Suchergebnisse

Sociodemographic background and cultural and political orientations as represented by a survey in Estonia, Sept. 1990.

The goal of the study was to assess entrepreneurial identity focusing on the beliefs and values such as individualism, risk-taking, innovativeness, opportunity recognition and tolerance. Methods: An Identity Structure Analysis (ISA) (Weinreich, 2003/2012) was applied as a meta-theoretical framework to conceptualize entrepreneurial identity and identification patterns among students with the image of an entrepreneur. A Bayesian dependency-modelling (Myllymäki et al, 2002) was applied to validate the cohesiveness of the research instrument. Results: This empirical study, carried out among the students of Tallinn University of Technology (n=45), shows similarities on shared dimensions across groups with varying entrepreneurial experience and differences on specific identity processes, particular to each group. These findings are evidenced when using 'significant others' as 'a successful entrepreneur' , 'co-students', 'business circles', 'the government', 'family members' and 'ethno-cultural groupings' as reference points within one's identity structure. The results also demonstrate that dominant and increasing role of identifications with 'father' significantly contributes to one's personal entrepreneurial development while simultaneous distancing from 'co-students' seems inevitable. At the same time, those who are tightly bound with their peers in their identifications are less likely to become successful entrepreneurs and their positive identifications with all family members have decreased continuously during their life span. Those who are and aspire to become entrepreneurs have much higher overall self-evaluation and tolerance, individualism and innovativeness form their core identity dimensions when compared to those who are less entrepreneurial and reveal collectivistic values. The results are consistent with earlier studies (MacNabb 2003/2012; Nabi et al 2010) and the application of ISA together with its methodological possibilities has been justified despite the small number participants. In the future, ...

As is generally known, the contemporary demographic situation in Estonia is fundamentally different from that of the prewar period. The autochthonous minorities who lived in the prewar Estonian Republic—Germans, Jews, Swedes, Finns, but also native Russians (living in the northern and southern areas of the Peipsi lake)—were lost after World War II together with a change of Estonia's eastern border by Soviet authorities in 1945. This left Estonia a very homogeneous country where Estonians formed some 97% of the population and where the entire population was made up of Estonian-speakers.

Analyzes ethnic relations between Estonians and Russians, and shifts in ethnic and national identity following the break-up of the Soviet Union. Territory, language, citizenship, and minority protection issues.

The impact of ethnic relations on the democratization process in Estonia is examined. Population changes during Estonia's Soviet period resulted in a rapid increase in non-Estonian population & increasing ethnic diversity. Native Estonians often viewed these new arrivals as colonizers or immigrant workers, while the new arrivals viewed themselves as merely migrants from another region of the nation. Over the past five decades, the definition of ethnic minority in Estonia has become blurred & carries the potential to impede the country's democratization process. Russians are the biggest ethnic minority group in Estonia today, but only 40% of these view themselves as an Estonia ethnic minority & many, particularly in those regions where Russians are a local majority, have strong feelings of Russian nationalism. The social integration of Russians & the possibility of achieving a democratic balance between Estonians & non-Estonians are discussed. 9 Tables, 1 Appendix. D. Generoli

National processes in Estonia from 1940 to the present are the result of policies that diminish the viability of a nation. Ethnic consolidation has been violated by immigration to Estonia so massive that it could make Estonians a minority in their native land; also, the repressive effects of total bilingualism have threatened the Estonian language. Public opinion polls on interethnic relations in Estonia conducted in 1986 & 1988 show increasingly pessimistic attitudes among Estonians, but also less optimistic attitudes of Russians & other nationalities. It is suggested that national processes be analyzed on the level of national policies, & interethnic relations as individual attitudes. 1 Table, 2 References. A. Devic