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Entrepreneurship in the EU: to wish and not to be

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  • Isabel Grilo
  • Jesus Maria Irigoyen

Abstract

It is now widely acknowledged that the entrepreneurial capacity in an economy is a key determinant of economic growth and productivity improvements. This paper uses survey data from the 15 EU Member States and the US to establish the effect of demographic and other variables on latent and actual entrepreneurship. Latent entrepreneurship is measured by the probability of a declared preference for self-employment over employment. Other than demographic variables such as gender, age and education level, the set of explanatory variables used includes country specific effects, the perception by respondents of administrative complexities and of availability of financial support and a rough measure of risk tolerance. The most striking result is the lack of explanatory power of the perception of lack of available financial support in the latent entrepreneurship equation.

Suggested Citation

  • Isabel Grilo & Jesus Maria Irigoyen, 2005. "Entrepreneurship in the EU: to wish and not to be," Papers on Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy 2005-01, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy Group.
    • Handle: RePEc:esi:egpdis:2005-01
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Isabel Grilo & Roy Thurik, 2008. "Determinants of entrepreneurial engagement levels in Europe and the US," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press, vol. 17(6), pages 1113-1145, December.
    2. David B. Audretsch & Martin A. Carree & Adriaan J. Van Stel & A. Roy Thurik, 2002. "Impeded Industrial Restructuring: The Growth Penalty," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(1), pages 81-98.
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    16. Roy Thurik & Sander Wennekers & Lorraine Uhlaner, 2002. "Entrepreneurship and economic performance: a macro perspective," Scales Research Reports N200220, EIM Business and Policy Research.
    17. Roy Thurik & Isabel Grilo, 2005. "Latent and actual entrepreneurship in Europe and the US: some recent developments," Papers on Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy 2005-24, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy Group.
    18. Audretsch,David B. & Thurik,Roy (ed.), 1999. "Innovation, Industry Evolution and Employment," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521641661.
    19. Lin, Zhengxi & Picot, Garnett & Compton, Janice, 2000. "The Entry and Exit Dynamics of Self-Employment in Canada," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 15(2), pages 105-125, September.
    20. Pia Arenius & Maria Minniti, 2005. "Perceptual Variables and Nascent Entrepreneurship," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 233-247, February.
    21. David Audretsch & Roy Thurik, 2004. "A Model of the Entrepreneurial Economy," Papers on Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy 2004-12, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy Group.
    22. Audretsch, David B, et al, 2002. "Impeded Industrial Restructuring: The Growth Penalty," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(1), pages 81-97.
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    Cited by:

    1. Isabel Grilo & Roy Thurik, 2008. "Determinants of entrepreneurial engagement levels in Europe and the US," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press, vol. 17(6), pages 1113-1145, December.
    2. Audretsch, David & Stam, Erik & Meijaard, Joris, 2005. "Renascent Men or Entrepreneurship as a One-Night Stand: Entrepreneurial Intentions Subsequent to Firm Exit," CEPR Discussion Papers 5342, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Erik Stam & David Audretsch & Joris Meijaard, 2009. "Renascent entrepreneurship," Springer Books, in: Uwe Cantner & Jean-Luc Gaffard & Lionel Nesta (ed.), Schumpeterian Perspectives on Innovation, Competition and Growth, pages 223-237, Springer.
      • Stam, F.C. & Audretsch, D.B. & Meijaard, J., 2006. "Renascent Entrepreneurship," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2006-017-ORG, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    4. Lorraine Uhlaner & Roy Thurik, 2010. "Postmaterialism Influencing Total Entrepreneurial Activity Across Nations," Springer Books, in: Andreas Freytag & Roy Thurik (ed.), Entrepreneurship and Culture, chapter 0, pages 301-328, Springer.
    5. Estrin, Saul & Mickiewicz, Tomasz & Aidis, Ruta, 2009. "Entrepreneurial Entry: Which Institutions Matter?," CEPR Discussion Papers 7278, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    6. Roy Thurik & Isabel Grilo, 2005. "Latent and actual entrepreneurship in Europe and the US: some recent developments," Papers on Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy 2005-24, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy Group.
    7. Sander Wennekers & Roy Thurik & André van Stel & Niels Noorderhaven, 2003. "Uncertainty Avoidance and the Rate of Business Ownership across 22 OECD Countries, 1976-2000," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 03-089/3, Tinbergen Institute, revised 01 Sep 2004.
    8. Veronique Schutjens & Erik Stam, 2006. "Starting anew: Entrepreneurial intentions and realizations subsequent to business closure," Papers on Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy 2006-10, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy Group.
    9. Tugrul Daim & Marina Dabic & Elvan Bayraktaroglu, 2016. "Students’ entrepreneurial behavior: international and gender differences," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 5(1), pages 1-22, December.
    10. Andre van Stel & David Storey & Roy Thurik & Sander Wennekers, 2005. "From nascent to actual entrepreneurship: the effect of entry barriers," Papers on Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy 2005-35, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy Group.
    11. Isabel Grilo & Roy Thurik, 2005. "Entrepreneurial engagement levels in the European Union," Papers on Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy 2005-29, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy Group.
    12. Dave Valliere & Rein Peterson, 2009. "Entrepreneurship and economic growth: Evidence from emerging and developed countries," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(5-6), pages 459-480, September.
    13. Erik Stam & David Audretsch & Joris Meijaard, 2006. "Renascent Entrepreneurship - Entrepreneurial Preferences Subsequent to Firm Exit," Papers on Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy 2006-06, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy Group.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Entrepreneurship; self-employment; administrative complexities; access to finance; risk attitudes; probit regression;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M13 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - New Firms; Startups
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)

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