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  5. Stereotypes about Successful Entrepreneurs

AEA Papers and Proceedings

ISSN 2574-0768 (Print) | ISSN 2574-0776 (Online)

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Stereotypes about Successful Entrepreneurs

  • Victor Lyonnet
  • Léa Stern
AEA Papers and Proceedings
vol. 113, May 2023
(pp. 186–90)
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Abstract

What comes to mind when thinking about a successful entrepreneur? Belief formation models suggest that what comes to mind is an oversimplified picture of the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs—that is, stereotypes about successful entrepreneurs. Using French administrative data on 48,767 new firms, we show that some characteristics are stereotypical of success and have distributions that can generate miscalibrated beliefs. To illustrate how stereotypical thinking can lead to biased assessments, we report the discrepancies between the implied fraction of successful entrepreneurs under Bayesian versus stereotypical thinking for several stereotypes. We discuss the consequences of stereotyping for venture capital allocation.

Citation

Lyonnet, Victor, and Léa Stern. 2023. "Stereotypes about Successful Entrepreneurs." AEA Papers and Proceedings 113: 186–90. DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20231120

Additional Materials

JEL Classification

  • D83 Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
  • G24 Investment Banking; Venture Capital; Brokerage; Ratings and Ratings Agencies
  • G32 Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
  • L26 Entrepreneurship
  • M13 New Firms; Startups