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Post-Socialist Culture and Entrepreneurship

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  • Petrik Runst

Abstract

In this paper it is argued that locus of control beliefs and preferences concerning state action negatively affect the formation of new firms in former socialist countries. For this purpose Kirzner's theory of costless entrepreneurship is reviewed and criticized. German reunification, in which the formerly Socialist East joined the Federal Republic of Germany, represents an intriguing natural experiment in which the formal institutional structure of one nation was almost fully transplanted into another. Traditional as well as psychological factors are examined. The results suggest that about one third of the east-west gap in new self-employment can be explained by inert informal institutions.

Suggested Citation

  • Petrik Runst, 2011. "Post-Socialist Culture and Entrepreneurship," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 373, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    • Handle: RePEc:diw:diwsop:diw_sp373
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    File URL: https://www.diw.de/documents/publikationen/73/diw_01.c.372553.de/diw_sp0373.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Wyrwich, Michael, 2013. "Can socioeconomic heritage produce a lost generation with regard to entrepreneurship?," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 28(5), pages 667-682.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Psychology of Entrepreneurship; Self-Employment; Transitional Economies; East Germany;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D0 - Microeconomics - - General
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • P20 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist and Transition Economies - - - General

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