Alleviating the lagging performance of economically depressed communities and regions

Community development

Minorities and Venture Capital: A New Wave in American Business

Based on a survey and analysis of minority-oriented venture capital funds, assesses minority-owned businesses' access to venture capital, rates of return, the investment mix among industries, sources of funds, and outlook for minority-oriented investment

Venture Capital Funds Investing in Minority-Owned Businesses: Evaluating Performance and Strategy

Based on a survey of minority-oriented private equity funds, analyzes their performance between 2000 and 2006 compared to those of major stock indices. Looks at trends among minority-oriented funds and their investment strategies in economic downturns

Transitions to Entrepreneurship and Industry-Specific Barriers

Drivers of entrepreneurial entry are investigated in this study by examining how entry into small-business ownership is shaped by industry-specific constraints. The human- and financial-capital endowments of potential entrepreneurs entering firms in various industries are shown to differ profoundly, depending on the type of venture entered. The educational credentials of highly educated potential entrepreneurs, in particular, predict avoidance of small-firm ownership in some industries as well as attraction to others. Recognizing that individuals choose an industry sector jointly with their decision to enter entrepreneurship, we find that the conventional practice of conflating different industry types in empirical analyses of transitions to entrepreneurship generates misleading findings about the determinants of entrepreneurship.entrepreneurship, self-employment, capital constraints, transitions, entry barriers, business start-ups

Allied Health Regional Workforce Analysis: Bay Area Region

Analyzes the racial/ethnic composition of workers in twenty-two health occupations and graduates of healthcare education programs in the Bay Area. Examines disparities by race/ethnicity in the types of occupations held, educational attainment, and wages

Allied Health Regional Workforce Analysis: Central California

Analyzes the racial/ethnic compositions of workers in twenty-two health occupations and graduates of healthcare education programs in the Central Valley. Examines disparities by race/ethnicity in occupations held, educational attainment, and wages

Conscientiousness makes effort less frustrating

Effort is both rewarded by attainment and powerfully aversive – the “effort paradox”. Here, we test the idea that Conscientiousness (C) decouples effort from aversive affect, permitting effort to proceed to goal attainment rather than being derailed by frustration. Study 1 (N = 1202) induced a workload using cognitive ability items. A strong association of effort with frustration was found (β = 0.40). Moreover, more difficulty predicted significantly higher felt effort (β = 0.12) and, more strongly, frustration (β = 0.32). Study 2 (N = 501) tested effects of C. Importantly, C significantly reduced frustration, and a significant C × effort interaction on frustration emerged in the easier task (β = −0.15). Study 3 (N = 700) replicated the main effect of C in the difficult task. Study 4 (N = 400) replicated both the main effect and significant C × effort interaction for the easier task. Results support the idea that C decouples frustration from effort and is adaptive, permitting high-C subjects to engage in higher goal-directed effort with less negative affect, especially for reliably completed tasks. This mechanism may reduce procrastination and increase persistence, potentially accounting for higher attainment and avoidance of “easy” lures leading to pitfall-strewn life paths