IMPACT OF MOTIVATION AND PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS ON BUMIPUTERAS’ ENTREPRENEURIAL PERSISTENCE IN MALAYSIA

The Malaysian government has been providing support to boost Bumiputra entrepreneurship development; however, the growth achieved by the Bumiputras is not on the same pace with the economic advancement. The Bumiputra entrepreneurs struggle with challenges that caused their failure in the early years of their operations. Hence, this study examines the impact of motivation and personality characteristics on Bumiputeras’ entrepreneurial persistence. The findings indicate that Bumiputras are energized by the need of achievement motivation in striving to overcome challenges and remain competitive with other races in the business environment. Equally, they indicate that Bumiputras exhibit a positive outlook to life and are open to new and innovative ways to thrive in business as compared to the previous generation.