Research into traits that favor entrepreneurial success goes back to the 1920s. In the 1960s, the "traits" approach was pursued in the USA in particular - with the aim of making it easier for venture capital investors to assess companies' prospects of success. The work of psychologists, social scientists and economists resulted in different catalogs of criteria - which, however, agreed on many points. These were used as the basis for the development of EDD.

Characteristics - or "personality traits" - are to be understood as behavioral or experiential traits that manifest themselves constantly over time and in different situations. They emerge in the course of personal development as a result of the interaction of genetic and environmental factors.

In combination with other influencing factors such as education, industry experience, ... as well as the specific environmental situation, these become effective and can be considered relevant for success.