Relative Wealth Concerns and Entrepreneurship

Abstract

We develop a model of occupational choice and entrepreneurship in which market frictions limit the possibilities for diversifying entrepreneurial risk. A concern for relative standing arises in this model even though individuals care only about the consumption of standard commodities. In contrast to the complete markets outcome, an increase in aggregate risk increases entrepreneurship due to relative wealth concerns. A change in the profile of the economy to include more risk-averse people results in an even greater increase in entrepreneurship. Thus, relative wealth concerns mitigate the reduction in entrepreneurship arising from the non-diversifiability of entrepreneurial risk. We examine the effects of uncertainty about economic policies such as market-based reforms on entrepreneurship.

Keywords: Entrepreneurship, risk, occupational choice, policy uncertainty, relative wealth concerns

JEL Classification: D84, J24, O11, O12