Theoretical and Empirical Perspective on Entrepreneurship: Economics and Finance

William Kerr, Josh Lerner and Ramana Nanda

HBS 4350 / Econ 2726

Entrepreneurship--the formation and growth of new firms--is a complex phenomenon that has historically attracted relatively little academic attention. In recent years, however, scholars in a variety of disciplines have been devoting increasing attention to this topic. This course will explore the emerging work in this dynamic area. Reflecting the complex nature of the entrepreneurship, the course will touch on literature in a variety of academic disciplines, but the readings will primarily focus on discipline-oriented research from an economics, finance, and sociological perspective. Students taking the course for credit will be expected to complete two referee reports and a paper.