Regional knowledge, entrepreneurial culture, and innovative start-ups over time and space―an empirical investigation

Michael Fritsch () and Michael Wyrwich

Small Business Economics, 2018, vol. 51, issue 2, No 4, 337-353

Abstract: Abstract We investigate the role of entrepreneurship culture and the historical knowledge base of a region on current levels of new business formation in innovative industries. The analysis is for German regions and covers the time period 1907–2014. We find a pronounced positive relationship between high levels of historical self-employment in science-based industries and new business formation in innovative industries today. This long-term legacy effect of entrepreneurial tradition indicates the prevalence of a regional culture of entrepreneurship. Moreover, local presence and geographic proximity to a technical university founded before the year 1900 is positively related to the level of innovative start-ups more than a century later. The results show that a considerable part of the knowledge that constitutes an important source of entrepreneurial opportunities is deeply rooted in history. We draw conclusions for policy and for further research.

Keywords: Innovative start-ups; Universities; Regional knowledge; Regional cultures of entrepreneurship (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L26 L60 L80 O18 R12 R30 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (44)

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Working Paper: Regional Knowledge, Entrepreneurial Culture and Innovative Start-ups over Time and Space - An Empirical Investigation (2018)
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DOI: 10.1007/s11187-018-0016-6

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