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Bilateral Investment Treaties and Entrepreneurship: A Social Network Analysis

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Abstract

This paper empirically investigates the effects of bilateral investment treaties (BITs) on entrepreneurship through the lens of social network analysis (SNA), focusing on two key network characteristics: centrality and brokerage. We begin by developing a set of hypotheses regarding how a country’s position within the BIT network influences entrepreneurial activity. These hypotheses are tested using a panel dataset of 102 countries spanning 2006–2018. We also examine how these relationships are moderated by economic development and trade integration, and whether they vary across different types of entrepreneurship—including formal vs. informal, male vs. female, and domestic vs. international entrepreneurship. Our findings indicate that centrality has a positive effect on entrepreneurship, while brokerage exerts a negative influence. Moreover, both economic development and trade integration are found to weaken these effects. We also observe differential impacts of BIT network structure across the various entrepreneurship subgroups.

Suggested Citation

  • Ziruo Chen & Bifei Tian & W. Robert Reed & Zhengxin Wang, 2025. "Bilateral Investment Treaties and Entrepreneurship: A Social Network Analysis," Working Papers in Economics 25/06, University of Canterbury, Department of Economics and Finance.
    • Handle: RePEc:cbt:econwp:25/06
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    File URL: https://repec.canterbury.ac.nz/cbt/econwp/2506.pdf
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    BITs network; Entrepreneurship; Centrality; Brokerage; Economic development; Trade integration;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F21 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Investment; Long-Term Capital Movements
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • F63 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization - - - Economic Development
    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration

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