Explaining International Differences In Entrepreneurship: The Role Of Individual Characteristics And Regulatory Constraints

The authors use a micro dataset that collects information across individuals, countries, and time to investigate the determinants of entrepreneurial activity in thirty-seven developed and developing nations. They focus both on individual characteristics and on countries' regulatory differences. They show that individual characteristics, such as gender, age, and status in the workforce are important determinants of entrepreneurship, and they also highlight the relevance of social networks, self-assessed skills, and attitudes toward risk. Moreover, they find that regulation plays a critical role, particularly for those individuals who become entrepreneurs to pursue a business opportunity.