The Impact of Regional Age Structure on Entrepreneurship

Werner Bönte (), Oliver Falck and Stephan Heblich

Economic Geography, 2009, vol. 85, issue 3, 269-287

Abstract: Empirical studies based on individual data have found an inverse U-shaped relationship between age and the decision to start a business. Other studies have shown that becoming an entrepreneur is a regional event, with potential entrepreneurs benefiting from their local networks. This article links both strands of literature by introducing age-specific peer effects. Using changes in the age distribution of the population of western German regions over time, we found—in accordance with microlevel analyses—an inverse U-shaped relationship between the regional age structure and start-up activity in a region. Moreover, our findings suggest that the age-specific likelihood of becoming an entrepreneur changes with the size of the age cohort, pointing to the existence of age-specific peer effects.

Date: 2009
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (70)

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Journal Article: The Impact of Regional Age Structure on Entrepreneurship (2009)
Working Paper: The impact of regional age structure on entrepreneurship (2009)
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DOI: 10.1111/j.1944-8287.2009.01032.x

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