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Cross-regional Variations in the Motivation of Early-Stage Entrepreneurial Activity in Russia: Determining Factors
The chapter deals with the regional differences in the structure of motivation of early entrepreneurial activity (opportunity vs. necessity driven) in Russia and the factors influencing this difference measured by an index called the share of opportunity-based early entrepreneurs (SOBE). It is shown that the differences in SOBE levels among Russian regions are statistically significant; cross-regional differences in the SOBE level reflect a certain set of regional social and economic factors immediately or with a short, medium or even long term (10 years) lag. The empirical part is based on the survey designed by the Higher School of Economics which was conducted in 2011 in 79 regions of Russia with a sample of 56 900 respondents. The survey is representative for the structure of the adult population in each of the surveyed regions.