Historical Perspectives on the Entrepreneur preserves a vital historical perspective by chronologically tracing the entrepreneur in the economic literature to give a complete perspective to contemporary writings and teachings on entrepreneurship. It reviews the historical nature and role of the entrepreneur as described and analyzed in economic literature from the eighteenth century to the present.

The book shows how Joseph Schumpeter changed the ambiguous nature of a concept of the entrepreneur to that which now occupies a primary role in the theory of economic development. It also examines other conceptions of entrepreneurship besides Schumpeter's including the many different facets of entrepreneurship as they have been perceived by some of the great economists throughout the ages. Finally, it illustrates the tension that often exists between ""theory"" and ""practice"".

This book should be required reading for all students of economics and those interested in entrepreneurship practice.