News Release

Entrepreneurial activity affected by degree of states' economic freedom

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Wiley

Louisville, KY – October 15, 2008 – A new study in the journal Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice examines how entrepreneurial activity and level of employment in U.S. service industries respond to changes in the degree of economic freedom among states. Researchers found that the relationship between entrepreneurial outcomes and economic freedom varies significantly by industry.

Stephan F. Gohmann, Bradley K. Hobbs, and Myra McCrickard used data from economic freedom indexes for each state in the U.S. and from the U.S. Census Bureau to examine the effects of economic freedom on industry growth rates.

Results present the following dichotomy: some service industries exhibit firm and employment growth as economic freedom rises while other service industries grow as economic freedom declines.

For example, business and personal services firms are relatively small, and states with greater economic freedom typically have fewer regulations that lower the costs for smaller firms. Consequently, entrepreneurs are more able to grow these services during times of increased economic freedom.

Conversely, legal services grow in response to decreased economic freedom and heightened government regulation because firms affected by these policies increasingly require legal services. Similarly, health and social services respond to demand generated from government programs and grow as the government's purview broadens.

As such results relate to government policy, the authors conclude that: "Policy makers should consider both the spillover effects of targeted policies as well as the direct effects of changes in economic freedom on entrepreneurial decision making."

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This study is published in Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice. Media wishing to receive a PDF of this article may contact journalnews@bos.blackwellpublishing.net.

Stephan F. Gohmann is affiliated with the University of Louisville and can be reached for questions at sfgohm01@louisville.edu.

Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice is a leading scholarly journal in the field of entrepreneurship studies. The journal's mission is to publish original papers which contribute to the advancement of the field of entrepreneurship. The journal publishes conceptual and empirical articles of interest to scholars, consultants, and public policy makers.

Wiley-Blackwell was formed in February 2007 as a result of the acquisition of Blackwell Publishing Ltd. by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., and its merger with Wiley's Scientific, Technical, and Medical business. Together, the companies have created a global publishing business with deep strength in every major academic and professional field. Wiley-Blackwell publishes approximately 1,400 scholarly peer-reviewed journals and an extensive collection of books with global appeal. For more information on Wiley-Blackwell, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com or http://interscience.wiley.com.


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