Transfer mechanisms of regional entrepreneurship over time

Custom Field Value: March 21, 2026

In a new publication in the Journal of Economic Geography, Michael Wyrwich and I investigate three mechanisms by which regional entrepreneurship is transferred ove time. over time. (1) Entrepreneurial role models, (2) size of entrepreneurial households, and (3) economic success of entrepreneurs. We hypothesize that having many entrepreneurial role models and a large size of entrepreneurial households in the past provide greater opportunities for intergenerational transfer of entrepreneurial values, and hence lead to more regional entrepreneurship in later periods. Past economic success of entrepreneurs may fuel these effects and contribute to a positive collective memory of entrepreneurship. German regional data spanning nearly 100 years supports the significance of all three mechanisms.

Michael Wyrwich & Michael Fritsch; What are transfer mechanisms of regional entrepreneurship over time? The impact of historical role models and their economic success. Journal of Economic Geography, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1093/jeg/lbag009