"Presentation of the ‘Handbook of Research on Entrepreneurship
The seminar in Brussels on November 8th was arranged by the Swedish Foundation for Small Business Research (FSF), the Swedish Agency for Econimic and Regional Growth (NUTEK) and the Swedish Institute for Growth Policy Studies (ITPS) together with ECSB, ICSB and EIM
The seminar started with an introduction and welcome by Brita Saxton, Director General of ITPS, representing the organisers of the seminar: ECSB, EIM, FSF, ICSB, ITPS, and NUTEK.
Professor Anders Lundström, President of The Swedish Foundation of Small Business Research (FSF) and moderator of the seminar, was pleased to see that representatives for all the corners of his Triangle metaphor: business people, policy-makers, and researchers, were represented in the audience as well as among the speakers.
Professor Roy Thurik, EIM and Erasmus University, one of the editors of the Handbook, said that in the entrepreneurship domain the discovery process is somewhat difficult to define; entrepreneurship is a variable that can plan a role in many other fields like industrial and regional economics, and economics of growth, and it can also play different roles. To Thurik as a researcher, this element of roaming other fields is a major driving force. He also concluded that it is a Green papers, task forces, etc are well needed to better get to know entrepreneurship.
Gert-Jan Koopman, DG Enterprise and Industry, described the handbook as an important contribution to the still emerging entrepreneurship field, which is attracting more and more attention from policy-makers who need knowledge from research. It is a very wide field and the interface between research and policy-making needs some guidance and some translation. The timing of the handbook is according to Koopman impeccable, however conclusions are just emerging. -We don't really know what to do yet, he stated, and asked for simple, straightforward messages that can be turned into policy recommendations: "Some do-s and don't-s, please!"
Left photo: Professor Roy Thurik from Erasmus University Rotterdam and EIM Business and Policy Research and Mr. Gert-Jan Koopman, Director Industrial Policy and Economic Reforms, DG Enterprise & Industry, European Commission. Right photo: Professor David Audretsch from Max Planck Institute in Germany.
Professor David Audretsch, Max Planck Institute and Indiana University, another of the editors, stressed that policy-makers need a framework, and that is an issue that has not yet been fully addressed. Economics traditionally does not cover the entrepreneurship factor; what it has to do with growth, competitiveness, employment, etc. However, the questions are still better than the answers, so more research is needed. -What we should have is a policy for an entrepreneurial society rather than entrepreneurship policy.
As a goal for policy, entrepreneurship has become a hot subject; maybe at the expense of other policy areas, Dr Stephan Raes, Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, said. He argued that entrepreneurship is about allowing people to make use of their talents, and referred to the first chapter of the handbook. One important task for research is to contribute to help policy-makers to know what they do, to find and describe ways of what works and what does not work.
Professor Friederike Welter, ECSB, pointed out that the new member countries are missing in the handbook. -Are they any different [from the old]? If so, how? Welter asked. She also would like to have a time perspective in the structure model. Eastern Europe has rather recently, in 1990, opened up their markets and created legal structures that allow entrepreneurship. -Entrepreneurship is about individuals, which their example clearly show, since once it was allowed entrepreneurship almost exploded in these countries. Policy-makers there are in general very young. This might be a way to try to avoid a strong socialist heritage, however at the same time they in a way throw away experience that could be useful. - Let's broaden our perspective, let's look eastwards, it's very likely worthwhile! Welter concluded.
Dr Sander Wennekers, EIM, asked himself a couple of questions when reading the handbook: Entrepreneurship policy, isn't that a contradiction in terms? Since the welfare state can be considered to be a disincentive, is entrepreneurship an excuse to remove it? How do we know that entrepreneurship policy isn't a waste of money? At least it calls for solid evaluation. Research on entrepreneurship policy is still in its infancy, what we se is still much conceptual clarification, according to Wennekers. Entrepreneurship policy implies change in many domains since entrepreneurial culture stresses self-reliance; to achieve this we need institutions that are conducive to entrepreneurial behaviour. Change would then be needed culturally, socially, and institutionally. Entrepreneurship policy in this perspective is not about more subsidies, but about creating incentives, changing the educational system etc.
Left photo: Mr Edward Elgar, entrepreneur and founder of Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.
Right photo: Dr. Christian Weinberger, head of unit, Entrepreneurship, European Commission Enterprise & Industry Directorate-General.
Mr Edward Elgar, founder and president of Elgar Publishing Ltd, considered himself to be brought up to be anti-capitalist and anti-business. Margaret Thatcher changed that. She put focus on the entrepreneur as an employer, as a wealth creator, someone taking personal responsibility. He mentioned some key factors in his business undertaking: Authors - having worked in publishing for 14 years before starting in 1986, his contacts with different authors were a major resource; globalisation - his company has always focused on the international markets and authors, especially the North American and Asian markets (Japan), where reprint series were successful products; specialisation - a necessary strategy in order to succeed, to find their niche; and the human resources - a company's greatest asset, they have flexible working practices, and loyal, committed people in the company. Elgar stressed that today the costs for handling all different regulations are a barrier to entry.
Dr Christian Weinberger, DG Enterprise and Industry, stated that one very important task for policy-makers is to find ways on how to make Europe more entrepreneurial, a task with many dimensions. Policy-makers need to be more precise in what they're trying to do. Weinberger presented some of the findings of a recent European Entrepreneurship survey. In general, Europe needs a revolution in people's mindset. One example he mentioned is the issue of getting entrepreneurship integrated into the European curricula - so far only in five countries. Another issue is the stigma of failure. Entrepreneurship policy is not about skills, according to Weinberger, the first thing to focus is the attitudes. In this respect the new member states are more like the US than the old member states.
The Handbook of Research on Entrepreneurship Policy can be ordered at www.e-elgar.com.
Overview of the chapters that is coverd in the book:
1. Explaining Entrepreneurship and the Role of Policy: A Framework – David Audretsch, Isabel Grilo, Roy Thurik
2. The Simple Economics of Technology Entrepreneurship: Market Failure Reconsidered – Philip E. Auerswald
3. From Small Business to Entrepreneurship Policy – David Audretsch, Iris Beckmann
4. Policymakers Beware! - Simon C. Parker
5. Promoting Entrepreneurship in the Welfare State – Magnus Henrekson, Jesper Roine
6. Entrepreneurship Policy: ‘Clothing the Emperor’ - Lois Stevenson, Anders Lundström
7. Public Policy and Entrepreneurship – Albert N. Link
8. A Rough Guide to Entrepreneurship Policy – Anders N. Hoffmann
9. Government Program to encourage Innovation by Start-ups and SMEs: The role of US Innovation Rewards – Charles W. Wessner
10. Quantitative and Qualitative Studies of University Technology Transfer: Synthesis and Policy Recommendations – Donald S. Siegel
11. Entrepreneurship Policy in Bavaria: Between Laptop and Lederhosen – Marcel Hülsbeck, Erik E. Lehmann
12. Issues in Evaluation: The Case of Shell Delivery – Francis J. Green, David J. Storey
