Who lives longer? Startups vs spinoffs founded as proprietorships
International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research
ISSN: 1355-2554
Article publication date: 3 May 2016
Abstract
Purpose
Studies on spinoffs neglect firms founded by single individuals (i.e. proprietorships) thus overlooking a large portion of new ventures. Moreover, scholars usually do not consider the effect of the rank, and the amount, of founder’s working experience on spinoff’s survival. The purpose of this paper is to analyze a sample of 3,456 Italian manufacturing proprietorships.
Design/methodology/approach
Out of an initial population of some 6,000 firms, the authors obtained a sample of 3,456 usable records with complete information about new ventures and founders’ background. The authors relied on the class of methods known as “proportional hazard models” to perform survival analyses.
Findings
Analyses show that spinoffs from surviving parents outlive other startups. Surprisingly, spinoffs from high-ranked positions have comparable hazard rates than other startups while spinoffs from low-ranked positions have lower hazard rates than other startups. Finally, industry-specific working experience has a curvilinear inverted U-shape effect on spinoffs’ survival.
Originality/value
The present study contributes to the debate on spinoffs’ survival and bears important ramifications into the relationship between knowledge inheritance and entrepreneurial dynamic capabilities. It is also helpful in informing public policies aimed at encouraging entrepreneurial activities in the form of new proprietorships.
Keywords
Citation
Furlan, A. (2016), "Who lives longer? Startups vs spinoffs founded as proprietorships", International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, Vol. 22 No. 3, pp. 416-435. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-08-2015-0179
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited