Entrepreneurs, founders & business owners

This publication addresses the question of whether and to what extent it is possible and necessary to distinguish between the terms founder, entrepreneur and businessperson, which are used differently in literature and in common parlance. The terms are defined and personal analyses are carried out with regard to personality traits and typologies, as well as conceptual analyses with regard to functions and tasks. The analyses conclude that it is indeed possible and necessary to distinguish between the terms entrepreneur and businessperson. However, as this has not yet been standardised in literature, business and politics, this paper concludes with the recommendation to work towards a uniform and clearly distinguishable use of the terms in theory and practice in order to prevent any misunderstandings.