Motivation based policies for an entrepreneurial EU economy

This paper investigates the impact of various entrepreneurial motives and institutional conditions on entrepreneurial aspirations in terms of innovativeness, job growth expectations and export orientation. We estimate a two-equation model explaining entrepreneurial motivations and entrepreneurial aspirations, while taking into account the interrelationship between both groups of variables. We use data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) and find that entrepreneurial aspirations are different for various types of entrepreneurial motives. For example, we find that the increase wealth motive as a prime driver for becoming selfemployed is positively related to innovation and growth ambitions, whereas we find no evidence of a relation between the independence motive and entrepreneurial aspirations. On the basis of our findings policy directions are presented for an entrepreneurial EU economy. An updated version of this paper is numbered H200710.

Drivers of entrepreneurial aspirations at the country lever: the role of start-up motivations and social security

This paper investigates whether start-up motivations and the level of social security can explain entrepreneurial aspirations. We use country-level data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) for the year 2005. We distinguish between the necessity motive, independence motive and increase wealth motive and look at entrepreneurial aspirations in terms of innovativeness, job growth expectations and export orientation. As an indicator of a country?s level of social security we take the social security contribution rate (for employer?s and employees) from the World Competitiveness Yearbook. Previous research has found a negative relationship between the level of entrepreneurial activity and social security contributions, suggesting that social security increases the opportunity costs for entrepreneurship. The results of this study complement these previous findings by indicating that social security contributions have a negative influence on the supply of ambitious entrepreneurship in terms of new product or service introductions, job growth and export orientation. Furthermore, our findings indicate that entrepreneurial aspirations in terms of job growth and export relate positively to the increase wealth motive, whereas no significant relationship is found between our aspiration variables and the independence and necessity motives. On the basis of our findings policy directions are presented for an entrepreneurial economy. This is an update of paper H200627.

Determinants of job satisfaction: A European comparison of sel femployed and paid employees

Job satisfaction of self-employed and paid-employed workers is analyzed using the European Community Household Panel for the EU-15 covering the years 1994-2001. We distinguish between two types of job satisfaction, i.e. job satisfaction in terms of type of work and job satisfaction in terms of job security. Findings from our generalized ordered logit regressions indicate that self-employed individuals as compared to paid employees are more likely to be satisfied with their present jobs in terms of type of work and less likely to be satisfied in terms of job security. The findings also provide many insights into the determinants of the two types of job satisfaction for both the self-employed and paid employees.

Factors Influencing the Entrepreneurial Engagement of Opportunity and Necessity Entrepreneurs

This paper investigates determinants of engagement in various stages of the entrepreneurial process while considering an individual's start-up motivation using 2007 survey data for 27 European countries and the US. Next to opportunity and necessity start-up motivations, we take into account individuals driven by a combination of both motivations. We observe that opportunity- and necessitydriven entrepreneurs as well as those with mixed start-up motivations have different profiles. Furthermore, they differ concerning the factors that inspire or hinder them to engage in the entrepreneurial process more fully ('to climb the entrepreneurial ladder'). For example, entrepreneurship-specific education, selfemployed parents, risk tolerance, perception of lack of financial support, and living in a metropolitan area are important variables in determining entrepreneurial engagement and failure for opportunity-driven individuals, but they are not (or less) important for necessity-driven individuals.

Entrepreneurial exit and entrepreneurial engagement

Arguing that entrepreneurial exit is an indicator of accumulated entrepreneurial human capital (like ability and experience) we investigate whether such an exit in the recent past positively relates to posterior engagement in various stages of the entrepreneurial process (i.e. potential, intentional, nascent, young, and established entrepreneurship). We use individual-level data for 24 countries that participated in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor during the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 (some 350,000 observations). Our findings indeed show that recent exit experience decreases the probability of undertaking no entrepreneurial activity, and that it increases the probabilities of being a potential or an intentional entrepreneur. We also investigate under what conditions recent exit increases engagement in entrepreneurial activities. Most important factors that influence entrepreneurial (re-)engagement are gender, fear of failure and knowing an entrepreneur, while educational attainment does not seem to be relevant. Also, some interesting country differences are found. �

Determinants of Job Satisfaction across the EU-15: A Comparison of Self-Employed and Paid Employees

Job satisfaction of self-employed and paid-employed workers is analyzed using the European Community Household Panel for the EU-15 covering the years 1994-2001. We distinguish between two types of job satisfaction, i.e. job satisfaction in terms of type of work and job satisfaction in terms of job security. Findings from our generalized ordered logit regressions indicate that self-employed individuals as compared to paid employees are more likely to be satisfied with their present jobs in terms of type of work and less likely to be satisfied in terms of job security. The findings also provide many insights into the determinants of the two types of job satisfaction for both the self-employed and paid employees

Determinants of Job Satisfaction across the EU-15: A Comparison of Self-Employed and Paid Employees

Job satisfaction of self-employed and paid-employed workers is analyzed using the European Community Household Panel for the EU-15 covering the years 1994-2001. We distinguish between two types of job satisfaction, i.e. job satisfaction in terms of type of work and job satisfaction in terms of job security. Findings from our generalized ordered logit regressions indicate that self-employed individuals as compared to paid employees are more likely to be satisfied with their present jobs in terms of type of work and less likely to be satisfied in terms of job security. The findings also provide many insights into the determinants of the two types of job satisfaction for both the self-employed and paid employee

Factors influencing the entrepreneurial engagement of opportunity and necessity entrepreneurs

The scholarly literature often distinguishes between so-called opportunity and necessity entrepreneurship and between “pull” and “push” motivations. Despite the pervasive use of this terminology, empirical analyses are mostly based on a single country. The present paper contribut

Noise-robust fixation detection in eye movement data: Identification by two-means clustering (I2MC)

Eye-tracking research in infants and older children has gained a lot of momentum over the last decades. Although eye-tracking research in these participant groups has become easier with the advance of the remote eye-tracker, this often comes at the cost of poorer data quality than in research with well-trained adults (Hessels, Andersson, Hooge, Nyström, & Kemner Infancy, 20, 601–633, 2015; Wass, Forssman, & Leppänen Infancy, 19, 427–460, 2014). Current fixation detection algorithms are not built for data from infants and young children. As a result, some researchers have even turned to hand correction of fixation detections (Saez de Urabain, Johnson, & Smith Behavior Research Methods, 47, 53–72, 2015). Here we introduce a fixation detection algorithm—identification by two-means clustering (I2MC)—built specifically for data across a wide range of noise levels and when periods of data loss may occur. We evaluated the I2MC algorithm against seven state-of-the-art event detection algorithms, and report that the I2MC algorithm’s output is the most robust to high noise and data loss levels. The algorithm is automatic, works offline, and is suitable for eye-tracking data recorded with remote or tower-mounted eye-trackers using static stimuli. In addition to application of the I2MC algorithm in eye-tracking research with infants, school children, and certain patient groups, the I2MC algorithm also may be useful when the noise and data loss levels are markedly different between trials, participants, or time points (e.g., longitudinal research)