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Evidence on entrepreneurs in the United States: data from the 1989–2004 survey of consumer finances

Author

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  • Mariacristina De Nardi
  • Phil Doctor
  • Spencer D. Krane

Abstract

Using data from the Federal Reserve Board?s Survey of Consumer Finances, the authors examine characteristics of entrepreneurs and the businesses they run. Their analysis confirms that business owners are important sources of saving and wealth creation in the U.S. and that they are less risk averse than other wealthy households. This discounts the notion that the wealth of entrepreneurs disproportionately reflects a buildup of precautionary balances to guard against financial risk.

Suggested Citation

  • Mariacristina De Nardi & Phil Doctor & Spencer D. Krane, 2007. "Evidence on entrepreneurs in the United States: data from the 1989–2004 survey of consumer finances," Economic Perspectives, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, vol. 31(Q IV), pages 18-36.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedhep:y:2007:i:qiv:p:18-36:n:v.31no.4
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Vincenzo Quadrini, 2000. "Entrepreneurship, Saving and Social Mobility," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 3(1), pages 1-40, January.
    2. John Heaton & Deborah Lucas, 2000. "Portfolio Choice and Asset Prices: The Importance of Entrepreneurial Risk," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 55(3), pages 1163-1198, June.
    3. Ellen R. Rissman, 2006. "The self-employment duration of younger men over the business cycle," Economic Perspectives, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, vol. 30(Q III), pages 14-27.
    4. Daniel Aaronson & Ellen R. Rissman & Daniel G. Sullivan, 2004. "Can sectoral reallocation explain the jobless recovery?," Economic Perspectives, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, vol. 28(Q II), pages 36-39.
    5. Tobias J. Moskowitz & Annette Vissing-Jørgensen, 2002. "The Returns to Entrepreneurial Investment: A Private Equity Premium Puzzle?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 92(4), pages 745-778, September.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Zachary Mahone, 2023. "Business Ownership and the Secondary Market," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 51, pages 1114-1158, December.
    2. Scheuer, Florian, 2013. "Adverse selection in credit markets and regressive profit taxation," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 148(4), pages 1333-1360.
    3. Mariacristina De Nardi & Fella Giulio & Fang Yang, 2016. "Piketty’s Book and Macro Models of Wealth Inequality," Chicago Fed Letter, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
    4. Raquel Fonseca & Simon Lord & Simon C. Parker, 2020. "Self-Employment at Older Ages in Canada," Cahiers de recherche / Working Papers 2003, Chaire de recherche sur les enjeux économiques intergénérationnels / Research Chair in Intergenerational Economics.
    5. Florian Scheuer, 2014. "Entrepreneurial Taxation with Endogenous Entry," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 6(2), pages 126-163, May.
    6. Michelacci, Claudio & Schivardi, Fabiano, 2020. "Are they all like Bill, Mark, and Steve? The education premium for entrepreneurs," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    7. Halvarsson, Daniel & Korpi, Martin & Wennberg, Karl, 2018. "Entrepreneurship and income inequality," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 275-293.
    8. Mariacristina De Nardi, 2015. "Quantitative Models of Wealth Inequality: A Survey," NBER Working Papers 21106, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Unel, Bulent & Upton, Gregory B., 2023. "Oil & gas induced economic fluctuations and self-employment," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    10. Kwapisz, Agnieszka, 2020. "Health insurance coverage and sources of advice in entrepreneurship: Gender differences," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 14(C).
    11. Jason M. DeBacker & Bradley T. Heim & Vasia Panousi & Shanthi Ramnath & Ivan Vidangos, 2012. "The properties of income risk in privately held businesses," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2012-69, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    12. Patrice Perry–Rivers, 2016. "Stratification, Economic Adversity, and Entrepreneurial Launch: The Effect of Resource Position on Entrepreneurial Strategy," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 40(3), pages 685-712, May.
    13. Radim Bohacek & Hugo Rodríguez Mendizábal, "undated". "Misallocation of Capital in a Model of Endogenous Financial Intermediation and Insurance," Working Papers 543, Barcelona School of Economics.
    14. Chivers, David, 2017. "Success, survive or escape? Aspirations and poverty traps," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 116-132.
    15. Mariacristina De Nardi & Giulio Fella, 2017. "Saving and Wealth Inequality," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 26, pages 280-300, October.
    16. Hui Chen & Jianjun Miao & Neng Wang, 2010. "Entrepreneurial Finance and Nondiversifiable Risk," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 23(12), pages 4348-4388, December.
    17. Peter Chinloy & Daniel Winkler, 2012. "Contracts, Individual Revenue and Performance," Journal of Labor Research, Springer, vol. 33(4), pages 545-562, December.
    18. Anne Villamil & Zhigang Feng, 2017. "Regressive Subsidy to EHI and Entrepreneurial Talent Allocation," 2017 Meeting Papers 1059, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    19. David Chivers & Zhigang Feng & Anne Villamil, 2017. "Employment-based Health Insurance and Misallocation: Implications for the Macroeconomy," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 23, pages 125-149, January.

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    Keywords

    Consumer surveys; Business enterprises;

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