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Entrepreneurs, legal institutions and firm dynamics

Author

Listed:
  • Neus Herranz

    (University of Illinois)

  • Stefan Krasa

    (University of Illinois)

  • Anne P. Villamil

    (University of Iowa)

Abstract

This paper assesses the impact of legal institutions on firm dynamics in a model where entrepreneurs have heterogeneous risk aversion, credit constraints and may default. Entrepreneurs choose firm size, capital structure, consumption, default and whether to incorporate. We find that less risk-averse entrepreneurs tend to incorporate while more risk-averse entrepreneurs do not; this occurs because leaving some personal assets exposed by not incorporating allows more risk-averse borrowers to credibly commit to lower default rates. We show that incorporation is determined by two effects: the standard effect that bankruptcy insures low firm returns and a new “scale effect”—more risk-averse entrepreneurs run smaller firms and default more often. The more risk-averse choose to leave some personal assets unshielded in bankruptcy due to a commitment problem that dominates the value of insurance. The less risk-averse run larger firms, default less and incorporate.

Suggested Citation

  • Neus Herranz & Stefan Krasa & Anne P. Villamil, 2017. "Entrepreneurs, legal institutions and firm dynamics," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 63(1), pages 263-285, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joecth:v:63:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1007_s00199-016-1026-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s00199-016-1026-8
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    Cited by:

    1. 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.
    2. Ege Can, 2022. "Income taxation, entrepreneurship, and incorporation status of self-employment," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 29(5), pages 1260-1293, October.
    3. Chong Kyoon Lee & Johan Wiklund & Alejandro Amezcua & Tae Jun Bae & Almantas Palubinskas, 2022. "Business failure and institutions in entrepreneurship: a systematic review and research agenda," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(4), pages 1997-2023, April.
    4. Niinimäki, J.-P., 2024. "The incentive effects of the overlapping project structure in credit markets," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    5. Fossen, Frank M., 2019. "Entrepreneurship over the Business Cycle in the United States: A Decomposition," IZA Discussion Papers 12499, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Frank M. Fossen, 2021. "Self-employment over the business cycle in the USA: a decomposition," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 1837-1855, December.
    7. Nelson Souza-Sobrinho, 2010. "Macroeconomics of bank interest spreads: evidence from Brazil," Annals of Finance, Springer, vol. 6(1), pages 1-32, January.
    8. Wang, Chong & Wang, Neng & Yang, Jinqiang, 2012. "A unified model of entrepreneurship dynamics," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(1), pages 1-23.
    9. Andrew Glover, 2010. "Bankruptcy, Incorporation, and the Nature of Entrepreneurial Risk," 2010 Meeting Papers 1010, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    10. Shi, Huihong & Mu, Congming & Yang, Jinqiang & Huang, Wenli, 2021. "A Sino-US comparative analysis of the hi-tech entrepreneurial model," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 953-966.
    11. Ye (George) Jia, 2015. "The impact of personal bankruptcy law on entrepreneurship," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 48(2), pages 464-493, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Entrepreneur; Legal environment; Incorporated; Unincorporated; Endogenous default; Bankruptcy; Commitment; Insurance; Firm size; Risk aversion; Heterogeneity; Credit constraints; Capital structure; Debt;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D92 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Intertemporal Firm Choice, Investment, Capacity, and Financing
    • E01 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General - - - Measurement and Data on National Income and Product Accounts and Wealth; Environmental Accounts
    • G33 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Bankruptcy; Liquidation
    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship

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