Entrepreneurship: Determinants and Policy in a European-US Comparison (Economics of Science, Technology and Innovation, 27)

Policymakers throughout Europe and the US have responded to rising concerns about unemployment, jobs, growth and international competitiveness in global markets with a new mandate to promote the creation of innovative new businesses. While recent literature identified clear and decisive links between entrepreneurship, growth, job creation and international competitiveness, policy makers were initially slow to recognize these links. Without a clear and organized view of where and how entrepreneurship manifests itself, policy makers have been left in uncharted waters without an analytical compass. The purpose of this book is to provide such an analytical compass for directing how public policy can shape and promote entrepreneurship. We do this in two ways. The first is to provide a framework for policymakers and scholars to understand what determines entrepreneurship. The second is to apply this framework to a series of cases, or country studies. In particular, this book seeks to answer three questions about entrepreneurship: What has happened over time? Why did it happen? And, what has been the role of government policy? The cornerstone of the book is the proposed Eclectic Theory of Entrepreneurship. The goal of the Eclectic Theory is to provide a unified framework for understanding and analyzing the determinants of entrepreneurship. The Eclectic Theory of entrepreneurship integrates the different strands from relevant fields into a unifying, coherent framework. At the heart of the Eclectic Theory is the integration of factors shaping the demand for entrepreneurship on the one hand, with those influencing the supply of entrepreneurs on the other hand. The key to understanding the role of public policy is through identifying those channels shifting either the demand for or the supply of entrepreneurship by policy instruments. The findings in this book show that, by utilizing the framework provided by the Eclectic Theory of Entrepreneurship, it is within the grasp of policymakers to identify the determinants of entrepreneurship in a particular country setting at a particular point in time. This will be essential in formulating new public policies to promote entrepreneurship and, ultimately, economic growth, job creation and international competitiveness. Annotation Policymakers throughout Europe and the U.S have responded torising concerns about unemployment, jobs, growth and internationalcompetitiveness in global markets with a new mandate to promote thecreation of innovative new businesses. While recent literatureidentified clear and decisive links between entrepreneurship, growth, job creation and international competitiveness, policy makers wereinitially slow to recognize these links. Without a clear and organizedview of where and how entrepreneurship manifests itself, policy makershave been left in uncharted waters without an analytical compass. The purpose of this book is to provide such an analytical compass fordirecting how public policy can shape and promote entrepreneurship. Wedo this in two ways. The first is to provide a framework forpolicymakers and scholars to understand what determinesentrepreneurship. The second is to apply this framework to a series ofcases, or country studies. In particular, this book seeks to answerthree questions aboutentrepreneurship: What has happened over time?Why did it happen? And, What has been the role of governmentpolicy?The cornerstone of the book is the proposed Eclectic Theory ofEntrepreneurship. The goal of the Eclectic Theory is to provide aunified framework for understanding and analyzing the determinants ofentrepreneurship. The Eclectic Theory of entrepreneurship integratesthe different strands from relevant fields into a unifying, coherentframework. At the heart of the 1. Understanding Entrepreneurship Across Countries And Over Time / David Audretsch, Roy Thurik And Ingrid Verheul / [and Others] -- 2. An Eclectic Theory Of Entrepreneurship: Policies, Institutions And Culture / Ingrid Verheul, Sander Wennekers And David Audretsch / [et Al.] -- 3. Determinants Of Entrepreneurship In France / Candice Henriquez, Ingrid Verheul And Ineke Van Der Geest / [et Al.] -- 4. Determinants Of Entrepreneurship In The Netherlands / Ingrid Verheul, Niels Bosma And Marieke Van Ginkel / [et Al.] -- 5. Determinants Of Entrepreneurship In Germany / Ingrid Verheul, Gabriel Leonardo And Stephan Schuller / [et Al.]. Edited By David Audretsch ... [et Al.]. Includes Bibliographical References. Understanding Entrepreneurship Across Countries and Over Time....Pages 1-10 An Eclectic Theory of Entrepreneurship: Policies, Institutions and Culture....Pages 11-81 Determinants of Entrepreneurship in France....Pages 83-120 Determinants of Entrepreneurship in the Netherlands....Pages 121-162 Determinants of Entrepreneurship in Germany....Pages 163-207 Determinants of Entrepreneurship in The United States of America....Pages 209-245 The cornerstone of this book is the proposed Eclectic Theory of Entrepreneurship, the goal of which is to provide a unified framework for understanding and analyzing the determinants of entrepreneurship