Claudia Alvarez

Environmental Conditions and Entrepreneurial Activity: A Regional Comparison in Spain

Purpose – The main objective of this paper is to analyse the influence of environmental factors on entrepreneurship at the Spanish regional level, using institutional economics as the theoretical framework for the research. Additionally, this work aims to emphasize how environmental conditions have different effects according to the gender of entrepreneurs. Design/methodology/approach – Regional panel data (19 Spanish regions and the 2006-2009 period) from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), specifically from the Spanish National Expert Survey (NES) for environmental conditions and the GEM Adult Population Survey (APS) for entrepreneurial activity were analysed within a fixed effects model with panel corrected standard errors. Findings – The main findings of the study indicate that both informal (cultural and social norms, perception of opportunities to start-up and entrepreneur social image) and formal factors (intellectual property rights) influence entrepreneurship, but the informal are more determinant than the formal. Concerning the gender issues, informal and formal institutions are also determinant, but female entrepreneurship is significantly associated with the womens support to start-up, whereas primary and higher education are associated only with male entrepreneurial activity. Research limitations/implications – The results of the research should be interpreted carefully, because the availability of data constrained the analysis to a time period that is not reflective of the economic cycle; on the contrary, the data correspond to a period of recession, and thus the results cannot be generalized. Also, the study could extend the analysed period and compare the obtained results with international data, considering the global number of participant countries in the GEM Project. Originality/value – The study provides a methodology to analyse the environmental factors for new firm creation at a regional level, combining GEM data and institutional economics.

Leadership Styles and Innovative Entrepreneurship: An International Study

This research attempts to empirically examine the relationship between leadership styles and innovative entrepreneurship through regression analysis, using a sample of 43 countries and data from Global Entrepreneurship Monitor and Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness. In light of institutional approaches and specifically based on the normative dimension, the main findings of the study indicate that participative leadership and higher education represent the strongest explanatory factor in the variance of the current rates of innovative entrepreneurship. This study has contributions for both researchers and policymakers on new firm creation (entrepreneurship) and on the generation of innovation within organizations (intrapreneurship).

Environmental Factors and Female Entrepreneurship: A Quantitative Study in Spain

The main purpose of this research is to analyze the influence of environmental factors on female entrepreneurial activity, using an institutional approach as a theoretical framework. The empirical research uses regression logistic models and data from Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM). The main findings indicate that informal factors (perceived capabilities to start a business, social networks and family role) are more relevant for female entrepreneurship than formal factors (financing, support policies to entrepreneurship and education). The research contributes both theoretically, with regard to advances in the field of female entrepreneurship and practically, for the design of support policies for female entrepreneurial activity.

Analyzing a Successful Incubator Business Model: The Case of Barcelona Activa

Successful business incubators have a critical role in the development of local, regional, and national economies through the creation of jobs and the generation of profits, technology development, and innovations. Business incubators are recent and popular organizational forms that are created, often with the help of economic development agencies, to support and accelerate the development and success of affiliated ventures. The chapter examines Barcelona Activa as a successful business incubator in Catalonia (Spain), analyzing the incubator’s supply and demand for products and services from the resource-based view approach. Empirically, the chapter is based on qualitative methodology analyzing in depth the case of Barcelona Activa. The findings of the study show that the incubator model’s adjustments between the supply and demand of products and services generated are the main reason for the low mortality rate of new firms and the substantial increase in incubators’ turnover. This research has important implications for both researchers and government agencies.

Sociocultural Factors and Female Entrepreneurship in the Innovative Service Sector in Catalonia: A Qualitative Analysis

The purpose of this chapter is to analyse the main sociocultural factors and their impact on female entrepreneurship in the innovative service sector in Catalonia (Spain) and to establish differences to male initiatives using the institutional approach as a theoretical framework. Based on a comparative case study, the principal findings suggest that social networks, role models, entrepreneurial attitudes and family context are important determinants of female entrepreneurship. Family context is, in particular, a crucial factor, which might have a larger impact on women than men. The research contributes both theoretically, with the creation of knowledge in less researched areas such as female entrepreneurship in Spain, and practically, through the development of sustainable support policies for female entrepreneurial activity.