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Entrepreneurship, Broadband, and Gender: Evidence from Establishment Births in Rural America

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  • Tessa Conroy
  • Sarah A. Low

Abstract

Broadband access may have important implications for establishment births in rural areas, which feature thinner markets. Broadband may be especially important for rural nonemployer businesses, particularly those without a storefront, for access to nontraditional market channels. As women are more likely to run these types of small businesses, we further expect that broadband may have important implications for women-led businesses. With an effective instrumental variable approach, we find evidence that broadband access is a key factor leading to a higher establishment birth rate across business size and gender in rural areas. This paper identifies the largest effects on nonemployer, women-led and remote rural establishments.

Suggested Citation

  • Tessa Conroy & Sarah A. Low, 2022. "Entrepreneurship, Broadband, and Gender: Evidence from Establishment Births in Rural America," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 45(1), pages 3-35, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:inrsre:v:45:y:2022:i:1:p:3-35
    DOI: 10.1177/01600176211018749
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    Cited by:

    1. Anil Rupasingha & John Pender & Ryan Williams & Joshua Goldstein & Devika Nair, 2023. "Place‐based subsidies and employment growth in rural America: Evidence from the broadband initiatives programme," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 102(4), pages 677-708, August.
    2. Biedny, Christina & Whitacre, Brian E. & Van Leuven, Andrew J., 2024. "Do Gigabits Mean Business? “Ultra-Fast” broadband availability's effect on business births," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    3. Xiaoyin Li & Jason S. Entsminger & Heather M. Stephens, 2026. "Perspectives on rural entrepreneurial ecosystems and women’s venturing: an analysis of local factors associated with female self-employment in non-metro U.S. counties," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 66(4), pages 1843-1873, April.
    4. Zimei Liu & Yezhi Ren & Yanlan Mei, 2022. "How Does Internet Use Promote Farmer Entrepreneurship: Evidence from Rural China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-15, December.
    5. Aiyar, Anaka & Butt, Daniyal & Lacy, Katherine & Mukhopadhyay, Sankar, 2025. "Impacts of the USDA Broadband Expansion Programs on Broadband Speeds in the United States," 2025 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2025, Denver, CO 361124, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    6. Strover, Sharon & Choi, Jaewon & Schrubbe, Alexis, 2024. "Broadband, rural contexts and local economic dynamics," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(3).
    7. Manav Raj, 2026. "Online Information and Offline Competition: The Emergence of Broadband Internet and Brick-and-Mortar Retailer Survival," Strategy Science, INFORMS, vol. 11(2), pages 251-271, June.
    8. Kibinda, Nyaura & Shao, Deo & Mwogosi, Augustino & Mambile, Cesilia, 2025. "Broadband infrastructure sharing as a catalyst for rural digital economy: A systematic review for developing countries," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(8).
    9. Nazareno, Luísa & Jose, Justina & Hart, Grady, 2025. "Wired and working? An evaluation of broadband expansion in Rural America," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(10).
    10. Gary A. Wagner & Hyun Ji Lee, 2024. "Does broadband affect local economic outcomes less than we thought? Micro evidence from Louisiana," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 42(1), pages 68-93, January.
    11. Nicola Cortinovis, 2026. "Does crowdfunding foster rural entrepreneurship?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 67(1), pages 1-27, June.
    12. Boyce, Mckenzie, 2024. "Willingness to pay for broadband: A case study of Wisconsin," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(10).
    13. Chen, Yulong & Ma, Liyuan & Orazem, Peter F., 2023. "The heterogeneous role of broadband access on establishment entry and exit by sector and urban and rural markets," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(3).
    14. Maria Giovanna Brandano & Alessia Mastrangioli & Alessandro Palma, 2023. "The digital divide and the growth of the hospitality industry: The case of Italian inner areas," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(7), pages 1509-1531, September.
    15. Isley, Catherine & Low, Sarah A., 2022. "Broadband adoption and availability: Impacts on rural employment during COVID-19," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(7).
    16. Andrés Arronte Ledo & Adelheid Holl, 2023. "Ultrahigh‐Speed Fixed Broadband and Rural Development," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 114(5), pages 479-500, December.
    17. Vikas Gawai & Steven Deller, 2025. "Is there a link between access to broadband and health outcomes?," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 84(2), pages 361-386, March.
    18. Sun, Xiaoyan & Ding, Waverly & Xie, Xuanli, 2024. "The Internet and the gender gap in entrepreneurship: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 39(5).

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