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Entrepreneurs, legal institutions and firm dynamics

Author

Listed:
  • Neus Herranz

    (University of Illinois)

  • Stefan Krasa

    (University of Illinois)

  • Anne P. Villamil

    (University of Iowa)

Abstract

This paper assesses the impact of legal institutions on firm dynamics in a model where entrepreneurs have heterogeneous risk aversion, credit constraints and may default. Entrepreneurs choose firm size, capital structure, consumption, default and whether to incorporate. We find that less risk-averse entrepreneurs tend to incorporate while more risk-averse entrepreneurs do not; this occurs because leaving some personal assets exposed by not incorporating allows more risk-averse borrowers to credibly commit to lower default rates. We show that incorporation is determined by two effects: the standard effect that bankruptcy insures low firm returns and a new “scale effect”—more risk-averse entrepreneurs run smaller firms and default more often. The more risk-averse choose to leave some personal assets unshielded in bankruptcy due to a commitment problem that dominates the value of insurance. The less risk-averse run larger firms, default less and incorporate.

Suggested Citation

  • Neus Herranz & Stefan Krasa & Anne P. Villamil, 2017. "Entrepreneurs, legal institutions and firm dynamics," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 63(1), pages 263-285, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joecth:v:63:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1007_s00199-016-1026-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s00199-016-1026-8
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    Cited by:

    1. Hui Chen & Jianjun Miao & Neng Wang, 2010. "Entrepreneurial Finance and Nondiversifiable Risk," Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 23(12), pages 4348-4388, December.
    2. Chong Kyoon Lee & Johan Wiklund & Alejandro Amezcua & Tae Jun Bae & Almantas Palubinskas, 2022. "Business failure and institutions in entrepreneurship: a systematic review and research agenda," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(4), pages 1997-2023, April.
    3. Shi, Huihong & Mu, Congming & Yang, Jinqiang & Huang, Wenli, 2021. "A Sino-US comparative analysis of the hi-tech entrepreneurial model," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 953-966.
    4. Ye (George) Jia, 2015. "The impact of personal bankruptcy law on entrepreneurship," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 48(2), pages 464-493, May.
    5. Nelson Souza-Sobrinho, 2010. "Macroeconomics of bank interest spreads: evidence from Brazil," Annals of Finance, Springer, vol. 6(1), pages 1-32, January.
    6. Fossen, Frank M., 2019. "Entrepreneurship over the Business Cycle in the United States: A Decomposition," IZA Discussion Papers 12499, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Ege Can, 2022. "Income taxation, entrepreneurship, and incorporation status of self-employment," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 29(5), pages 1260-1293, October.
    8. Andrew Glover, 2010. "Bankruptcy, Incorporation, and the Nature of Entrepreneurial Risk," 2010 Meeting Papers 1010, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    9. Wang, Chong & Wang, Neng & Yang, Jinqiang, 2012. "A unified model of entrepreneurship dynamics," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(1), pages 1-23.
    10. Frank M. Fossen, 2021. "Self-employment over the business cycle in the USA: a decomposition," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 1837-1855, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Entrepreneur; Legal environment; Incorporated; Unincorporated; Endogenous default; Bankruptcy; Commitment; Insurance; Firm size; Risk aversion; Heterogeneity; Credit constraints; Capital structure; Debt;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D92 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Intertemporal Firm Choice, Investment, Capacity, and Financing
    • E01 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General - - - Measurement and Data on National Income and Product Accounts and Wealth; Environmental Accounts
    • G33 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Bankruptcy; Liquidation
    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship

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