IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jjrfmx/v15y2022i4p183-d794531.html

Business Closures and (Re)Openings in Real-Time Using Google Places: Proof of Concept

Author

Listed:
  • Daniel E. Rigobon

    (Operations Research & Financial Engineering (ORFE), Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA)

  • Thibaut Duprey

    (Bank of Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G9, Canada)

  • Artur Kotlicki

    (Bank of England, London EC2R 8AH, UK)

  • Philip Schnattinger

    (Bank of England, London EC2R 8AH, UK)

  • Soheil Baharian

    (Bank of Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G9, Canada)

  • Thomas R. Hurd

    (Department of Mathematics and Statistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada)

Abstract

We present a new estimation of business opening and closure rates using data from Google Places—the data set behind the Google Maps service. Our algorithm, through a bisection routine, counts the appearance and disappearance of “pins” that represent unique businesses. As a proof of concept, we compute business opening and closure rates for the city of Ottawa during the reopening phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-2021. The lifting of restrictions coincides with a wave of re-entry of temporarily closed businesses, suggesting that government support may have facilitated the survival of hibernating businesses. Our entry estimates are validated by a survey of new businesses. This methodology allows policymakers to monitor business dynamics in quasi-real-time during rapidly unfolding crises.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel E. Rigobon & Thibaut Duprey & Artur Kotlicki & Philip Schnattinger & Soheil Baharian & Thomas R. Hurd, 2022. "Business Closures and (Re)Openings in Real-Time Using Google Places: Proof of Concept," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-10, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jjrfmx:v:15:y:2022:i:4:p:183-:d:794531
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1911-8074/15/4/183/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1911-8074/15/4/183/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Saleem Bahaj & Sophie Piton & Anthony Savagar, 2024. "Business creation during COVID-19," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 39(119), pages 611-648.
    2. David Neumark & Ian Burn & Patrick Button, 2016. "Experimental Age Discrimination Evidence and the Heckman Critique," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(5), pages 303-308, May.
    3. Bilbiie, Florin & Melitz, Marc J, 2020. "Aggregate-Demand Amplification of Supply Disruptions: The Entry-Exit Multiplier," CEPR Discussion Papers 15583, Centre for Economic Policy Research.
    4. Nicolas Woloszko, 2020. "Tracking activity in real time with Google Trends," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 1634, OECD Publishing.
    5. Hamano, Masashige & Zanetti, Francesco, 2022. "Monetary policy, firm heterogeneity, and product variety," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    6. Giovanni Favara & Camelia Minoiu & Ander Pérez-Orive, 2021. "U.S. Zombie Firms: How Many and How Consequential?," FEDS Notes 2021-07-30-2, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    7. Beck, Thorsten & Degryse, Hans & De Haas, Ralph & van Horen, Neeltje, 2018. "When arm's length is too far: Relationship banking over the credit cycle," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(1), pages 174-196.
    8. Horvath, Akos & Lang, Peter, 2021. "Do loan subsidies boost the real activity of small firms?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    9. Bańkowska, Katarzyna & Ferrando, Annalisa & García, Juan Angel, 2020. "Access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises after the financial crisis: evidence from survey data," Economic Bulletin Articles, European Central Bank, vol. 4.
    10. André Kurmann & Etienne Lalé & Lien Ta, 2021. "The Impact of COVID-19 on Small Business Dynamics and Employment: Real-time Estimates With Homebase Data," School of Economics Working Paper Series 2021-15, LeBow College of Business, Drexel University.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Kurmann, André & Lalé, Etienne & Ta, Lien, 2025. "Measuring small business dynamics and employment with private-sector real-time data," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    2. Robert Fairlie & Frank M. Fossen & Reid Johnsen & Gentian Droboniku, 2023. "Were small businesses more likely to permanently close in the pandemic?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 60(4), pages 1613-1629, April.
    3. Thibaut Duprey & Artur Kotlicki & Daniel E. Rigobon & Philip Schnattinger, 2024. "Bouncing Back: How Mothballing Curbs Prices," Staff Working Papers 24-51, Bank of Canada.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Horvath, Akos & Lang, Peter, 2021. "Do loan subsidies boost the real activity of small firms?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    2. Alessandro Di Nola & Leo Kaas & Haomin Wang, 2023. "Rescue policies for small businesses in the Covid-19 recession," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 51, pages 579-603, December.
    3. Ascari, Guido & Colciago, Andrea & Silvestrini, Riccardo, 2023. "Business dynamism, sectoral reallocation and productivity in a pandemic," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    4. Hamano, Masashige & Zanetti, Francesco, 2022. "Monetary policy, firm heterogeneity, and product variety," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    5. Deng, Weiguang & Li, Dayang & Zhou, Dong, 2019. "Beauty and Job Accessibility: New Evidence from a Field Experiment," GLO Discussion Paper Series 369, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    6. Masashige Hamano & Francesco Pappadà, 2023. "Exchange Rate Policy and Firm Heterogeneity," IMF Economic Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Monetary Fund, vol. 71(3), pages 759-790, September.
    7. Song Zhang & Liang Han & Konstantinos Kallias & Antonios Kallias, 2021. "The value of in-person banking: evidence from U.S. small businesses," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 1393-1435, November.
    8. Graham, James & Ozbilgin, Murat, 2021. "Age, industry, and unemployment risk during a pandemic lockdown," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    9. Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln & Dirk Krueger & André Kurmann & Etienne Lalé & Alexander Ludwig & Irina Popova, 2023. "The Fiscal and Welfare Effects of Policy Responses to the Covid-19 School Closures," IMF Economic Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Monetary Fund, vol. 71(1), pages 35-98, March.
    10. William L. Gamber, 2026. "Firm Dynamics, Inflation, and the Transmission of Monetary Policy," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2026-003, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    11. Hakan Yilmazkuday, 2025. "Artificial intelligence and labor markets: evidence from google trends," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 49(4), pages 1078-1093, December.
    12. Shusen Qi & Steven Ongena & Hua Cheng, 2022. "Working with women, do men get all the credit?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 59(4), pages 1427-1447, December.
    13. Laeven, Luc & Popov, Alexander, 2023. "Carbon taxes and the geography of fossil lending," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    14. Annamaria Crescenzio & Etienne Lepers, 2025. "Extreme Capital Flow Episodes From the Global Financial Crisis to COVID-19: An Exploration With Monthly Data," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 36(1), pages 105-136, February.
    15. Morais, Bernardo & Ormazabal, Gaizka & Peydro, J.L. & Roa, Monica & Sarmiento Paipilla, Miguel, 2020. "Forward Looking Loan Provisions : Credit Supply and Risk-Taking," Other publications TiSEM fe99a48f-f94a-41d8-bf3f-3, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    16. Berger, Allen N. & Molyneux, Phil & Wilson, John O.S., 2020. "Banks and the real economy: An assessment of the research," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    17. Laeven, Luc & McAdam, Peter & Popov, Alexander, 2023. "Credit shocks, employment protection, and growth:firm-level evidence from spain," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    18. Alejandra Bellatin & Gabriela Galassi, 2022. "What COVID-19 May Leave Behind: Technology-Related Job Postings in Canada," Staff Working Papers 22-17, Bank of Canada.
    19. Diana Bonfim & Geraldo Cerqueiro & Hans Degryse & Steven Ongena, 2023. "On-Site Inspecting Zombie Lending," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 69(5), pages 2547-2567, May.
    20. Henry S. Farber & Chris M. Herbst & Dan Silverman & Till von Wachter, 2018. "Whom Do Employers Want? The Role of Recent Employment and Unemployment Status and Age," Working Papers 619, Princeton University, Department of Economics, Industrial Relations Section..

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jjrfmx:v:15:y:2022:i:4:p:183-:d:794531. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.