Curral, LuisSantos, Susana CorreiaCaetano, António2014-05-122014-05-122013Curral, L., Santos, S. C., & Caetano, A. (2013). Theoretical foundations on the entrepreneurial potential. Amity Business Journal, 2(1), 1-11.2278-0904http://hdl.handle.net/10451/11008In this paper we present a theoretical model of entrepreneurial potential. First, we highlight the relevance of individual factors on the entrepreneurship process as they are possible to control and monitor by the entrepreneur. Next, we revise the literature on the main characteristics of entrepreneurs, which are on the basis of the entrepreneurial potential model. Based on the literature, we then suggest that entrepreneurial potential includes four main dimensions entrepreneurial motivations, psychological competencies, social competencies, and management competencies. These major competences, in turn, are constituted by eleven specific competences: desire for independence, economic motivation, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, vision, resource mobilization capacity, leadership capacity, innovation capacity, emotional intelligence, resilience, communication and persuasion capacity, and network development capacity. Finally, we discuss the importance of assessing entrepreneurial potential at universities and entrepreneurship centres.engEntrepreneurshipEntrepreneurial potentialjournal article