IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ira/wpaper/202413.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Does decentralization affect local entrepreneurial capacity?

Author

Listed:
  • Marc Garcia-Ruiz

    (Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.)

Abstract

In recent decades, decentralization has become a prominent topic in both academic and political discussions, with research increasingly focusing on its implications for economic development. This paper explores a specific facet of this debate by examining how decentralization influences business creation and the survival of new enterprises at the local level. By leveraging a panel dataset covering regions across multiple countries, we assess whether decentralization promotes entrepreneurship and sustains new businesses, particularly through the mediating role of institutional quality. Our findings suggest that while decentralization encourages business creation, it may reduce short-term firm survival rates. Additionally, strong institutional quality seems to amplify decentralization's positive effect on entrepreneurship and mitigate its adverse impact on the survival rate.

Suggested Citation

  • Marc Garcia-Ruiz, 2024. "Does decentralization affect local entrepreneurial capacity?," IREA Working Papers 202413, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Feb 2024.
    • Handle: RePEc:ira:wpaper:202413
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.ub.edu/irea/working_papers/2024/202413.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tselios, Vassilis & Rodriguez-Pose, Andres, 2022. "Can decentralization help address poverty and social exclusion in Europe?," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 115545, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Santiago Lago-Peñas & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & Agnese Sacchi, 2020. "Fiscal stability during the Great Recession: putting decentralization design to the test," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(7), pages 919-930, July.
    3. Roberto Ganau & Andrés Rodríguez‐Pose, 2019. "Do high‐quality local institutions shape labour productivity in Western European manufacturing firms?," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 98(4), pages 1633-1666, August.
    4. Aghion, Philippe & Howitt, Peter, 1992. "A Model of Growth through Creative Destruction," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 60(2), pages 323-351, March.
    5. Muringani, Jonathan & Dahl Fitjar, Rune & Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés, 2019. "Decentralisation, quality of government and economic growth in the regions of the EU," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 91023, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    6. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose & Marco Di Cataldo, 2015. "Quality of government and innovative performance in the regions of Europe," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 15(4), pages 673-706.
    7. Daniel Garcia‐Macia & Chang‐Tai Hsieh & Peter J. Klenow, 2019. "How Destructive Is Innovation?," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 87(5), pages 1507-1541, September.
    8. Vassilis Tselios & Andres Rodriguez-Pose, 2022. "Can decentralisation help address poverty and social exclusion in Europe?," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 2212, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Jul 2022.
    9. Marcos Aurelio Díaz Ramírez & Lukas Kleine-Rueschkamp & Paolo Veneri, 2023. "Does European Cohesion Policy affect Regional Business Dynamics?," INVESTIGACIONES REGIONALES - Journal of REGIONAL RESEARCH, Asociación Española de Ciencia Regional, issue 57, pages 5-31.
    10. Zoltán J. Ács & Pontus Braunerhjelm & David B. Audretsch & Bo Carlsson, 2015. "The knowledge spillover theory of entrepreneurship," Chapters, in: Global Entrepreneurship, Institutions and Incentives, chapter 7, pages 129-144, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    11. Israel Kirzner, 1999. "Creativity and/or Alertness: A Reconsideration of the Schumpeterian Entrepreneur," The Review of Austrian Economics, Springer;Society for the Development of Austrian Economics, vol. 11(1), pages 5-17, January.
    12. Enrico Spolaore & Alberto Alesina & Romain Wacziarg, 2000. "Economic Integration and Political Disintegration," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 90(5), pages 1276-1296, December.
    13. Steven F. Kreft & Russell S. Sobel, 2005. "Public Policy, Entrepreneurship, And Economic Freedom," Cato Journal, Cato Journal, Cato Institute, vol. 25(3), pages 595-616, Fall.
    14. Javier Barbero & Giovanni Mandras & Ernesto Rodríguez-Crespo & Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, 2021. "Quality of government and regional trade: evidence from European Union regions," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(7), pages 1240-1251, July.
    15. Thurik, A. Roy & Carree, Martin A. & van Stel, André & Audretsch, David B., 2008. "Does self-employment reduce unemployment?," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 23(6), pages 673-686, November.
    16. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose & Roberto Ganau, 2022. "Institutions and the productivity challenge for European regions," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 22(1), pages 1-25.
    17. Bolton, Patrick & Farrell, Joseph, 1990. "Decentralization, Duplication, and Delay," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 98(4), pages 803-826, August.
    18. Nabamita Dutta & Russell S. Sobel & Sanjukta Roy, 2013. "Entrepreneurship and political risk," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 2(2), pages 130-143, October.
    19. Kerr, William R. & Nanda, Ramana, 2009. "Democratizing entry: Banking deregulations, financing constraints, and entrepreneurship," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(1), pages 124-149, October.
    20. Simona Iammarino & Andrés Rodriguez-Pose & Michael Storper, 2019. "Regional inequality in Europe: evidence, theory and policy implications," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 19(2), pages 273-298.
    21. Kirzner, Israel M, 1999. "Creativity and/or Alertness: A Reconsideration of the Schumpeterian Entrepreneur," The Review of Austrian Economics, Springer;Society for the Development of Austrian Economics, vol. 11(1-2), pages 5-17.
    22. Nicholas Charron & Víctor Lapuente & Monika Bauhr & Paola Annoni, 2022. "Change and Continuity in Quality of Government: Trends in subnational quality of government in EU member states," INVESTIGACIONES REGIONALES - Journal of REGIONAL RESEARCH, Asociación Española de Ciencia Regional, issue 53, pages 5-23.
    23. Michael Fritsch & Pamela Mueller, 2004. "Effects of New Business Formation on Regional Development over Time," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(8), pages 961-975.
    24. Daragh O’Leary & Justin Doran & Bernadette Power, 2023. "Urbanisation, concentration and diversification as determinants of firm births and deaths," Regional Studies, Regional Science, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(1), pages 506-528, December.
    25. Paola Annoni & Nicholas Charron, 2019. "Measurement Assessment in Cross-Country Comparative Analysis: Rasch Modelling on a Measure of Institutional Quality," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 141(1), pages 31-60, January.
    26. Catherine Armington & Zoltan J. Acs, 2008. "The Determinants of Regional Variation in New Firm Formation," Chapters, in: Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy, chapter 18, pages 224-243, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    27. Nabamita Dutta & Russell S. Sobel & Sanjukta Roy, 2013. "Entrepreneurship and political risk," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 2(2), pages 130-143, October.
    28. Fritsch, Michael & Mueller, Pamela, 2004. "The effect of new firm formation on regional development over time," Freiberg Working Papers 2004/01, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    29. Thomas Zylkin, 2019. "Verifying the Existence of Maximum Likelihood Estimates in Generalized Linear Models," 2019 Stata Conference 47, Stata Users Group.
    30. David Audretsch & Diana Heger & Tobias Veith, 2015. "Infrastructure and entrepreneurship," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 219-230, February.
    31. Roe, Mark J. & Siegel, Jordan I., 2011. "Political instability: Effects on financial development, roots in the severity of economic inequality," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 279-309, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. David Bruce Audretsch & Maksim Belitski & Georg Maximilian Eichler & Erich Schwarz, 2024. "Entrepreneurial ecosystems, institutional quality, and the unexpected role of the sustainability orientation of entrepreneurs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 62(2), pages 503-522, February.
    2. Turan Yay & Gülsün G. Yay & Tolga Aksoy, 2018. "Impact of institutions on entrepreneurship: a panel data analysis," Eurasian Economic Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 8(1), pages 131-160, April.
    3. Marco Di Cataldo & Elena Renzullo & Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, 2025. "Cohesion or collusion? EU funds in places with corrupt local institutions," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 2510, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised May 2025.
    4. Jean Bonnet & Sébastien Bourdin & Fatten Gazzah, 2017. "The entrepreuneurial context, a factor of Economic Growth in the Europe Union? A GWR analysis on the EU Regions," Working Papers halshs-01619798, HAL.
    5. Niklas Elert, 2014. "What determines entry? Evidence from Sweden," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 53(1), pages 55-92, August.
    6. Daniel L. Bennett, 2021. "Local economic freedom and creative destruction in America," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 56(1), pages 333-353, January.
    7. Thomas Neumann, 2021. "The impact of entrepreneurship on economic, social and environmental welfare and its determinants: a systematic review," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 71(3), pages 553-584, July.
    8. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose & Vinko Muštra, 2022. "The economic returns of decentralisation: Government quality and the role of space," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 54(8), pages 1604-1622, November.
    9. Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés & Bartalucci, Federico & Lozano-Gracia, Nancy & Dávalos, María, 2024. "Overcoming left-behindedness. Moving beyond the efficiency versus equity debate in territorial development," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 125629, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    10. Pelin Demirel & Qian Cher Li & Francesco Rentocchini & J. Pawan Tamvada, 2019. "Born to be green: new insights into the economics and management of green entrepreneurship," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 52(4), pages 759-771, April.
    11. Sherrill Shaffer & Iftekhar Hasan & Mingming Zhou, 2015. "New Small Firms and Dimensions of Economic Performance," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 29(1), pages 65-78, February.
    12. Heike Delfmann & Sierdjan Koster, 2016. "The effect of new business creation on employment growth in regions facing population decline," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 56(1), pages 33-54, January.
    13. Gaies, Brahim & Vesci, Massimiliano & Crudele, Chiara & Calabrò, Andrea & Maalaoui, Adnane, 2025. "How does institutional quality influence opportunity entrepreneurship? A panel data analysis of OECD countries," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    14. Andrew Godley & Norbert Morawetz & Lebene Soga, 2021. "The complementarity perspective to the entrepreneurial ecosystem taxonomy," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 723-738, February.
    15. Robert Huggins & Piers Thompson, 2015. "Entrepreneurship, innovation and regional growth: a network theory," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 103-128, June.
    16. Lukas Matejovsky & Sandeep Mohapatra & Bodo Steiner, 2014. "The Dynamic Effects of Entrepreneurship on Regional Economic Growth: Evidence from Canada," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(4), pages 611-639, December.
    17. Nadine LEVRATTO, 2014. "Does firm creation depend on local context? A focus on the neighbouring effects," Working Papers 40, Réseau de Recherche sur l’Innovation. / Research Network on Innovation.
    18. Hien Thu Tran & Enrico Santarelli, 2017. "Spatial heterogeneity, industry heterogeneity, and entrepreneurship," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 59(1), pages 69-100, July.
    19. Yang, Xiuyun & Li, Min & Liang, Shanshan, 2024. "How consumers’ digital engagement affects regional innovation capacity in China?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    20. Tina Haussen & Marcus Schlegel, 2020. "Unemployment reduction through solo self-employment: A gender question?," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 59(6), pages 3085-3105, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • O43 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Institutions and Growth
    • O52 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Europe

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ira:wpaper:202413. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Alicia García (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/feubaes.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.