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Types of Institutions and Well-Being of Self-Employed and Paid Employees in Europe

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  • Fritsch, Michael

    (University of Jena)

  • Sorgner, Alina

    (John Cabot University)

  • Wyrwich, Michael

    (University of Groningen)

Abstract

This paper analyzes the role of different types of institutions, such as entrepreneurship-facilitating entry conditions, labor market regulations, quality of government, and perception of corruption for individual well-being among self-employed and paid employed individuals. Well-being is operationalized by job and life satisfaction of individuals in 32 European countries measured by data from EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC). We find that institutions never affected both occupational groups in opposite ways. Our findings indicate that labor market institutions do not play an important role well-being. The results suggest that fostering an entrepreneurial society in Europe is a welfare enhancing strategy that benefits both, the self-employed and paid employees.

Suggested Citation

  • Fritsch, Michael & Sorgner, Alina & Wyrwich, Michael, 2019. "Types of Institutions and Well-Being of Self-Employed and Paid Employees in Europe," IZA Discussion Papers 12336, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp12336
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    Cited by:

    1. Binder, Martin & Blankenberg, Ann-Kathrin, 2021. "Self-employment and Subjective Well-Being," GLO Discussion Paper Series 744, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    2. Xiaoyu Yu & Xiaotong Meng & Laura Stanley & Franz W. Kellermanns, 2024. "Self-employment and life satisfaction: The contingent role of formal institutions," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 63(1), pages 135-163, June.
    3. Charlie Karlsson & Jonna Rickardsson & Joakim Wincent, 2021. "Diversity, innovation and entrepreneurship: where are we and where should we go in future studies?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 759-772, February.
    4. Audretsch, David B. & Belitski, Maksim & Chowdhury, Farzana & Desai, Sameeksha, 2024. "Regulating entrepreneurship quality and quantity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(2).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    entrepreneurship; institutions; well-being; life satisfaction; job satisfaction;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • D01 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Microeconomic Behavior: Underlying Principles
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • P51 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Comparative Economic Systems - - - Comparative Analysis of Economic Systems

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