Following a centuries-long decline in the rate of self-employment, a discontinuity in this downward trend is observed for many advanced economies starting in the 1970s and 1980s. In some countries the rate of self-employment appears to increase. At the same time, cross-sectional analysis shows a...

This paper investigates the dynamic interrelationship between self-employment and unemployment rates. On the one hand, unemployment rates may stimulate start-up activity of self-employed. On the other hand, higher rates of self-employment may indicate increased entrepreneurial activity reducing...

The present study investigates the factors explaining the number of hours invested in new ventures of female and male entrepreneurs. For new ventures in particular time investment is an important issue, in particular as series of (usually) new and non-recurrent activities is undertaken, laying...

This research report provides a framework for modelling rates of entrepreneurship. The proposed framework may be helpful in separating the effects of a range of different variables, all possibly affecting the rate to which people choose to become or remain self-employed. We unify two approaches...

Studie naar de relatie tussen het aantal zelfstandige ondernemers en economische groei. Onderzocht wordt het bestaan van een lange termijn relatie tussen het aantal ondernemers en de fase van economische ontwikkeling. Daarnaast wordt ingegaan op het feit dat zelfstandige ondernemerschap...

Two approaches can be distinguished with respect to modelling entrepreneurship: (i) the approach focusing on the net development of the number of entrepreneurs in an equilibrium framework and (ii) the approach focusing on the entries and exits of entrepreneurs. In this paper we unify these...

We investigated the development of business ownership (self-employment) rates over time at the sectoral level and the effect of these rates on sectoral output growth. In an earlier exercise, Carree et al. (2002) presented an analysis of the interrelationship between economy-wide...

Many regional development policy initiatives assume that entrepreneurial activities promote economic growth. Empirical research has presented rationale for this argument showing that small firms create proportionally more new jobs than large ones. However, little research has been performed on...

There are various reasons why some entrepreneurs may be more overoptimistic at the start of their ventures than others. We distinguish between four broad categories of determining factors and three areas of overoptimism (income, psychological burden and leisure time) and empirically investigate...

This paper revisits the two-equation model of Carree, van Stel, Thurik and Wennekers (2002) where deviations from the 'equilibrium' rate of business ownership play a central role determining both the growth of business ownership and that of economic development. Two extensions of the original...