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Many farm households rely on income from multiple sources, a phenomenon known as pluriactivity. The present survey investigates whether this is a deliberate strategy rather than a situation forced upon the farm household by external conditions. This study explores the relationship between four income diversification strategies reported by farmers and household income. Data from a representative random sample of 901 Norwegian farm households is analysed using multiple regression. External employment and holding additional non-farm-related businesses is significantly positively related to household income. This shows that diversification into other economic sectors has a positive effect on income. Moreover, diversification within the farm sector has no effect on household income. The findings imply that future policy should consider pluriactivity as a deliberate strategy contributing to farm family wealth.

PROFESSOR LARS KOLVEREID IS WITH the Bodo Graduate School of Business, Bodo, Norway, and Krzysztof Obloj is with the School of Management, University of Warsaw, Poland. The main aim of this research was to investigate similarities and differences between entrepreneurs and their businesses in an emerging market economy represented by Poland, and in mature, developed economies, portrayed by Great Britain and Norway. Because Polish entrepreneurs are new entrants in the developing market economy, the authors did not have a body of theories, or models or even empirical research that could be used to develop hypotheses or research questions. Therefore, the study is primarily of an exploratory character and focused on four questions: 1) How supportive and resourceful are the environments of entrepreneurs in these countries; 2) To what extent are policy and support services available to new businesses; 3) What are the reasons leading to new firm formation; 4) What attitudes to entrepreneurship do the owners of new ventures have? The results indicate that Polish entrepreneurs, in spite of different backgrounds and starting conditions, are surprisingly similar to those in developed countries, face similar problems and resource constraints.