We describe the role of entrepreneurial activity in regional dynamism, with an emphasis on firm entry, innovation, and labor mobility, using matched Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics data and R&D data from the Census Bureau. We analyze economic and labor market dynamism across geographic areas by (1) using the introduction of innovative entrepreneurs to a region to identify and quantify agglomeration and productivity spillovers; (2) investigating the role of entrepreneurship in facilitating regional growth; and (3) characterizing the skills profile of workers employed in entrepreneurial firms. We will also investigate the changing role of entrepreneurship in the U.S. economy in relation to the 2007–2009 Great Recession and previous recessions, as well as how entrepreneurship varies by region across the United States.
Aaron Chatterji—Duke University
Rahul Gupta—Duke University