Prospect theory and the effects of bankruptcy laws on entrepreneurial aspirations

Estrin, Saul ORCID: 0000-0002-3447-8593, Mickiewicz, Tomasz and Rebmann, Anna (2017) Prospect theory and the effects of bankruptcy laws on entrepreneurial aspirations. Small Business Economics, 48 (4). pp. 977-997. ISSN 0921-898X

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Abstract

We apply prospect theory to explain how personal and corporate bankruptcy laws affect risk perceptions of entrepreneurs at time of entry and therefore their growth ambitions. Previous theories have reached ambiguous conclusions as to whether countries with more debtor-friendly bankruptcy laws (i.e. laws that are more forgiving towards debtors in bankruptcy proceedings) are likely to have more entrepreneurs, or whether, creditor-friendly regimes have positive effects on new ventures via enhanced incentives for the supply of credit to entrepreneurs. Responding to this ambiguity, we apply prospect theory to propose that entrepreneurs do not attach the same significance to different elements of bankruptcy codes—and to explain which aspects of debtor-friendly bankruptcy laws matter more to entrepreneurs. Based on this, we derive and confirm hypotheses about the impact of aspects of bankruptcy codes on entrepreneurial activity using the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor combined with data on both personal and corporate bankruptcy regulations for 15 developed OECD countries. We use multilevel random coefficient logistic regressions to take account of the hierarchical nature of the data (country and individual levels). Because entrepreneurs and creditors are sensitive to different elements of the codes, there is scope for optimisation of the legal design of bankruptcy law to achieve both an adequate supply of credit and to encourage high-ambition entrepreneurship.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	http://link.springer.com/journal/11187
Additional Information:	© 2016 The Authors © CC BY 4.0
Divisions:	Management
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HF Commerce K Law > KZ Law of Nations
JEL classification:	K - Law and Economics > K2 - Regulation and Business Law > K22 - Corporation and Securities Law
Date Deposited:	26 Jan 2017 10:43
Last Modified:	14 Nov 2024 22:57
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/68997

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