The Missing Entrepreneurs 2019
Policies for Inclusive Entrepreneurship
The Missing Entrepreneurs 2019 is the fifth edition in a series of biennial reports that examine how public policies at national, regional and local levels can support job creation, economic growth and social inclusion by overcoming obstacles to business start-ups and self-employment by people from disadvantaged or under-represented groups in entrepreneurship. It shows that there is substantial potential to combat unemployment and increase labour market participation by facilitating business creation in populations such as women, youth, the unemployed, and immigrants. However, the specific problems they face need to be recognised and addressed with effective and efficient policy measures. The 2019 edition contains two thematic policy chapters on the potential of digital entrepreneurship for making entrepreneurship more inclusive and increasing the scale-up potential of start-ups by entrepreneurs from disadvantaged groups. These thematic chapters discuss current policy issues and present the range of policy actions currently used in EU and OECD countries. The chapters also offer policy advice to national, regional and local policy makers. Finally, the report contains country profiles that highlight recent trends in entrepreneurship by women, youth, seniors and immigrants, key policy issues and recent policy actions in each of the 28 EU Member States.
Foreword
Inclusive entrepreneurship policies seek to give everyone an opportunity to create a successful and sustainable business, regardless of their gender, age, place of birth, work status or other personal characteristics. This is an important requirement for achieving a new type of growth that is more inclusive, sustainable and people-centred. Expanding entrepreneurship can create jobs, fight social and financial exclusion, leverage technologies and help respond to economic challenges. Among the key targets of inclusive entrepreneurship policies and programmes are women, immigrants, youth, seniors, the unemployed, and people with disabilities, who all continue to face challenges in the labour market and are under-represented or disadvantaged in entrepreneurship. The Missing Entrepreneurs series of publications of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the European Union discuss how public policies and programmes can support inclusive entrepreneurship. This includes: