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Entrepreneurship and Growth: A Latin American Paradox?

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  • Cristián Larroulet Vignau
  • Couyoumdjian, Juan Pablo

    (School of Business and Economics, Universidad del Desarrollo)

Abstract

In this article, we examine the evolution of entrepreneurship in Latin America as presented in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) studies. These studies present a key set of internationally comparable statistics on entrepreneurship, which have supplied the data for important studies of the role and determinants of entrepreneurship. Here we propose another study along these lines, relating changes in entrepreneurship to changes in economic performance. We obtain an apparently paradoxical result: Latin America has high levels of entrepreneurship, but relatively modest rates of economic growth. Is it possible that, after all, entrepreneurship does not matter much for economic growth? Or is Latin America somehow immune to the beneficial effects of entrepreneurship? We attempt to explain this apparent puzzle.

Suggested Citation

  • Cristián Larroulet Vignau & Couyoumdjian, Juan Pablo, 2009. "Entrepreneurship and Growth: A Latin American Paradox?," Past Working Papers 07, Universidad del Desarrollo, School of Business and Economics, revised 2009.
    • Handle: RePEc:dsr:pastwp:07
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    5. Bonilla, Claudio A. & Cancino, Christian A., 2011. "The Impact of the Seed Capital Program of SERCOTEC in Chile," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 3824, Inter-American Development Bank.
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    9. Guzella, Marcelo & Buchbinder, Felipe & Santana, Verônica, 2024. "Venture capital investment in Latin America: The role of experience, distances, and network features," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    10. Pablo Gluzmann & David Jaume & Leonardo Gasparini, 2012. "Decisiones laborales en América Latina: el caso de los emprendedores. Un estudio sobre la base de encuestas de hogares," CEDLAS, Working Papers 0137, CEDLAS, Universidad Nacional de La Plata.
    11. Lai, Wen-Hsiang & Lin, Chiu-Ching, 2015. "Constructing business incubation service capabilities for tenants at post-entrepreneurial phase," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(11), pages 2285-2289.
    12. Jean P. Sepulveda & Claudio Bonilla, 2014. "Determinants of the Risk Attitude in Entrepreneurship: Evidence from Latin America," Past Working Papers 18, Universidad del Desarrollo, School of Business and Economics.
    13. Couyoumdjian, Juan Pablo, 2012. "Who walks out? Entrepreneurship in a global economy," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 158-165.
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    16. Claudia Álvarez & David Urbano & José Amorós, 2014. "GEM research: achievements and challenges," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 42(3), pages 445-465, March.

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