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Regional characteristics, opportunity perception and entrepreneurial activities

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  • Michael Stuetzer
  • Martin Obschonka
  • Udo Brixy
  • Rolf Sternberg
  • Uwe Cantner

Abstract

This article seeks to better understand the link between regional characteristics and individual entrepreneurship. We combine individual-level Global Entrepreneurship Monitor data for Western Germany with regional-level data, using multilevel analysis to test our hypotheses. We find no direct link between regional knowledge creation, the economic context and an entrepreneurial culture on the one side and individual business start-up intentions and start-up activity on the other side. However, our findings point to the importance of an indirect effect of regional characteristics as knowledge creation, the economic context and an entrepreneurial culture have an effect on the individual perception of founding opportunities, which in turn predicted start-up intentions and activity. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Stuetzer & Martin Obschonka & Udo Brixy & Rolf Sternberg & Uwe Cantner, 2014. "Regional characteristics, opportunity perception and entrepreneurial activities," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 42(2), pages 221-244, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:sbusec:v:42:y:2014:i:2:p:221-244
    DOI: 10.1007/s11187-013-9488-6
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Regional entrepreneurship; Nascent entrepreneurship; Opportunity perception; Creative class; Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM);
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • M13 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - New Firms; Startups

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