Failing role models and the formation of fear of entrepreneurial failure: a study of regional peer effects in German regions

Entrepreneurial role models influence decisions to start firms. This effect is even stronger if peers and observers live in the same region. However, most studies remain silent about the role of entrepreneurial failure for the direction of role modeling. Failed role models can trigger a deterrence of entrepreneurship in others of the same region. We hypothesize that observing successful entrepreneurs reduces fear of failure, while observing business failure increases fear of failure. By using data on regional entries and exits, we find considerable support for our hypothesis and contribute to literature on regional entrepreneurship

Unveiling professional development: A critical review of stage models

In research across professions, the development of professional skill traditionally was seen as a process of accumulation of knowledge and skills, promoted by practical experience. More recently, this view has been modified to incorporate skillful know-how that is progressively acquired by passing through developmental stages, such as novice, competent, and expert. The authors of this article critically review contemporary stage models that are typically applied across professions. Their principal critique is that a focus on stages veils or conceals more fundamental aspects of professional skill development. On the basis of their critique, the authors propose an alternative model that builds on the strengths of previous models while seeking to overcome their main limitations. Finally, the authors outline the implications of their alternative model for professional education, workplace practices, and research on professional development

Entrepreneurial role models, fear of failure, and institutional approval of entrepreneurship: A tale of two regions

Studies on the influence of entrepreneurial role models (peers) on the decision to start a firm ar-gue that entrepreneurial role models in the local environment (1) provide opportunities to learn about entrepreneurial tasks and capabilities, and (2) signal that entrepreneurship is a favorable career option thereby reducing uncertainty that potential entrepreneurs face. However, these studies remain silent about the role of institutional context for these mechanisms. Applying an ex-tended sender-receiver model, we hypothesize that observing entrepreneurs reduces fear of fail-ure in others in environments where approval of entrepreneurship is high while this effect is signif-icantly weaker in low approval environments. Taking advantage of the natural experiment from recent German history and using data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Project (GEM), we find considerable support for our hypotheses

Oekonomische Effekte der Weltausstellung 2000 in Hannover

SIGLEAvailable from Bibliothek des Instituts fuer Weltwirtschaft, ZBW, Duesternbrook Weg 120, D-24105 Kiel C 172118 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman

Zur Messung der Nutzung regionaler Potenziale beim Ausbau erneuerbarer Energien: eine empirische Analyse deutscher Landkreise

Der Beitrag beantwortet zwei bislang kaum behandelte Fragen: Wie gut schöpfen deutsche Regionen ihr Potenzial zur Erzeugung regenerativer Energien aus und welche Faktoren beeinflussen diese Ausbaueffizienz? Mit dem neuartigen quantitativ-empirischen Konzept der Ausbaueffizienz wird das Ausmaß ermittelt, mit dem Regionen ihre natürlichen und sozioökonomischen Potenziale zur Erzeugung von Energie aus erneuerbaren Quellen zu einem bestimmten Zeitpunkt ausgeschöpft haben. Dieser Ansatz erlaubt unter Berücksichtigung der Energieträger Wind-, Solar- und Biogasenergie einen relativen Vergleich von Regionen, ihre Ausbaueffizienz über die Zeit sowie die Identifikation von Best-practice-Regionen. Mittels der innovativen Methodik werden deutsche Landkreise im Zeitraum 2000 bis 2014 verglichen. Dabei kommt eine robuste nichtparametrische Effizienzanalyse zum Einsatz, deren Ergebnisse durch qualitative Experteninterviews in ausgewählten Kreisen Niedersachsens validiert werden. Die Ergebnisse der Untersuchung zeigen große regionale Unterschiede in der Ausbaueffizienz sowohl zwischen Landkreisen als auch zwischen (Landkreisen in verschiedenen) Bundesländern. Auch bezüglich der Art der drei betrachteten regenerativen Energieträger unterscheiden sich die deutschen Landkreise erheblich. Die empirischen Befunde sind räumlich und zeitlich sehr differenziert und erlauben auch deshalb diverse lokal- und landespolitische Schlussfolgerungen. Insbesondere sollten Landkreise (und Bundesländer) mit bislang eher geringer Ausbaueffizienz von solchen mit hoher Ausbaueffizienz lernen. In der Breite können diese politischen Lerneffekte nachhaltig zum Gelingen der Energiewende beitragen.This paper answers two rarely considered questions: How well do German regions exploit their potential to produce renewable energy and which factors impact on this exploitation efficiency? By applying the new quantitative-empirical concept of exploitation efficiency, we measure the degree, to which regions have exploited their natural and socio-economic potentials of producing energy from renewable source at a specific point in time. This approach allows, with respect to wind power, solar power and biogas energy, a relative comparison of regions, monitoring their performance over time as well as the identification of best-practice regions. Applying our innovative method, we compare German districts in the time period 2000-2014. We use a robust, non-parametric efficiency analysis and validate its results by qualitative expert interviews in selected counties in Lower Saxony. The results show strong disparities in terms of the exploitation efficiency between districts and federal states. This exploitation efficiency moreover varies significantly for different types of renewable energy. We also observe specialization tendencies in this context. Our empirical results are very detailed both from a spatial and from a temporal perspective and therefore allow for drawing several conclusions for local and federal state policies. For instance, those districts (and federal states) with currently rather low exploitation efficiencies need to learn from those with high efficiencies. Such learning effects may sustainably contribute to a successful turnaround in energy policy