http://hdl.handle.net/10540/86054 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:28:04 GMT 2013-06-19T07:28:04Z http://hdl.handle.net/10540/293281 Title: Internet districts in Italy: is proximity an antidote against weak broadband competition? Authors: D’Ignazio, Alessio; Giovannetti, Emanuele Abstract: We study the effects of proximity in the interconnections between Internet providers participating at the three main Italian Internet Exchange Points. We find that geographical proximity plays a role in driving Internet Providers’ interconnection, positively affecting the likelihood of an agreement. This suggests the existence of localized positive externalities in the form of mutual knowledge and reputation, one of the cited drivers underlying the formation of districts in non high-tech industries. We interpret these results as resulting from the necessity for cooperation in interconnection between smaller providers facing the weak competitiveness of the highly concentrated Italian broadband access market. Fri, 01 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10540/293281 2011-07-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10540/293299 Title: Catching up, leapfrogging, or forging ahead? Exploring the effects of integration and history on spatial technological adoptions Authors: Giovannetti, Emanuele Abstract: This paper introduces a model of localised competition and technological adoption that produces interesting geographical adoption patterns: persistent asymmetry, where nobody adopts; leapfrogging where only followers adopt; forging ahead, where only leaders adopt; and catching up, where everybody adopts a new technology. I study the conditions leading to the emergence of these adoption patters to interpret the rich and growing empirical literature on intradistribution mobility across and within regions. I consider a set of linked markets characterised by asymmetric initial technological conditions. I show that these different spatial adoption patterns may provide an interesting reference for the debate on regional convergence, as adoption is an essential engine of growth. I also assess both the impact of integration policy and of historical asymmetries on these spatial adoption choices and find some counterintuitive results: for example, that integration policies may increase regional asymmetries instead of reducing them, depending on the relevance of the initial technology gap between neighbouring firms. The model does not assume different learning abilities or adoption costs between leaders and followers. Indeed, they can all adopt, for the same cost, a new technology leading to global catching up and convergence. Notwithstanding this possibility, the emerging spatial adoption patterns may still be asymmetric. The main parameters driving the results of the model are the relevance of the innovation; adoption costs; consumers’ preferences for quality; the initial, historically inherited, technology quality asymmetries; and transport costs, expressing the degree of within-market competitiveness and differentiation. Keywords: leapfrogging, economic integration, local interaction, technological adoption, regional asymmetries Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10540/293299 2013-04-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10540/292890 Title: Ageing and entrepreneurial preferences Authors: Kautonen, Teemu; Down, Simon; Minniti, Maria Abstract: Previous research on age and entrepreneurship assumed homogeneity and downplayed age-related differences in the motives and aims underlying enterprising behaviour. We argue that the heterogeneity of entrepreneurship influences how the level of entrepreneurial activity varies with age. Using a sample of 2566 respondents from 27 European countries we show that entrepreneurial activity increases almost linearly with age for individuals who prefer to only employ themselves (self-employers), whereas it increases up to a critical threshold age (late 40s) and decreases thereafter for those who aspire to hire workers (owner-managers). Age has a considerably smaller effect on entrepreneurial behaviour for those who do not prefer self-employment but are pushed into it by lack of alternative employment opportunities (reluctant entrepreneurs). Our results question the conventional wisdom that entrepreneurial activity declines with age and suggest that effective responses to demographic changes require policy makers to pay close attention to the heterogeneity of entrepreneurial preferences. Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10540/292890 2013-04-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10540/292874 Title: How do banks assess entrepreneurial competence? The role of voluntary information disclosure Authors: Moro, Andrea; Fink, Matthias; Kautonen, Teemu Abstract: This research adds to the literature on relationship lending in the small business context by discussing the roles of entrepreneurial competence and voluntarily disclosed information as determinants of credit access. More specifically, we propose that the loan manager’s evaluation of the information voluntarily disclosed by the entrepreneur is an important complement to publicly available financial data and soft information collected through observation and third parties in framing the loan manager’s perception of the entrepreneur’s competence. Further, we argue that banks charge lower interest rates if the loan manager perceives the entrepreneur to be competent. Econometric analysis based on 433 bank-firm relationships supports these hypothesised relationships. The results imply that entrepreneurs need to communicate their competence effectively to loan managers, and that banks should utilise their loan managers’ personal evaluations as inputs to lending decisions. Mon, 24 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/10540/292874 2012-12-24T00:00:00Z