Mapping entrepreneurial activity and entrepreneurial attitudes in European regions

There is increasing attention on the attitudes towards entrepreneurship as an important predictor of entrepreneurial activity. So far, the focus has mainly been on the individual or national levels. This paper describes, based on the existing literature, the link between the entrepreneurial attitudes and entrepreneurial activity at the regional level. We explore both the entrepreneurial attitudes and activity using data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor over the period from 2001–2006. We provide newly constructed and harmonised regional indices on entrepreneurial attitudes and entrepreneurial activity across 18 European countries. By mapping these indices, patterns emerge on different spatial levels. We observe a positive link between entrepreneurial attitudes and entrepreneurial activity, but argue that this relationship is not clear-cut, in particular, when linking to economic development. Regional and national forces – in terms of population density, national institutions and the differences in cultures – matter in determining how the link between entrepreneurial attitudes and entrepreneurial activity is established.