3. Examination of the Effects of the Personality Traits and Risk Taking Factors of Entrepreneurs in TDZs on Innovation

A lot of studies have been done, and continue to be done, on the processes and challenges that entrepreneurs confront while founding new businesses and innovation. However, it is seen that the researches mostly focus on the financial difficulties that entrepreneurs encounter, while social issues are either ignored or overlooked. Although it has not been adequately addressed or studied in the literature, social difficulties and social risk taking behavior are regarded to be as essential as financial difficulties and financial risk taking behavior. This research project examines the financial and social risk taking behaviors of entrepreneurs in the innovation process, along with their personality traits. The research used qualitative methods. Within the scope of the research, 20 interviews were conducted. The interviews were deciphered and coded. As a result, it has been discovered that openness to experience, openness to innovation, and extroversion are prominent in the personalities of entrepreneurs, and these characteristics affect both social risk taking and innovation. Based on qualitative findings, it is stated that social risk taking plays a significant role in entrepreneurial processes and affects innovation.