A key resource for industrial and regional economists and those working in business schools, this book provides an analysis of the reasons and determinants of firm creation. Multi-disciplinary in approach it focuses on regional, industrial and individual determinants.

This book focuses on three main areas, each of which is central to economic theorising: firms’ organisation and behaviour, technological change and the process of globalisation. What this collection provides is a broad view of the three topics by concentrating on different aspects of each of them, and utilising different methods of investigation.

Ô. . . the book is an important reading in the field of entrepreneurship. One of its main contributions is that it clearly shows that the process of new firm formation is a regional event. The chapters are rich in theoretical insights and data, and are valuable readings for students, academics, and policy-makers interested in entrepreneurship and regional growth.Õ Ð Christine Tam‡sy, Regional Studies ÔEntrepreneurship can have powerful effects on local as well as national economies. The chapters in this edited volume, authored by well-known experts in their fields, explore various aspects of entrepreneurship and regional development. The book provides an illuminating overview of the current state of knowledge while also sharing with the reader several new findings and insights on issues as diverse as globalization, regional employment growth, nascent entrepreneurs, gazelles, labor productivity, government regulations, and university entrepreneurship. It is recommended reading for anyone interested in these topics.Õ Ð Simon C. Parker, The University of Western Ontario, Canada ÔThere is substantial evidence regarding the considerable regional variation in business creation. Michael Fritsch has done a fine job of assembling the most recent analyses of the best scholars on the regional factors affecting firm creation and the consequences. It is essential reading for any scholar or policy analyst seeking a state-of-the-art overview of the current empirical status of research on this important topic.Õ Ð Paul D. Reynolds, George Washington University, US ÔThis Handbook examines the contribution of the entrepreneur and related processes to regional economic development. The recognition that the indirect entrepreneurial effects on development are more significant than the direct is an important and under-girding conclusion. And further, that entrepreneurial driven effects are often not felt immediately but in some cases only across decades, as illustrated by the over-two-decade incubation of the entrepreneurial culture in Silicon Valley which only later resulted in it becoming the dominant icon of scientific and technology regional development that it is today.Õ Ð Roger Stough, George Mason University, US ÔThis volume fills an important gap in the research literature on entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is a localized phenomenon and all too many studies disregard this fact. Thus, the regional economic milieu is a critical factor determining not only the volume and type of entrepreneurship but also the effects of entrepreneurship in terms of value-added growth, employment growth, etc. The contributions in this book by a number of leading scientists in the field provide an excellent overview and understanding of the prerequisites for and the role of entrepreneurship in regional growth and development.Õ Ð Charlie Karlsson, Jšnkšping University, Sweden Recent research has found pronounced differences in the level of entrepreneurship and new business formation across various regions and nations. This timely Handbook reveals that the development of new ventures as well as their effects on overall economic growth are strongly shaped by their regional and national environment. The expert group of contributors gives an overview on the current state of the art in this field, and proposes avenues for further investigation. Topics include the regional determinants of new business formation, the effects of start-ups on growth, the role of globalization for regional entrepreneurship, the effect of national and regional framework conditions, as well as the role of universities as incubators of innovative new firms.

This book offers a theoretically novel way of approaching the knowledge economy, combining analysis of the works of Schumpeter and Kuznets and suggesting fresh conclusions. Francesco Quataro is an up and coming young scholar whose research with Cristiano Antonelli has been widely published in journals.

Behind the mystery of economic growth stands another mystery: why do some places fare better than others? This book aims to discuss the main economic reasons for the existence of peaks and troughs in the spatial distribution of wealth and people, with a special emphasis on the role of large cities and regional agglomerations in the process of economic development.

Psychological characteristics are significant for various stages of the entrepreneurial process on both individual and group levels. Looking into the ‘psychological context’ in entrepreneurship, Martin Obschonka reviews and defines the field, exploring the role of regional and country-level entrepreneurial personality and new trends in the geography of entrepreneurial psychology influenced by technological advances.

Regions and cities are the natural loci where knowledge is created, and where it can be easily turned into a commercial product. This book explains the logic behind the interactions and cooperative attitudes in regions and cities, with a particular focus on the importance of academic institutions in fostering development.