Investigating Socio-Economic and Perceptual Variables of Early-Stage Entrepreneurial Activity in Selected EU Countries

Ivano Dileo

Department of Political Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro

Francesco Losurdo

Department of Political Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro


Résumé

This paper investigates socio-economic and perceptual factors affecting the likelihood of being a total early-stage entrepreneur in selected EU countries (Denmark, Germany, Finland, Sweden and Latvia) during 2005-2012. The data used for our empirical research comes from Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM). Our findings show that the probability to become a total early-stage entrepreneur increases for males and younger individuals with a bachelor's degree or secondary education and who are working part time or full time. Furthermore, these entrepreneurs are characterised by a lower fear of failure and higher entrepreneurial skills and perception of opportunity. Policy makers should improve the institutional framework that involves measures aimed at empowering potential entrepreneurs in finding new market opportunities. Territorial cooperation in a macro-regional perspective may be a facilitator aimed at entrepreneurial development.


Mots-clés :

entrepreneurship, socio-economic, perceptions, GEM data


Ajzen I. 1991. The Theory of Planned Behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2): 179- 211.

Arenius P., De Clercq D. 2005. A Network-based Approach on Opportunity Recognition. Small Business Economics, 24(3): 249-265.

Arenius P., Minniti M. 2005. Perceptual Variables and Nascent Entrepreneurship. Small Business Economics, 24(3): 233-247.

Autio E., Acs Z. 2010. Intellectual Property Protection and the Formation of Entrepreneurial Growth Aspirations. Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, 4(3): 234-251.

Bandura A. 1977. Self- Efficacy: Toward a Unifying Theory of Behavioral Change. Psychological Review, 84(2): 191-215.

Bandura A. 1986. The Social Foundations of Thought and Action. Englewood Cliffs, NJ., Prentice-Hall.

Bayon M.C., Vaillant Y., Lafuente E. 2015. Initiating Nascent Entrepreneurial Activities. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 21(1): 27-49.

Bosma N., Schutjens V. 2011. Understanding Regional Variation in Entrepreneurial Activity and Entrepreneurial Attitude in Europe. Annals of Regional Science, 47(3): 711-742.

Boyd N.G., Vozikis G.S. 1994. The Influence of Self-Efficacy on the Development of Entrepreneurial Intentions and Actions. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 18(4): 63-77.

Cueto B., Mayor M., SuArez P. 2015. Entrepreneurship and Unemployment in Spain: a Regional Analysis. Applied Economics Letters, 22(15): 1230-1235.

Davidsson P., Honig B.L. 2003. The Role of Social and Human Capital Among Nascent Entrepreneurs. Journal of Business Venturing, 18(3): 301- 331.

Davidsson P., Lindmark L., Olofsson C. 1994. New Firm Formation and Regional Development in Sweden. Regional studies, 28(4): 395-410.

De Clercq D., Honig D., Martin B. 2011. The Roles of Learning Orientation and Passion for Work in the Formation of Entrepreneurial Intention. international small Business Journal, 31(6): 652-676.

Elam A., Terjesen S. 2007. Institutional logics: Gender and Business Creation Across GEM Countries. Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research, 27(8): 1-15.

European Commission. 2013. Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan.

Fishbein M., Ajzen I. 2010. Predicting and Changing Behavior: The Reasoned Action Approach. Taylor, New York.

Fritsch M., Kritikos A., Pijnenburg K. 2015. Business Cycles, Unemployment and Entrepreneurial Entry-Evidence from Germany. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 11(2): 267-286.

Garcia-Pereiro T., Dileo I. 2015. Determinants of Nascent Entrepreneurial Activities: the Italian Case. Rivista italiana di Economia Demografia e statistica, 69(4): 5-16.

Gartner W.B. 1985. A Conceptual Framework for Describing the Phenomenon of New Venture Creation. The Academy of Management Review, 10(4): 696-706.

Gómez-Araujo E., Lafuente E., Vaillant Y., Gómez NüíNez L.M. 2015. The Differential Impact of Self-Confidence, Reference Models and the Fear of Failure in Young Entrepreneurs. Innovar, 25(57): 157-174.

Grilo I., Thurik A.R. 2008. Determinants of Entrepreneurial Engagement Levels in Europe and the US. Industrial and Corporate Change, 17(6): 1113-1145.

Hessels J., Grilo I., Thurik R., van der Zwan P. 2011. Entrepreneurial Exit and Entrepreneurial Engagement. Journal of Evolutionary Economics, 21 (3): 447-471.

Hessels J., van Stel A., Brouwer P., Wennekers S. 2007. Social Security Arrangements and Early-Stage Entrepreneurial Activity. Comparative Labor Law and Policy Journal, 28(4): 743-774.

Karadenis E., Özdemir O. 2011. Investigating The Factors Affecting Total Entrepreneurial Activities in Turkey, METU Development Journal, 38 (December): 275-292.

Klyver K., Hindle K., Meyer D. 2007. Influence of Social Network Structure on Entrepreneurship Participation-A Study of 20 National Cultures. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 4(3): 331-347.

Koellinger P. 2008. Why Are Some Entrepreneurs More Innovative Than Others? Small Business Economics, 31(1): 21-37.

Koellinger P.D., Thurik R.A. 2012. Entrepreneurship and the Business Cycle. Review of Economics and Statistics, 94(4): 1143-1156.

Krueger N.F. 2000. The Cognitive Infrastructure of Opportunity Emergence. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 24(3): 5-23.

Krueger N.F., Brazeal D.V. 1994. Entrepreneurial Potential and Potential Entrepreneurs. Entrepre-neurship Theory and Practice, 18(1): 91-104.

Langowitz N., Minniti M. 2007. The Entrepreneurial Propensity of Women. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 31(3): 341-364.

Levesque M., Minniti M. 2006. The Effect of Aging on Entrepreneurial Behavior. Journal of Business Venturing, 21(2): 177- 194.

Li Y. 2011. Emotions and New Venture Judgment in China. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 28(2): 277- 298.

McMullen J.S., Shepherd D.A. 2006. Entrepreneurial Action and the Role of Uncertainty in the Theory of the Entrepreneur. Academy of Management Review, 31(1): 132-152.

Minniti M., Nardone C. 2007. Being in Someone Else's Shoes: Gender and Nascent Entrepreneurship. Small Business Economics, 28(2-3): 223-239.

Mitchell J.R., Shepherd D.A. 2010. To Thine Own Self Be True: Images of Self, Images of Opportunity, and Entrepreneurial Action. Journal of Business Venturing, 25(1): 138-154.

Piotrowski M., Organiściak-Krzykowska A. 2014. Bariery i stymulatory zatrudniania cudzoziemców w województwach Polski wschodniej. Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Folia Oeconomica, 3 (303): 77-90.

Reynolds P.D. 1995. Who Starts New Firms? Linear Additive versus Interaction Based Models. In: Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research. Eds. W. Bygrave, B. Bird, S. Birley, N. Churchill, M. Hay, R. Keeley, W. Wetzel. Proceedings of the Fifteenth Annual Entrepreneurship Research Conference, Babson College, p. 32- 46.

Reynolds P.D., Bygrave B., Hay M. 2003. Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Report. MO, E.M. Kauffmann Foundation, Kansas City.

Ritsila J., Tervo H. 2002. Effects of Unemployment on New Firm Formation: Micro-Level Panel Data Evidence from Finland. Small Business Economics, 19(1): 31-40.

Shane S., Locke E.A., Collins C.J. 2003. Entrepreneurial Motivation. Human Resource Management Review, 13(2): 257-279.

Sluis J. van der, Praag M. van, Vijverberg W. 2005. Entrepreneurship Selection and Performance: a Meta-Analysis of the Impact of Education in Developing Economies. World Bank Economic Review, 19(2): 225-261.

Urbano D., Alvarez C. 2014. Institutional Dimensions and Entrepreneurial Activity: an International Study. Small Business Economics, 42(4): 703- 716.

Vaillant Y., Lafuente E. 2007. Do Different Institutional Frameworks Condition the Influence of Local Fear of Failure and Entrepreneurial Examples Over Entrepreneurial Activity? Entrepreneurs Regional Development, 19(4): 313 -337.

Verheul I., Uhlaner L.M., Thurik A.R. 2003. Business Accomplishments, Gender and Entrepreneurial Self-Image. Extern rapport, Scales Reports, no N200312, EIM Business and Policy Research, Zoetermeer.

Welpe I.M., Sporrle M., Grichnik D., Michl T., Audretsch D.B. 2012. Emotions and Opportunities: the Interplay of Opportunity Evaluation, Fear, Joy, and Anger as Antecedent of Entrepreneurial Exploitation. Enterpreneurship Theory and Practice, 36(1): 69-96.

Wood M.S., Mckelvie A., Haynie J.M. 2014. Making it Personal: Opportunity Individuation and the Shaping of Opportunity Beliefs. Journal of Business Venturing, 29(2): 252-272.

Wood M.S., Mckinley W., Engstrom C.L. 2013. Endings and Visions of New Beginnings: the Effects of Source of Unemployment and Duration of Unemployment on Entrepreneurial Intentions. Entrepreneurship Research Journal, 3(2): 171-206.

Xavier S.R., Kelley D., Kew J., Herrington M., Vorderwulbecke A. 2013. Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, 2012. Global Report, Wellesley, MA, Babson College.

Publiée
2016-12-30

##plugins.themes.libcom.cytowania##

Dileo, I., & Losurdo, F. (2016). Investigating Socio-Economic and Perceptual Variables of Early-Stage Entrepreneurial Activity in Selected EU Countries. Olsztyn Economic Journal, 11(4), 317–330. https://doi.org/10.31648/oej.2935

Ivano Dileo 
Department of Political Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro
Francesco Losurdo 
Department of Political Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro



Licence

An Author declares that his paper has not been published before (under the same or another title, or is a part of another publication) and does not infringe copyrights of other persons**. At the same time, the Author transfers to the Publisher the exclusive right to publish and to circulate this work in print in the form of a non-serial journal publication and in a form of an electronic publication.

Author's statement

The journal is available on Creative Common license CC-BY-NC-ND