The current study was undertaken to identify economic variables that could be identified as influential in new business formations and failures. Monthly formations and failures for each state, summed by regions and the entire USA, as reported by Dun & Bradstreet, are used. The time period is...

In this study we analyze the IPO exit behavior of venture capitalists (VCs) in the Neuer Markt, the former market for young growth companies in Germany. We find empirical evidence that VCs were able to time their exit quite successfully in the primary market and to some extent also in the...

Exit rates provide a simple yet practical measure for evaluating and benchmarking the performance of venture capital funds. We create a sample of 138 liquidated U.S. venture capital funds and investigate the outcomes of their 4,549 portfolio companies. We study exit rates, proportions of...

We empirically examine a sample of over 350 entrepreneurial firms that successfully receive an SBA guaranteed loan. The first portion of the paper contains descriptive statistics that lend anecdotal evidence concerning the organization type of borrowers, the incidence of collateral, the reasons...

We examine the relationship between the small business loan guarantee and the agency problem of small firms. We then recommend financial instruments or financial contracts that can minimize of eliminate the moral hazard problem.

Although the national media has given increased attention to the venture capital process, misconceptions continue to proliferate. One often hears about the incredible capital gains of IPO share prices. This paper refutes the myth that investors demand very high rates of return to compensate for...

The nature and role of early stage equity financing in the development of emerging entrepreneurial ventures in the software industry is examined. To provide an understanding of the relationship between the suppliers of capital and the ventures they bankroll, issues concerning equity positions...

The close link between the personal financial affairs of a small business owner and his or her firm has been noted in prior research. This article compares attitudes toward risk on the part of small business owners (SBOs) and non-small business owners (NSBOs). In addition, it compares the...

This paper contains a review of issues pertaining to the valuation of privately held businesses, noting significant inconsistencies in the rationale and approaches taken in the valuation process. In addition to suggesting that appraisers stay with the "tried and true" rather than testing the...

This paper attempts to extend the Certification Paradigm--mainly used in the literature as an explanation for IPO underpricings--to provide guidelines to entrepreneurs in their efforts to secure funding for new ventures. After extending the model to cases of pre-venture-capital start-up firms,...