As self-employment and entrepreneurship become increasingly important in our modern economies, Simon C. Parker provides a timely, definitive and comprehensive overview of the field. In this book he brings together and assesses the large and disparate literature on these subjects and provides an up-to-date overview of new research findings. Key issues addressed include: the impact of ability, risk, personal characteristics, and the macroeconomy on entrepreneurship; issues involved in raising finance for entrepreneurial ventures, with an emphasis on the market failures that can arise as a consequence of asymmetric information; the job creation performance of the self- employed; the growth, innovation and exit behaviour of new ventures and small firms; and the appropriate role for governments interested in promoting self-employment and entrepreneurship. This book will serve as an essential reference guide to researchers, students and teachers of entrepreneurship in economics, business and management and other related disciplines. INDICE 1. Introduction Part I. Entrepreneurship: Theories, Characteristics and Evidence: 2. Theories of entrepreneurship 3. Characteristics of entrepreneurs and the environment for entrepreneurship 4. Ethnic minority and female entrepreneurship Part II. Financing Entrepreneurship: Debt Finance for Entrepreneurial Ventures 5. Debt finance for new start-ups 6. Other sources of finance 7. Evidence of credit rationing Part III. Running and Terminating an Enterprise: 8. Labour demand and supply 9. Growth, innovation and exit Part IV. Government Policy: 10. Government policy: issues and evidence Part V. Conclusion: 11. Conclusions.