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Human capital, institutions, and ambitious entrepreneurship during good times and two crises

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  • Mircea Epure
  • Victor Martin-Sanchez
  • Sebastian Aparicio
  • David Urbano

Abstract

We argue that the positive relationship between pro-market institutions and entrepreneurial growth aspirations is dampened for individuals with general human capital (higher education), but augmented for those with specific human capital (experience in the marketplace). However, during a crisis, the differential effect of pro-market institutions on growth aspirations manifests only for entrepreneurs with specific human capital, with stronger effects than in good economic times. We run our empirical analysis on a dataset of individual- and country-level characteristics during 2005-2020, thus exploiting variation from the Global Financial Crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic. We confirm our predictions and show stronger results for early stage (compared to nascent) entrepreneurs, and potential complementarities between human capital types. Altogether, our work paves the way to institutional adaptive policymaking.

Suggested Citation

  • Mircea Epure & Victor Martin-Sanchez & Sebastian Aparicio & David Urbano, 2023. "Human capital, institutions, and ambitious entrepreneurship during good times and two crises," Economics Working Papers 1875, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
    • Handle: RePEc:upf:upfgen:1875
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    Keywords

    Pro-market institutions; human capital; growth aspirations; entrepreneurship; crisis;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • M13 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - New Firms; Startups
    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • K2 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law

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