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The Treatment Effect of Business Education on the Supply of High School Entrepreneurs in Atlanta and New Orleans

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  • Gregory N. Price
  • Chris W. Surprenant

Abstract

Strengthening the pathway to entrepreneurship for high school students could be important in regions of the United States where economic mobility is low. We examine the impact of high school business education on the decision to be a self-employed entrepreneur in two southeastern urban U.S. high schools. We appeal to a potential-outcomes framework to estimate the treatment effect of having taken a business and coding/programming course in high school on actually being a self-employed entrepreneur, and planning to do so in the future. We find evidence that having taken a business course in high school increases the likelihood of actually being a self-employed entrepreneur, and on planning to be one in the future. Our results suggest that, at least in Atlanta and New Orleans, urban high school business education can be effective in increasing the supply of entrepreneurs, which could improve economic mobility in these urban regions. JEL Classification : C14, C21, E10, I26, J01, J20, J40, M13

Suggested Citation

  • Gregory N. Price & Chris W. Surprenant, 2022. "The Treatment Effect of Business Education on the Supply of High School Entrepreneurs in Atlanta and New Orleans," The American Economist, Sage Publications, vol. 67(1), pages 85-98, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:amerec:v:67:y:2022:i:1:p:85-98
    DOI: 10.1177/05694345211016310
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    supply of entrepreneurs; high school business education; treatment effects;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General
    • C21 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models
    • E10 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models - - - General
    • I26 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Returns to Education
    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General
    • J20 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - General
    • J40 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - General
    • M13 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - New Firms; Startups

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