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Public economics gone wild: Lessons from venture capital

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  • Cumming, Douglas

Abstract

A recent article in the Journal of Public Economics has asserted, among other things, that government venture capital funds in Europe have crowded out private venture capital. I explain that the findings in that paper are based on empirical measures that are completely flawed. Moreover, I show with data spanning 13 countries and the years 1989–2011 that government venture capital funds in Europe have not crowded out private venture capital investment. Finally, I draw implications for studying venture capital and public policy for other countries such as India and China.

Suggested Citation

  • Cumming, Douglas, 2014. "Public economics gone wild: Lessons from venture capital," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 251-260.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finana:v:36:y:2014:i:c:p:251-260
    DOI: 10.1016/j.irfa.2013.10.005
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alexander Groh & Heinrich Von Liechtenstein & Karsten Lieser, 2010. "The European Venture Capital and Private Equity country attractiveness indices," Post-Print hal-02312815, HAL.
    2. Xun Li & Zhenyu Wu, 2008. "Reputation entrenchment or risk minimization?: Early stop and investor-manager agency conflict in fund management," Journal of Risk Finance, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 9(2), pages 125-150, February.
    3. Black, Bernard S. & Gilson, Ronald J., 1998. "Venture capital and the structure of capital markets: banks versus stock markets," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(3), pages 243-277, March.
    4. Christian Keuschnigg, 2004. "Venture Capital Backed Growth," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 9(2), pages 239-261, June.
    5. Christian Keuschnigg & Søren Bo Nielsen, 2004. "Progressive Taxation, Moral Hazard, and Entrepreneurship," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 6(3), pages 471-490, August.
    6. Cumming, Douglas J. & MacIntosh, Jeffrey G., 2006. "Crowding out private equity: Canadian evidence," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 21(5), pages 569-609, September.
    7. Keuschnigg, Christian & Nielsen, Soren Bo, 2003. "Tax policy, venture capital, and entrepreneurship," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 175-203, January.
    8. Da Rin, Marco & Nicodano, Giovanna & Sembenelli, Alessandro, 2006. "Public policy and the creation of active venture capital markets," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(8-9), pages 1699-1723, September.
    9. Keuschnigg, Christian & Nielsen, Soren Bo, 2004. "Start-ups, venture capitalists, and the capital gains tax," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(5), pages 1011-1042, April.
    10. Jeng, Leslie A. & Wells, Philippe C., 2000. "The determinants of venture capital funding: evidence across countries," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 6(3), pages 241-289, September.
    11. Alexander Groh & Heinrich Von Liechtenstein, 2011. "The first step of the capital flow from institutions to entrepreneurs : the criteria for sorting venture capital funds," Post-Print hal-02312606, HAL.
    12. Gompers, Paul & Kovner, Anna & Lerner, Josh & Scharfstein, David, 2008. "Venture capital investment cycles: The impact of public markets," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 1-23, January.
    13. Vesa Kanniainen & Christian Keuschnigg (ed.), 2004. "Venture Capital, Entrepreneurship, and Public Policy," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262112876, December.
    14. Christian Keuschnigg & Soren Nielsen, 2001. "Public Policy for Venture Capital," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 8(4), pages 557-572, August.
    15. Douglas J. Cumming & Jeffrey G. MacIntosh, 2007. "Mutual funds that invest in private equity? An analysis of labour-sponsored investment funds," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 31(3), pages 445-487, May.
    16. repec:zbw:bofrdp:2013_030 is not listed on IDEAS
    17. Cumming, Douglas, 2007. "Government policy towards entrepreneurial finance: Innovation investment funds," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 22(2), pages 193-235, March.
    18. Douglas Cumming & Grant Fleming & Armin Schwienbacher, 2009. "Style Drift in Private Equity," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(5‐6), pages 645-678, June.
    19. Cumming, Douglas & Johan, Sofia, 2007. "Regulatory harmonization and the development of private equity markets," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 31(10), pages 3218-3250, October.
    20. Cumming, Douglas J. & Johan, Sofia A., 2013. "Venture Capital and Private Equity Contracting," Elsevier Monographs, Elsevier, edition 2, number 9780124095373.
    21. James M. Poterba, 1989. "Venture Capital and Capital Gains Taxation," NBER Chapters, in: Tax Policy and the Economy, Volume 3, pages 47-68, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    22. Wang, Lanfang & Wang, Susheng, 2012. "Economic freedom and cross-border venture capital performance," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 19(1), pages 26-50.
    23. Christian Keuschnigg & Soren Bo Nielsen, 2003. "Taxes and Venture Capital Support," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 7(3), pages 515-539.
    24. Groh, Alexander Peter & von Liechtenstein, Heinrich & Lieser, Karsten, 2010. "The European Venture Capital and Private Equity country attractiveness indices," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 16(2), pages 205-224, April.
    25. Nahata, Rajarishi, 2008. "Venture capital reputation and investment performance," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(2), pages 127-151, November.
    26. Alexander Peter Groh & Heinrich von Liechtenstein, 2011. "The First Step of the Capital Flow from Institutions to Entrepreneurs: the Criteria for Sorting Venture Capital Funds," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 17(3), pages 532-559, June.
    27. John Armour & Douglas Cumming, 2006. "The legislative road to Silicon Valley," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 58(4), pages 596-635, October.
    28. Cumming, Douglas & Li, Dan, 2013. "Public policy, entrepreneurship, and venture capital in the United States," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 345-367.
    29. Jianhong Xue & Peter G. Klein, 2010. "Regional determinants of technology entrepreneurship," International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 1(3), pages 291-308.
    30. Leleux, Benoit & Surlemont, Bernard, 2003. "Public versus private venture capital: seeding or crowding out? A pan-European analysis," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 81-104, January.
    31. Douglas Cumming & Grant Fleming & Armin Schwienbacher, 2005. "Liquidity Risk and Venture Capital Finance," Financial Management, Financial Management Association, vol. 34(4), Winter.
    32. Xun Li & Hwee Huat Tan & Craig Wilson & Zhenyu Wu, 2013. "When should venture capitalists exit their investee companies?," International Journal of Managerial Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 9(4), pages 351-364, September.
    33. Douglas Cumming & Grant Fleming & Armin Schwienbacher, 2009. "Style Drift in Private Equity," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(5‐6), pages 645-678, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Jonathan Labbé, 2017. "Private Equity: Universality of financing and universality of effects on business innovation? A conceptual approach [Capital-investissement : Universalité du financement et universalité des effets ," Post-Print hal-03000109, HAL.
    2. Jonathan Labbé, 2016. "Relationship between private and public investors: lever or hindrance to innovation [Relations entre investisseurs privés et publics : levier ou obstacle à l'innovation]," Post-Print hal-03000105, HAL.
    3. Di Pietro, Francesca & Butticè, Vincenzo, 2020. "Institutional characteristics and the development of crowdfunding across countries," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    4. Cumming, Douglas & Zhang, Yelin, 2016. "Alternative investments in emerging markets: A review and new trends," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 1-23.
    5. Robert Baldock, 2016. "An assessment of the business impacts of the UK’s Enterprise Capital Funds," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 34(8), pages 1556-1581, December.
    6. Jianjun Xu & Lijie Yu & Rakesh Gupta, 2020. "Evaluating the Performance of the Government Venture Capital Guiding Fund Using the Intuitionistic Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-24, August.
    7. Cumming, Douglas & Henriques, Irene & Sadorsky, Perry, 2016. "‘Cleantech’ venture capital around the world," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 86-97.
    8. Pavlova, Elitsa & Signore, Simone, 2019. "The European venture capital landscape: an EIF perspective. Volume V: The economic impact of VC investments supported by the EIF," EIF Working Paper Series 2019/55, European Investment Fund (EIF).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Venture capital; Public policy; Government sponsorship; Tax; Crowding out;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G24 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Investment Banking; Venture Capital; Brokerage
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • K22 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - Business and Securities Law

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