Correspondingly, one out of five enterprises established by women had survived the same period.

The degree of survival levels out with regard to private and public limited companies. Sixty per cent of the enterprises established by woman in 2004 survived to 2008. The equivalent degree of survival among enterprises established by men was 62 per cent.

Fifty-four per cent of the private and public limited companies, which had only male entrepreneurs and survived the four-year period, had growth in employment. Eighty-four per cent had growth in turnover. Correspondingly, 68 per cent of the companies with only female entrepreneurs had growth in employment. A total of 81 per cent had growth in turnover in this period.

1 People with unknown or no completed education are not included

Tables:

• Table 1 Personal owned enterprise by organizational structure and gender, new established enterprises 2009
• Table 2 Personal owned enterprises by economic activity and gender. New established enterprises 2009.
• Table 3 Personal owned enterprises by education and gender. New established enterprises 2009.
• Table 4 Sole proprietorships by economic activity and national background, new established enterprises 2009
• Table 5 Entrepreneurs that are enterprises in new established enterprises 2008 and 2009, by economic activity of the entrepreneur
• Table 6 Entrepreneurs that are enterprises in new established enterprises 2008 and 2009, by the organizational structure of the entrepreneur
• Table 7 Entrepreneurs that are enterprises in new established enterprises 2008 and 2009, by number of employees of the entrepreneur
• Table 8 Entrepreneurs that are persons in new established enterprises 2008 and 2009, by type of enterprise, gender and age of the entrepreneur
• Table 9 Entrepreneurs that are persons in new established enterprises 2008 and 2009, by economic activity of the new established enterprise and sex of the entrepreneur
• Table 10 Owners in newly established personal owned enterprises in 2003, by survival of enterprise in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, and the owners gender, age, national background and level of education
• Table 11 Entrepreneurs in newly established limited companies in 2004, by survival of the enterprise in 2005, 2006 and 2007, and the gender, age, national background and level of education of the entrepreneur
• Table 12 Newly established enterprises in 2003 by survival in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, and the owners gender
• Table 13 Newly established enterprises in 2004 by survival in 2005, 2006 2007 and 2008, and the owners gender
• Table 14 Newly established enterprises in 2003 survived in 2008 by growth in employment and turnover, and the owners gender
• Table 15 Newly established limited companies in 2004 survived in 2008 by year growth in employment and turnover, and the owners gender
• Table 16 Owners in newly established personal owned enterprises 2003 survived in 2008 by growth in employment and turnover of enterprise, and the owners gender, age, national background, and level of education
• Table 17 Entrepreneurs in newly established limited companies in 2004 with activity in 2008 by growth in employment and turnover of enterprise, and the entrepreneurs gender, age and level of education