THE ENTREPRENEURIAL ROLE IN THE 19th CENTURY IN CROATIA: POSSIBILITIES OF USING LITERARY NARRATIVE

The purpose of this paper is to examine the possibilities of narrative fi ction use in understanding the entrepreneurial role in Croatia in the second half of the 19th century. We fi nd the theoretical foundations in integrated theory of entrepreneurship, institutional theory and literary theory. On the basis of available scienti fi c works of Croatian authors we detect the main attributes of entrepreneurs and the basic characteristics of entrepreneurship in the period of emergence of modern bourgeois society and market economy in Croatia. As a complementary tool in analysis of entrepreneurial role we use literary narrative, the novel Melita written by Croatian writer Josip Eugen Tomić. By using explication and explanation we make analysis and interpretation of the role of Croatian institutional entrepreneur as a driver of changes in economy and society. Text analysis indicates the lack of entrepreneurial capacity but also a certain progress despite the lack of entrepreneurial and financial capital which corresponds with the findings of Croatian historians.