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Innovation and Microenterprises Growth in Ethiopia

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  • Mulu Gebreeyesus

Abstract

This paper addresses two prominent issues on the development of small enterprises in Africa. Which factors inhibit or foster innovation activities in small enterprises? Do innovators create more jobs? We use a large set of microenterprises survey data from Ethiopia that comprise 1000 observations with ten and fewer workers. The analysis shows that firms larger in size and in manufacturing are more likely to engage in innovative activities. Among the human capital variables vocational training is found to have a strong effect on the innovation activity.

Suggested Citation

  • Mulu Gebreeyesus, 2009. "Innovation and Microenterprises Growth in Ethiopia," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2009-51, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:rp2009-51
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    Cited by:

    1. Jocelyn Olivari, 2016. "Entrepreneurial traits and firm innovation," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 6(3), pages 339-360, December.
    2. Calza, Elisa & Goedhuys, Micheline, 2016. "Entrepreneurial heterogeneity and the design of entrepreneurship policies for economic growth and inclusive development," MERIT Working Papers 2016-043, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    3. Gebreeyesus, Mulu & Mohnen, Pierre, 2013. "Innovation Performance and Embeddedness in Networks: Evidence from the Ethiopian Footwear Cluster," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 302-316.
    4. Woldeyohanes, H. T., 2014. "Dimensions and Determinants of Growth in Micro and Small Enterprises: Empirical Evidence from Mekelle City, Ethiopia," AGRIS on-line Papers in Economics and Informatics, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Economics and Management, vol. 6(3), pages 1-12, September.
    5. Szirmai A. & Gebreeyesus M. & Guadagno F. & Verspagen B., 2013. "Promoting productive employment in Sub‐Saharan Africa : a review of the literature," MERIT Working Papers 2013-062, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    6. J.J. Voeten & W.A. Naud�, 2014. "Regulating the negative externalities of enterprise cluster innovations: lessons from Vietnam," Innovation and Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 4(2), pages 203-219, October.
    7. Abdella Kosa & Idris Mohammad & Dereje Ajibie, 2018. "Entrepreneurial orientation and venture performance in Ethiopia: the moderating role of business sector and enterprise location," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 8(1), pages 1-17, December.
    8. Ajay Thapa, 2015. "Determinants of microenterprise performance in Nepal," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 45(3), pages 581-594, October.
    9. Voeten, J.J., 2012. "Understanding responsible innovation in small producers’ clusters in Northern Vietnam : A grounded theory approach to globalization and poverty alleviation," Other publications TiSEM e01da02b-ef2b-47c9-8d06-4, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    10. Sana Ullah & Colin C. Williams & Babur Wasim Arif, 2019. "The Impacts Of Informality On Enterprise Innovation, Survival And Performance: Some Evidence From Pakistan," Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship (JDE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 24(03), pages 1-19, September.
    11. Fu, Xiaolan & Mohnen, Pierre & Zanello, Giacomo, 2018. "Innovation and productivity in formal and informal firms in Ghana," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 315-325.
    12. Dereje Regasa & David Fielding & Helen Roberts, 2017. "Access to Financing and Firm Growth: Evidence from Ethiopia," Working Papers 1707, University of Otago, Department of Economics, revised Apr 2017.
    13. Edeh, Jude N. & Acedo, Francisco J., 2021. "External supports, innovation efforts and productivity: Estimation of a CDM model for small firms in developing countries," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Economic development; Entrepreneurship; Small business; Technological innovations;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa

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