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Wealth Distribution and Self-Employment in a Developing Economy

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  • Ravallion, Martin
  • Mesnard, Alice

Abstract

The extent of entrepreneurial activity in an economy with poorly developed capital markets depends on the distribution of wealth, though in potentially complex ways. A non-parametric model of the wealth effect on self-employment is estimated using micro data on the occupational choices of return migrants in Tunisia. Controls for heterogeneity are included, and tests are made for selection bias and separability between wealth and the controls. There is no sign of increasing returns at low wealth, suggesting generally low start-up costs in this setting. The aggregate self-employment rate is an increasing function of aggregate wealth, but a decreasing function of wealth inequality, though even substantial redistributions of wealth would have only a small impact.

Suggested Citation

  • Ravallion, Martin & Mesnard, Alice, 2001. "Wealth Distribution and Self-Employment in a Developing Economy," CEPR Discussion Papers 3026, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
  • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:3026
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Docquier, Frederic & Rapoport, Hillel, 2004. "Skilled migration: the perspective of developing countries," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3382, The World Bank.
    2. João Pedro W. de Azevedo, 2004. "Entrepreneurship And Liquidity Constraints In Deprived Areas: Evidence From The Slums Of Rio De Janeiro," Anais do XXXII Encontro Nacional de Economia [Proceedings of the 32nd Brazilian Economics Meeting] 135, ANPEC - Associação Nacional dos Centros de Pós-Graduação em Economia [Brazilian Association of Graduate Programs in Economics].
    3. Ana I. Moreno-Monroy & Shu Yu & Victoria Euse, 2016. "Urban Employment in Small Businesses and the Level of Economic Development: Evidence from Chinese Cities," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(1), pages 53-71, March.
    4. I-Ling Shen & Frédéric Docquier & Hillel Rapoport, 2010. "Remittances and inequality: a dynamic migration model," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 8(2), pages 197-220, June.
    5. Docquier,Frederic & Marfouk,Abdeslam, 2004. "Measuring the international mobility of skilled workers (1990-2000) : release 1.0," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3381, The World Bank.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Borrowing constraints; Wealth inequality; Self-employment; Migration;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • M13 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - New Firms; Startups

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