Founders' experience and self-employment duration: the importance of being a 'Jack-of-all-trades'. An analysis based on competing risks

Dirk Oberschachtsiek

No 200840, IAB-Discussion Paper from Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany]

Abstract: "This paper investigates how founders' experience and professional background affect the duration of periods of self-employment, and to what extent the duration is affected by a balanced skill set in particular. In this context, an occupational choice framework based on a competing risk setting is used that considers an exit choice as a time varying incident. Particularly, a tailor-made variable is used reflecting the balancing property of the individuals' professional background. The results show that most self-employed individuals find themselves unemployed again. Industrial experience, experience in the service or product, high motivation and professional background as a crafts master are clearly associated with comparative advantages in self-employment. It turns out that a broad range of competences is not sufficient in order to prolong the expected duration. However, a comprehensive set of skills combined with sales/business experience can extend the duration of self-employment." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Keywords: Bundesrepublik Deutschland; Lüneburg; Niedersachsen; berufliche Qualifikation; berufliche Selbständigkeit; Berufserfahrung; Berufsverlauf; Dauer; Determinanten; Fachkenntnisse; abhängig Beschäftigte; Humankapital; Inanspruchnahme; Selbständige; Arbeitslose; Überbrückungsgeld; Arbeitslosigkeit; Unternehmenserfolg; Unternehmensgründung; Unternehmer; unternehmerische Qualifikation; 1995-2002 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C41 J24 J44 J62 J64 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 27 pages
Date: 2008
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ent and nep-lab
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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