Relating Entrepreneurship to Economic Growth

摘要

This chapter has provided an overview of the research on the relationship between entrepreneurship and growth. The emphasis on entrepreneurial activities in the context of growth-oriented theories has been outlined and brief overviews and main findings of relevant and recent empirical studies have been presented.rnThere exist an abundant number of definitions of entrepreneurship describing a wide array of economic activities and functions. In this chapter, a distinction has been made between theoretical definitions, which tend to cover a number of different aspects without being operationally applicable, and empirical definitions covering individual elements of entrepreneurial activities. Entrepreneurial activities range from creative destruction and innovation to dealing with uncertainty and spotting profit opportunities. Three links are emphasized through which those activities affect economic growth, firm start-ups, and innovative and competitive behaviour. These entrepreneurial activities form the methodological foundation of this chapter. In spite of the weaknesses of the classification, we have not found a better systematisation to identify the links between entrepreneurship and economic growth.