Book
Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Economic Development

Entrepreneurship and innovation are two of the most pervasive concepts of our times, yet there are still gaps in our understanding of the interactions between entrepreneurship and innovation, particularly in developing countries. This book is an attempt to fill this gap. It focuses on the entrepreneurship-innovation-development nexus, drawing heavily on empirical evidence from developing countries. Cross-country and individual country experiences cover nations as diverse as Ethiopia, India, Turkey, Vietnam, and also examine lessons from advanced economies such as Finland. Three sets of questions are addressed. What is the impact of entrepreneurship and innovation on growth and development? What determines the innovative performance of entrepreneurs in developing countries? What role does the institutional environment play in shaping the extent and impact of innovative activities? A key message is that entrepreneurial innovation, whether through small firms, large national firms, or multinational firms, is often vibrant in developing countries, but does not always realise its full potential. This is due to institutional constraints, the absence of the appropriate mix of different types of small and large and domestic and foreign firms, and insufficiently developed firm capabilities. The contributions provide a better understanding of the determinants and impacts of innovation in developing countries and the policies and institutions that support or hinder innovation.

Table of contents
  1. Part I: Introduction
    1. Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Economic Development: An Overview
    Adam Szirmai, Wim Naudé, Micheline Goedhuys
  2. Part II: Determinants and Impacts of Innovative Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries
    2. Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Development
    David B. Audretsch, Mark Sanders
    More Working Paper | Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Development
    More Blog | Technology and supermarket chains can help strengthen southern Africa’s food systems
  3. Part II: Determinants and Impacts of Innovative Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries
    3. Firm Ownership and Entrepreneurship
    Alice H. Amsden
    More Working Paper | Firm Ownership, FOEs, and POEs
  4. Part II: Determinants and Impacts of Innovative Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries
    4. Types of Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth
    Erik Stam, André van Stel
    More Working Paper | Types of Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth
  5. Part II: Determinants and Impacts of Innovative Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries
    5. Can Small Firms Innovate? The Case of Clusters of Small Producers in Northern Vietnam
    Jaap Voeten, Job de Haan, Gerard de Groot
    More Working Paper | Is that Innovation?
  6. Part II: Determinants and Impacts of Innovative Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries
    6. Innovation and Microenterprise Growth in Ethiopia
    Mulu Gebreeyesus
    More Working Paper | Innovation and Microenterprises Growth in Ethiopia
  7. Part II: Determinants and Impacts of Innovative Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries
    7. Entrepreneurship and the National System of Innovation: What is Missing in Turkey?
    Elif Bascavusoglu-Moreau
    More Working Paper | Entrepreneurship and the National System of Innovation
  8. Part III: Institutions, Policies, and Incentives for Innovation
    8. Innovation Policy, Entrepreneurship, and Development: A Finnish View
    Otto Toivanen
    More Working Paper | Innovation Policy, Entrepreneurship, and Development
  9. Part III: Institutions, Policies, and Incentives for Innovation
    9. Promoting Knowledge-intensive Entrepreneurship in India
    Sunil Mani
    More Working Paper | Growth of Knowledge-intensive Entrepreneurship in India, 1991–2007
  10. Part III: Institutions, Policies, and Incentives for Innovation
    10. Incubators as Tool for Entrepreneurship Promotion in Developing Countries
    Ibrahim Semih Akçomak
    More Working Paper | Incubators as Tools for Entrepreneurship Promotion in Developing Countries
  11. Part III: Institutions, Policies, and Incentives for Innovation
    11. Overcoming Adversity in Entrepreneurship-led Growth: Evidence from the Indian Software Sector
    Suma Athreye
    More Working Paper | Economic Adversity and Entrepreneurship-led Growth
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Endorsements

'I learnt a lot from this book. Innumerable books discuss innovation and entrepreneurship, on the one hand, and specific problems of developing countries, on the other, but connecting them in Schumpeter's and Gerschenkron's spirit is rare. The volume edited by Szirmai, Naudé, and Goedhuys stands above the literature with its thorough research, clarity of discussion, and relevance of conclusions for society.' - János Kornai, Professor of Economics, Emeritus, Harvard University and Collegium Budapest

'This volume brings together contributions from leading scholars from the three fields: innovation, entrepreneurship, and development research. The outcome shows the value of combining different perspectives and it is worthwhile reading for policy makers, scholars, and students both for the responses given and the new questions raised.' - Bengt-Åke Lundvall, Professor at the Department of Business Studies, University of Aalborg