Condiciones estructurales de la actividad empresarial: la Unión Europea y el Caribe

Abstract

The literature on entrepreneurship widely recognizes that environmental factors influence the creation of new businesses. Among the most important studies on the effects of these factors is the international research done by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM). Puerto Rico and Jamaica became part of this study in 2005, becoming the first Caribbean countries to participate. According to GEM‘s theoretical model, 15 environmental factors exert influence on the creation of new businesses. This comparative study offers exploratory and descriptive analyses of the impact of environmental factors on business development in the Caribbean region and some countries in the European Union. This study is based on answers to a questionnaire given to 36 national experts from different countries to cull their perceptions on each of the 15 factors.