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Do small businesses create more jobs? New evidence for Europe

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  • Gerrit Wit
  • Jan Kok

Abstract

In this paper, we argue why, in our view, the so-called dynamic classification method should be favored when determining the contribution of small businesses towards job creation. First, it is the only method that consistently attributes job creation or loss to the size class in which it actually occurs. In addition, dynamic classification has two other advantages: (1) it is not vulnerable to the so-called regression to the mean bias, and (2) only a small number of aggregated data are required for its application. Using the dynamic classification, we analyze job creation within the different size classes for the 27 Member States of the European Union. Our main findings are as follows. For the EU as a whole, smaller firms contribute on a larger scale towards job creation than do larger firms. Net job creation rates decrease with each firm size class. This pattern occurs in most industries, however, not in all; the manufacturing industry and trade industry show different patterns. At the level of individual countries, the net job creation rate also tends to decrease with each firm size class. However, this relationship is not perfect. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014

Suggested Citation

  • Gerrit Wit & Jan Kok, 2014. "Do small businesses create more jobs? New evidence for Europe," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 42(2), pages 283-295, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:sbusec:v:42:y:2014:i:2:p:283-295
    DOI: 10.1007/s11187-013-9480-1
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    1. Broersma, Lourens & Gautier, Pieter, 1997. "Job Creation and Job Destruction by Small Firms: An Empirical Investigation for the Dutch Manufacturing Sector," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 9(3), pages 211-224, June.
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    5. Davidsson, Per & Lindmark, Leif & Olofsson, Christer, 1998. "The Extent of Overestimation of Small Firm Job Creation--An Empirical Examination of the Regression Bias," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 11(1), pages 87-100, August.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Employment growth by size class; Employment creation; Firm employment decisions; E24; M51; L25; L26;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • M51 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Firm Employment Decisions; Promotions
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship

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