DP5707 Entrepreneurship: First Results from Russia

Author(s):	Simeon Djankov, Edward Miguel, Yingyi Qian, Gérard Roland, Ekaterina Zhuravskaya
Publication Date:	June 2006
Keyword(s):
JEL(s):
Programme Areas:	Institutions and Economic Performance
Link to this Page:	cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=5707

Studies of the determinants of entrepreneurship have emphasized three distinct perspectives: market institutions, social networks and personal characteristics. Using data from a pilot survey with over 2,000 interviews in 7 cities across Russia, we find evidence for a particularly strong effect of social networks: individuals whose relatives and childhood friends are entrepreneurs are more than twice as likely to be entrepreneurs. Mothers? characteristics play a significant role in determining future entrepreneurs.