Why encouraging more people to become entrepreneurs is bad public policy

作者：Scott A. Shane · 发表于：Small Business Economics · 年份：2009 · DOI：10.1007/s11187-009-9215-5 · 被引用次数：1628 · 研究领域：Firm Innovation and Growth、Economic Growth and Productivity、Entrepreneurship Studies and Influences

Policy makers often think that creating more start-up companies will transform depressed economic regions, generate innovation, and create jobs. This belief is flawed because the typical start-up is not innovative, creates few jobs, and generates little wealth. Getting economic growth and jobs creation from entrepreneurs is not a numbers game. It is about encouraging the formation of high quality, high growth companies. Policy makers should stop subsidizing the formation of the typical start-up and focus on the subset of businesses with growth potential. While government officials will not be able to “pick winners,” they can identify start-ups with a low probability of generating jobs and enhancing economic growth. By eliminating incentives to create these low probability companies, policy makers can improve the average performance of new businesses.