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on Entrepreneurship |
| By: | Robert Blackburn; Stephen Machin; Maria Ventura |
| Abstract: | The eighth LSE-CEP survey of the self-employed shows weekly hours of the self-employed are now seeing some signs of recovery, compared with the last data collection in June 2023. The positive increase in work hours is translating into improvements in wellbeing, especially among the younger age groups. |
| Keywords: | LSE-CEP survey of the self-employed, Employment, Wellbeing, UK Economy, Wages |
| Date: | 2026–01–29 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cep:cepsps:53 |
| By: | Yueran Ma (University of Chicago – Booth School of Business); Mengdi Zhang (Northwestern University); Kaspar Zimmermann (Kiel Institute for the World Economy and University of Hamburg) |
| Abstract: | We collect new data to document the long-run evolution of the firm size distribution in ten marketbased economies in Asia, Europe, North America, and Oceania, where we can obtain comprehensive coverage of the population of firms. Around the world, we observe prevalent increases in the concentration of sales, net income, and equity capital over the past century. These trends hold in the aggregate and at the industry level. Meanwhile, employment concentration has been stable over the long run in most cases. The evidence shows that the rising dominance of large firms is a pervasive phenomenon, not limited to the recent decades or the United States, and that large firms often achieve greater scale without proportionally more workers. |
| JEL: | E01 L1 N1 |
| Date: | 2026 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bfi:wpaper:2026-13 |
| By: | Ameri, Mohammad Kazim; Hekmat, Ali Mohammad; Hassani, Mohammad Hassan; Amiri, Khudadad; Rezai, Mohammad Reza |
| Abstract: | This systematic review synthesizes empirical research published between 2015 and 2025 to examine the effectiveness of pedagogical approaches in higher education entrepreneurship education (EE). Drawing on 100 high-quality studies, the review identifies a persistent paradox: despite strong evidence supporting experiential, critical, and integrative pedagogies, their implementation remains limited due to systemic constraints and methodological weaknesses. Experiential and transformative approaches consistently outperform traditional transmissive models in developing entrepreneurial competencies, self-efficacy, and behavioral outcomes. However, the evidence base is constrained by an over-reliance on cross-sectional, self-reported, and short-term outcome measures, alongside a critical lack of longitudinal and causal research. To address these limitations, the review proposes an Integrated, Learning-Centered Conceptual Framework that foregrounds cognitive, affective, behavioral, and socio-ecological learning mechanisms as key mediators linking pedagogy, context, and multi-level outcomes over time. The study concludes by outlining a dual agenda for progress, calling for mechanism-driven and longitudinal research designs, and for the intentional design of mechanism-aware educational ecosystems. Advancing EE as a mature, evidence-based field requires coordinated methodological rigor and systemic investment in institutional capacity. |
| Date: | 2026–01–26 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:edarxi:d2mkx_v1 |
| By: | Alor, Achai Deng Genevieve; Xiaojing, Li; Ndayipfukamiye, Tharcisse |
| Abstract: | Purpose: This study examines whether perceived military skills transferability (PMST) influences entrepreneurial intention (EI) in a post-conflict economy. Drawing on Social Cognitive Theory, it tests entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) as a mediator and perceived environmental hardship as a moderator. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted with 270 working-age adults across three regions of South Sudan (Juba/Central Equatoria, Upper Nile and Western Bahr el Ghazal) between July and October 2025 using paper-based and online questionnaires. Hypotheses were tested using hierarchical regression and PROCESS-based mediation (Model 4) and moderation (Model 1) with 5, 000 bootstrap resamples. Findings: PMST is positively associated with EI. ESE mediates this relationship (indirect-only): the bootstrapped indirect effect is significant and the PMST→EI direct effect becomes non-significant when ESE is included. Perceived environmental hardship weakens the positive PMST–EI relationship. Resilience is positively related to EI but does not moderate the focal relationship. Research limitations/implications: The cross-sectional design limits causal inference and self-reports may introduce common method bias. Future research should use longitudinal and comparative designs and examine behavioral outcomes (e.g., business start-up). Practical implications: Reintegration and entrepreneurship programs should combine skills-recognition and ESE-building (e.g., mastery-based training and mentoring) with ecosystem interventions that reduce contextual constraints. Social implications: Supporting entrepreneurship among individuals with military experience may contribute to livelihood recovery, inclusion and reintegration in fragile settings. Originality/value: The study integrates perceived skills transferability, cognitive mechanisms and contextual constraints to explain entrepreneurial intention in a fragile, post-conflict economy. Type of paper: Research paper. Keywords: perceived skills transferability; entrepreneurial self-efficacy; entrepreneurial intention; environmental hardship; resilience; post-conflict; fragile economy. |
| Date: | 2026–01–31 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:7rkap_v1 |
| By: | Kyoji FUKAO; YoungGak KIM; Hyeog Ug KWON |
| Abstract: | This study examines the dynamics of total factor productivity (TFP) by firm size to clarify the recent drivers of productivity growth in the Japanese economy, utilizing firm-level financial data from Teikoku Databank (TDB) spanning the years 1999 to 2020. In particular, we examine Japan’s distinctive “negative exit effect†by differentiating among various types of firm exit, including bankruptcy, closure, dissolution, and mergers. Our analysis shows that while within-firm productivity improvements at large firms played a dominant role in driving productivity growth through the 2000s, reallocation effects have become increasingly important since the 2010s. Notably, a substantial share of high-productivity firms exited the market through mergers, accounting for nearly half of the overall negative exit effect. Furthermore, while TFP among acquiring firms tends to stagnate in the short term after mergers, their labor productivity shows a significant and sustained increase, likely driven by capital deepening. These findings provide new insights into the shifting drivers of productivity growth in Japan—from within-firm productivity growth to market-driven resource reallocation—as well as into firm-size heterogeneity and the role of mergers in shaping productivity dynamics. |
| Date: | 2026–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eti:dpaper:26007 |
| By: | Sam Desiere; Rigas Oikonomou; Tiziano Toniolo; Bruno Van der Linden; Gert Bijnens (-) |
| Abstract: | Belgium’s 2016 payroll tax exemption for first-time employers triggered a sharp increase in firms hiring their first worker but little growth among larger firms. To account for this pattern, we develop and estimate a directed search model—with discrete hiring, firm heterogeneity, and endogenous entry—using Belgian microdata. The exemption reduces the high marginal cost of the first hire, enabling many previously non-hiring entrepreneurs to become employers, but most lack the productivity needed to expand beyond one worker. The model matches the post-reform size distribution and identifies the conditions under which size-dependent hiring subsidies can foster sustained firm growth. |
| Keywords: | payroll taxes, size-dependent policies, hiring frictions, wage subsidies, competitive search theory |
| JEL: | H25 J08 J23 J38 L25 |
| Date: | 2026–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:rug:rugwps:26/1133 |
| By: | Yuichiro KUBO; Tomohito HONDA; Hirofumi UCHIDA |
| Abstract: | This study examines whether, when acting as sellers in M&A transactions, privately held firms set sales conditions and make buyer selection decisions that reflect stewardship considerations. Using unique data on M&A involving privately held small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), our analysis reveals that many set sales conditions which reflect their preferences for stewardship-orientation. However, we do not find that family firms are more likely to do so, nor to select buyers with less informational asymmetry, than non-family firms. These findings indicate that in M&A transactions, privately held firms behave as suggested by stewardship theory, but there are no significant differences between family and non-family firms. |
| Date: | 2026–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eti:dpaper:26006 |
| By: | Julien Billion (ICN Business School, CEREFIGE - Centre Européen de Recherche en Economie Financière et Gestion des Entreprises - UL - Université de Lorraine); Jérémie Renouf (ISC Paris - Institut Supérieur du Commerce de Paris); Claire Doussard (AHTTEP - Architecture, histoire, technique, territoire, patrimoine - UMR AUSser - Architecture Urbanisme Société : Savoir Enseignement Recherche - ENSAPLV - École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Paris-La Villette - HESAM - HESAM Université - Communauté d'universités et d'établissements Hautes écoles Sorbonne Arts et métiers université - ENSA PB - École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Paris-Belleville - MCC - Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication - ENSAPM - École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Paris-Malaquais - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - éavt&t - École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de la Ville et des Territoires à Marne-la-Vallée); Jonathan Labbé (IAE Nancy - IAE Nancy School of Management - UL - Université de Lorraine, CEREFIGE - Centre Européen de Recherche en Economie Financière et Gestion des Entreprises - UL - Université de Lorraine) |
| Abstract: | Entrepreneurship is often promoted as a pathway to autonomy for people with disabilities, yet it frequently relies on fragile and informal support systems. This study shows how social, economic, and care-related dependencies shape entrepreneurial viability, calling for stable, co-designed support mechanisms that foster long-term autonomy rather than precarious independence. |
| Date: | 2026–01–18 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05470650 |
| By: | Nguyen, Hang T. T. |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the relationship between corporate income tax rates (CITR) and firm-level productivity growth using AMADEUS data of 304, 410 observations from 79, 842 European firms from 2006 to 2019. The results imply a robust non-linear relationship: higher CITRs are positively associated with productivity growth for high-productivity firms near the technological frontier and negatively associated with the productivity catch-up of less productive firms. Heterogeneity tests suggest a stronger productivity response to tax rate changes of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and domestic firms, while I do not find a significant productivity response to tax rate changes for large and multinational firms. The main findings are robust across various productivity estimation methods and model specifications and challenge the conventional view that higher business tax rates have a linear and negative effect on productivity growth. The paper contributes to the ongoing debate about the role of corporate taxation in shaping economic competitiveness and long-term growth. |
| Date: | 2026 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:arqudp:335901 |
| By: | Shigehiro Shinozaki (Asian Development Bank) |
| Abstract: | This paper empirically investigates what drives the growth of private businesses in Timor-Leste and the policy actions needed to facilitate growth amid global uncertainty, especially for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). It uses the linear probability model (LPM) to identify the MSME growth structure and the Oaxaca decomposition to reveal detailed growth factors by firm type in determining which policy areas need to be strengthened. Estimation results show that four types of MSMEs—those formalized, digitalized, internationalized, and women-led —exhibit different business characteristics and performance results compared with control groups. Accordingly, policy support areas differ by firm type, with a focused approach critical in designing and delivering policy assistance to MSMEs in Timor-Leste. The study suggests policy implications to consider when designing an evidence-based MSME policy framework that can maximize the benefits from the country’s recent accession to Association of Southeast Asian Nations membership. |
| Keywords: | digitalization;heterogeneity;Oaxaca decomposition;private sector development;SME development;SME policy;Timor-Leste |
| JEL: | D22 G20 L20 L50 |
| Date: | 2026–02–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ris:adbewp:022185 |
| By: | Marco Bellandi; Maria Chiara Cecchetti; Caterina Orlando |
| Abstract: | This Handbook presents a database of selected cases and good practices on Circular Economy (CE) for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). Developed within the HEADCET project, it constitutes a valuable tool for supporting Higher Education Institutions and policymakers in addressing sustainable development challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Specifically, it provides: a concise review of the CE literature; an analytical framework of indicators for evaluating CE initiatives; literature-based SME case studies adopting CE practices in LAC; empirical case studies derived from a project survey involving SMEs, social enterprises, and business organisations; and good practices identified from the survey and linked to the indicator framework. The Handbook combines conceptual and empirical insights to analyse and assess CE initiatives and innovations at the business level, offering an evidence-based resource to compare and disseminate CE experiences, supporting knowledge transfer and policy-oriented learning around multi-actor initiatives in support of sustainable local and regional development. |
| Keywords: | Circular Economy, Small-Medium Enterprises, Case Study, Latin America and Caribbean |
| JEL: | O44 Q56 R11 |
| Date: | 2026 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:frz:wpaper:wp2026_03.rdf |
| By: | Saleh Goltabar (Academic Center for Education, Culture, and Research); Iman Cheratian (Academic Center for Education, Culture, and Research (ACECR)); Hamed Najaf (Economist, UN Administrative and Budgetary Expert, Iran Representative) |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the relationship between supply chain diversification (SCD) and the persistence of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Iran, with a focus on the moderating role of external finance. Using a Probit regression analysis and marginal effect estimations on a sample of 480 firms, the study reveals that SCD positively influences the persistence of firms with full access to external finance. However, for firms lacking external finance or relying solely on internal finance, SCD reduces their probability of persistence. These findings underscore the essential role of external finance in enabling MSMEs to leverage SCD as a resilience strategy. The paper provides policy recommendations to enhance MSMEs' access to external finance, especially in regions affected by sanctions. |
| Date: | 2025–05–20 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1774 |
| By: | Elvy Maria Manurung (Parahyangan Catholic University, Indonesia); Tahta Alfina (Parahyangan Catholic University, Indonesia) |
| Abstract: | The coffee drinking culture has become a part of daily life. Many studies have been conducted on the coffee business, coffee drinking culture, and technological advancements. However, there is still a lack of focus on the creativity process and the impact of the coffee drinking culture. This research focuses on the technological changes in coffee machines, especially the transition from manual to semi-automatic roasting machines, and how this affects the coffee beverage business and the coffee drinking culture. Using observation and several interviews with three entrepreneurs in the coffee drinking businesses in West Java, Indonesia, the research findings indicate that coffee machine technology has been utilized to develop the coffee beverage business and has contributed to changing the landscape of coffee drinking culture in Indonesia. Coffee drinking now serves as a beverage and a symbol of social status and individual identity. The four steps of the creativity process by Richard Florida confirmed that business continuity needs to adopt four stages: preparation, incubation, illumination, and verification. If one or several creative ethos are skipped, business sustainability will be impacted. |
| Keywords: | technology innovation, creativity process, entrepreneurship, coffee drinking culture, sustainability |
| Date: | 2025–08 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:smo:raiswp:0558 |
| By: | Amirah El-Haddad (German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS)Author-Name: Chahir Zaki; University of Orléans and Laboratoire d'Economie d''Orléans) |
| Abstract: | We use household enterprise data from the Egypt Labor Market Panel Surveys (ELMPS) in 1998, 2006, 2012, 2012 and 2023 to track the state of household micro and small enterprises (MSEs), particularly considering the enactment of the new micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) law in 2020. In 2023, we find that the sector continues to be dominated by informal, male-owned microenterprises. It also exhibits limited diversification and sophistication. There has been a trend toward informalization. Despite numerous initiatives and reforms in the institutional and regulatory environment, MSEs remain heavily self-financed. These characteristics suggest that the sector functions more as a 'survival sector' or a last-resort employer rather than as a competitive, high-tech and high-value one. With the challenges facing the sector and barriers to entry into the formal sector, this sector is the only way to earn a living for many people. |
| Date: | 2025–05–20 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:erg:wpaper:1772 |
| By: | Zhang Peichang |
| Abstract: | This paper develops an endogenous growth model featuring income-dependent risk preferences to explain the emergence and evolution of buyout funds. We propose a novel preference structure where high-income agents derive utility from the thrill of entrepreneurial risk-taking, leading them to acquire business ideas from capital-constrained innovators. The model demonstrates that buyout funds emerge as equilibrium contracts when income inequality exceeds a critical threshold, with wealthy investors paying premiums to participate in ventures. Conversely, in more equal economies, buyout funds serve as transitional institutions. Initial inequality enables the acquisition of ideas, but subsequent growth allows the original idea holders to become independent entrepreneurs, leading to the fund's eventual decline. Our framework provides microfoundations for understanding how income distribution shapes financial intermediation patterns and their growth consequences, offering new insights into the relationship between inequality, entrepreneurial spawning, and innovation-driven growth. |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:toh:tupdaa:78 |
| By: | YoungGak KIM; Hyeog Ug KWON |
| Abstract: | This paper examines the level and dynamics of firm-level markups in Japan using firm-level data from the Basic Survey of Japanese Business Structure and Activities and the Economic Census for Business Activity. We construct multiple markup measures—including cost-based, value-added–based, labor-based, and intermediate-input–based markups—using harmonized definitions to ensure comparability across datasets. We find that, unlike the upward trend documented for the United States, average markups in Japan have remained broadly flat or have declined slightly since the late 1990s. Changes in aggregate markups are driven mainly by within-firm adjustments, while between-firm reallocation and entry–exit effects play a limited role. Moreover, different markup measures exhibit systematically different patterns: labor-based markups are negatively associated with wage growth, suggesting that labor costs are difficult to pass through into prices, whereas non-labor costs are more readily reflected in prices. These findings indicate that the stagnant markup trends in Japan stem from sluggish dynamic reallocation and specific price pass-through mechanisms, rather than from a decline in competitive pressure. |
| Date: | 2026–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eti:rdpsjp:26002 |
| By: | Thémis Copchard; Philipe Borne; Julien Pénin |
| Abstract: | Cette recherche s’intéresse au processus de liquidation des actifs de propriété industrielle des start-ups en France. La procédure de liquidation ainsi que le devenir des titres liquidés restent très souvent opaques. Nous étudions ainsi la manière dont le processus se déroule, sa temporalité, les acteurs associés, ainsi que les tensions qui sont susceptibles d’émerger entre les contraintes de la liquidation et les besoins de la valorisation de la propriété industrielle. Notre travail se base sur le cas de cinq entreprises de technologie liquidées récemment dans la région Grand Est. Nos résultats montrent d’importantes différences entre les titres de propriété industrielle (brevets vs. marques) et entre les entreprises liquidées. Ils suggèrent également que de nombreux brevets d’entreprises liquidées en France ne sont pas réutilisés et tombent dans le domaine public alors même que ces actifs, lorsqu’ils gardent de la valeur, pourraient être redéployés vers d’autres organisations et générer un surplus économique. Dans l’ensemble, ces résultats interrogent l’efficience globale du processus de liquidation des actifs de propriété industrielle en France. |
| Keywords: | liquidation judiciaire ; start-ups ; actifs immatériels ; brevets ; marques |
| JEL: | K2 O3 |
| Date: | 2026 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ulp:sbbeta:2026-03 |