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Do entrepreneurs really learn? Or do they just tell us that they do?

Author

Listed:
  • Julian S. Frankish
  • Richard G. Roberts
  • Alex Coad
  • Taylor C. Spears
  • David J. Storey

Abstract

This article examines the theory and evidence in support of entrepreneurial learning (EL), measured in terms of whether individuals have previously owned a business, and time since start-up. Under this theory, entrepreneurial performance is argued to be enhanced by EL which itself is enhanced by business experience. However, if business performance is strongly influenced by chance then evidence of EL will be difficult to identify. We test for EL using a large scale data set comprising 6671 new firms. We choose business survival over 3 years as our performance measure and then formulate three tests for EL. None of the three tests provide compelling evidence in support of EL. Copyright 2013 The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Associazione ICC. All rights reserved., Oxford University Press.

Suggested Citation

  • Julian S. Frankish & Richard G. Roberts & Alex Coad & Taylor C. Spears & David J. Storey, 2013. "Do entrepreneurs really learn? Or do they just tell us that they do?," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 22(1), pages 73-106, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:indcch:v:22:y:2013:i:1:p:73-106
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/icc/dts016
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    Cited by:

    1. Coad, Alex & Frankish, Julian S. & Roberts, Richard G. & Storey, David J, 2015. "Are firm growth paths random? A reply to “Firm growth and the illusion of randomness”," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 3(C), pages 5-8.
    2. Jean Bonnet & Sylvie Cieply & Marcus Dejardin, 2016. "Credit rationing or overlending? An exploration into financing imperfection," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(57), pages 5563-5580, December.
    3. Martin Binder, 2017. "Entrepreneurial Success and Subjective Well-Being: Worries about the Business Explain One's Well-Being Loss from Self-Employment," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 947, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    4. Francesco Quatraro & Marco Vivarelli, 2015. "Drivers of Entrepreneurship and Post-entry Performance of Newborn Firms in Developing Countries," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 30(2), pages 277-305.
    5. Faisal Buyinza & Anthony Tibaingana & John Mutenyo, 2018. "Factors Affecting Access to Formal Credit by Micro and Small Enterprises in Uganda," ICAE Working Papers 83, Johannes Kepler University, Institute for Comprehensive Analysis of the Economy.
    6. Alex Coad, 2018. "Firm age: a survey," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 28(1), pages 13-43, January.
    7. Josh Siepel & Marcus Dejardin, 2020. "How do we measure firm performance? A review of issues facing entrepreneurship researchers," Working Papers halshs-02571478, HAL.
    8. Binder, Martin & Blankenberg, Ann-Kathrin, 2021. "Self-employment and Subjective Well-Being," GLO Discussion Paper Series 744, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    9. Elaine Laing & André Stel & David J. Storey, 2022. "Formal and informal entrepreneurship: a cross-country policy perspective," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 59(3), pages 807-826, October.
    10. Alex Coad & David J Storey & Richard G Roberts & Julian S Frankish, 2013. "New venture survival and growth: does the fog lift?," Working Papers 2013/36, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).
    11. Yoshiyuki ARATA & Daisuke MIYAKAWA & Katsuki MORI, 2023. "The U-shaped Law of High-growth Firms," Discussion papers 23087, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    12. Massimo Baù & Philipp Sieger & Kimberly A. Eddleston & Francesco Chirico, 2017. "Fail but Try Again? The Effects of Age, Gender, and Multiple–Owner Experience on Failed Entrepreneurs’ Reentry," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 41(6), pages 909-941, November.
    13. Sandra Gottschalk & Francis J. Greene & Bettina Müller, 2017. "The impact of habitual entrepreneurial experience on new firm closure outcomes," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 48(2), pages 303-321, February.
    14. Alex Coad & David J Storey & Richard G Roberts & Julian S Frankish, 2013. "New venture survival and growth: does the fog lift?," Working Papers 2013/36, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).
    15. Faisal Buyinza & John Mutenyo & Anthony Tibaingana, 2018. "Factors Affecting Access to Formal Credit by Micro and Small Enterprises in Uganda," Athens Journal of Business & Economics, Athens Institute for Education and Research (ATINER), vol. 4(4), pages 405-424, October.
    16. Quatraro, Francesco & Vivarelli, Marco, 2013. "Entrepreneurship In A Developing Country Context," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis LEI & BRICK - Laboratory of Economics of Innovation "Franco Momigliano", Bureau of Research in Innovation, Complexity and Knowledge, Collegio 201314, University of Turin.
    17. Schneck, Stefan & Werner, Arndt & Wolter, Hans-Jürgen, 2021. "A replication study on growth paths of young firms: Evidence from German administrative data," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 16(C).
    18. Erik Lundmark & Alex Coad & Julian S. Frankish & David J. Storey, 2020. "The Liability of Volatility and How it Changes Over Time Among New Ventures," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 44(5), pages 933-963, September.
    19. Yasuhiro Yamakawa & Melissa Cardon, 2015. "Causal ascriptions and perceived learning from entrepreneurial failure," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 44(4), pages 797-820, April.
    20. Francesco Quatraro & Marco Vivarelli, 2013. "Entry and Post-Entry Dynamics in Developing Countries," GREDEG Working Papers 2013-20, Groupe de REcherche en Droit, Economie, Gestion (GREDEG CNRS), Université Côte d'Azur, France.
    21. Alex Coad & Julian Frankish & Paul Nightingale & Richard Roberts, 2014. "Business experience and start-up size: Buying more lottery tickets next time around?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 43(3), pages 529-547, October.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis

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