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Entrepreneurial Progress: Climbing the Entrepreneurial Ladder in Europe and the United States

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  • Peter Van Der Zwan
  • Ingrid Verheul
  • Roy Thurik
  • Isabel Grilo

Abstract

Van der Zwan P., Verheul I., Thurik R. and Grilo I. Entrepreneurial progress: climbing the entrepreneurial ladder in Europe and the United States, Regional Studies . This study investigates which countries have the highest potential to achieve entrepreneurial progress. This progress is defined as an entrepreneurial ladder with five successive steps: 'never thought about starting a business', 'thinking about it', 'taking steps', 'running a young business' and 'running a mature business'. The influences of individual-level and country-level variables on the progression through these stages are analysed. Data from twenty-seven European countries and the United States are used (2007 Flash Eurobarometer Survey on Entrepreneurship). Findings show that in the United States many people think about setting up a business, whereas Europeans are better at achieving higher levels of engagement. Country differences can be explained mainly by levels of risk tolerance and economic development. A country's level of administrative complexity does not play a role, but individual perceptions of this complexity are a hindering factor.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter Van Der Zwan & Ingrid Verheul & Roy Thurik & Isabel Grilo, 2013. "Entrepreneurial Progress: Climbing the Entrepreneurial Ladder in Europe and the United States," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(5), pages 803-825, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:regstd:v:47:y:2013:i:5:p:803-825
    DOI: 10.1080/00343404.2011.598504
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    1. Rosenthal, Stuart S. & Strange, William C., 2004. "Evidence on the nature and sources of agglomeration economies," Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, in: J. V. Henderson & J. F. Thisse (ed.), Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 49, pages 2119-2171, Elsevier.
    2. van der Sluis, Justin & van Praag, Mirjam C. & van Witteloostuijn, Arjen, 2007. "Why Are the Returns to Education Higher for Entrepreneurs than for Employees?," IZA Discussion Papers 3058, IZA Network @ LISER.
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    Cited by:

    1. Debasish Roy, 2024. "An Exploration in Sustainability and Lifespan of Enterprise: A Cross–Country Empirical Study (2011–2020)," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(2), pages 5307-5328, June.
    2. Hess, Sophia, 2025. "Empirical entrepreneurial ecosystem research: A guide to creating multilevel datasets," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 23(C).
    3. Riillo, Cesare Fabio Antonio & Peroni, Chiara, 2022. "Immigration and entrepreneurship in Europe: cross-country evidence," MPRA Paper 114580, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Alberto Arenal & Claudio Feijoo & Ana Moreno & Sergio Ramos & Cristina Armuña, 2021. "Entrepreneurship Policy Agenda in the European Union: A Text Mining Perspective," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 38(2), pages 243-271, March.
    5. Johannes Kleinhempel & Sjoerd Beugelsdijk & Mariko J. Klasing, 2022. "The Changing Role of Social Capital During the Venture Creation Process: A Multilevel Study," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 46(2), pages 297-330, March.
    6. Tomasz Mickiewicz & Frederick Wedzerai Nyakudya & Nicholas Theodorakopoulos & Mark Hart, 2017. "Resource endowment and opportunity cost effects along the stages of entrepreneurship," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 48(4), pages 953-976, April.
    7. Li, Zhaohua & Pang, Suqin & Zhu, Zhiyun, 2024. "The impact of pilot free trade zones on entrepreneurship: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    8. Ivano Dileo & Thaís García Pereiro, 2019. "Assessing the impact of individual and context factors on the entrepreneurial process. A cross-country multilevel approach," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 15(4), pages 1393-1441, December.
    9. Brigitte Hoogendoorn & Peter Zwan & Roy Thurik, 2019. "Sustainable Entrepreneurship: The Role of Perceived Barriers and Risk," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 157(4), pages 1133-1154, July.
    10. Kleinhempel, Johannes & Estrin, Saul, 2024. "Realizing expectations?," MPRA Paper 120863, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Anneli Kaasa & Rico Baldegger, 2022. "Entrepreneurship and Culture: What Determines the Differences Within Switzerland?," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 31(3), pages 546-574, November.
    12. Selin Dilli & Gerarda Westerhuis, 2018. "How institutions and gender differences in education shape entrepreneurial activity: a cross-national perspective," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 51(2), pages 371-392, August.
    13. Tommaso Minola & Davide Donina & Michele Meoli, 2016. "Students climbing the entrepreneurial ladder: Does university internationalization pay off?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 47(3), pages 565-587, October.
    14. Mercedes Gumbau-Albert, 2024. "Understanding the Impact of Intangible Capital on Entrepreneurship at the Regional Level," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(3), pages 11063-11089, September.
    15. Johannes Kleinhempel & Saul Estrin, 2025. "Realizing expectations? High-impact entrepreneurship across countries," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 64(2), pages 333-351, February.
    16. David B. Audretsch & Maksim Belitski & Rosa Caiazza & Farzana Chowdhury & Matthias Menter, 2023. "Entrepreneurial growth, value creation and new technologies," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(5), pages 1535-1551, October.
    17. Maribel Guerrero & David Urbano & Alain Fayolle & Magnus Klofsten & Sarfraz Mian, 2016. "Entrepreneurial universities: emerging models in the new social and economic landscape," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 47(3), pages 551-563, October.

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