No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

This chapter explores various aspects that might be associated with entrepreneurial activity and non-entrepreneurial engagement in Colombia between 2010 and 2012. These ratios were calculated from the GEM-Colombia report between 2010 and 2012. Aspects were obtained from the National Expert Survey (NES) of the GEM project and from the Doing Business Study. Sommer's d correlation was used to test significant association. Results show that in general, context conditions in Colombia are adequate to start a business. Positive aspects include public policies to stimulate business creation, skilled specialist teams and reduction in processes required to formally establish an SME. Yet further substantial advance need to be made in terms of access to financial resources, access to technology that is relevant for microbusinesses, implementation of innovation policies and education in entrepreneurship. This is required to enhance the creation of high growth businesses that result in a knowledge-based economy in contrast with a prevalent traditional economy as is the case at present.

We analyze how the choice of firm ownership structure mitigates the effect of high dependence on a corrupt host government when investing abroad. We draw on a unique dataset of subsidiary-level engagement in corruption of 175 foreign subsidiaries entering three Central American countries. We found that there are two mechanisms to mitigate corrupt behavior when a subsidiary is dependent on a corrupt host government: internal legitimacy that accrues to wholly-owned subsidiaries, and external legitimacy built through a strong regional presence.The effect of dependency on a corrupt host government can be mitigated by enacting internal and external legitimacies.

This study presents the financial progression of an associative initiative of a vulnerable community in Colombia, from early stages to growth. Initially, basic financial concepts are presented, together with the phases traditionally defined by previous literature. The case is then presented in terms of funding alternatives for entrepreneurs in Colombia, stages followed by the association and funding throughout such stages. Results show that even though the case under analysis presents similar features to those of new ventures started by non-vulnerable individuals, its specificities make it unique; concepts anticipated by existing literature were not fully applicable in this case. A set of issues and solutions are presented regarding entrepreneurial finance for vulnerable communities and in particular, for the case under analysis. Finally, further avenues of research and conclusions are presented.

No abstract

Entrepreneurship is considered relevant in the economic growth of nations because of its impact in the creation of new jobs and innovations in the social and economic fields. Thus, governments and academia worldwide have shown interest on how to leverage on entrepreneurship in order to develop strategies that improve the quality of life of individuals. Entrepreneurship as a development strategy is extensive; it goes from the creation of new enterprises born as a result of a high market potential to those that arise as the only income-generating alternative. This chapter addresses the study of the entrepreneurial process in organizations created by associations of vulnerable individuals engendered by the income generation need, and using as reference the case of AGROSEC, located in Colombia. Data were collected from primary and secondary sources. Five interviews were completed using pre-established protocols that were applied to 3 members of the association.