This paper empirically analyses whether the character-based approach which is based on the personality and on the human capital of business founders, al- lows prediction of entrepreneurial success. A unique data set is used consisting of 414 previously unemployed persons whose personal...

Die Existenzgründungsförderung für Arbeitslose gewinnt als arbeits-marktpolitisches Instrument in Deutschland zunehmend an Bedeutung. Mit der Einführung des Existenzgründungszuschusses (ExGZ) zum 1.1.2003 steht gründungswilligen Arbeitslosen - neben dem Überbrückungsgeld (ÜG) - nun ein...

Support schemes for unemployed aiming for self-employment have been recently reformed several times. In 2003, the "start-up-subsidy" was added to the existing "bridging-allowance". In 2006 both instruments were merged to the "Gründungszuschuss". Since the bridging allowance has been evaluated...

In less developed and transition economies, microlending has become an efficient instrument for providing small and micro-businesses with the necessary financial resources to launch operations. In the industrialized countries, with their highly developed banking systems, however, there has been...

How can a principal (an agent) ensure that an agent (a principal) will work (pay up), if payment (work) precedes work (payment)? When a banknote is torn in two, each part is by itself worthless. A principal can pre-commit to payment-on-delivery, by tearing a banknote and giving the agent the...

In this paper we investigate whether self-employed households use consumer loans to finance their business activities. In particular, it is shown that self-employed households use personal overdrafts significantly more often than employee households do. This difference remains when controlling...