Elgar Law and Entrepreneurship series

The primary goals of this series are two-fold. The first is to develop the theoretical foundation for law and entrepreneurship. As to this goal, central research questions involve but are not limited to developing an understanding of the various meanings of entrepreneurship. Although superficially associated with the creation of a profit-making business enterprise, the concept of entrepreneurship extends to any motivation and effort to create something new. What does it mean to create? In what sense is an enterprise or project new? Is creation a process or an instantaneous, unpredictable event? What are the channels of creativity and in what venues does it occur? Is creativity in art, science, and business a coherent whole or completely different exercises? These questions serve to define the contours of entrepreneurship and its relationship to law and legal institutions.

The second goal is to translate the theoretical understanding of law and entrepreneurship into concrete policy. At one level, this goal entails identifying key legal policy levers (taxation, property rights, competition policy, financial regulation, contract law) that structure and direct entrepreneurship. At a deeper level, the second goal mandates a detailed institutional analysis of successful and unsuccessful entrepreneurship activity. This deeper goal invites an inquiry into the definitions of success and its measures. These definitions and measures, in turn, provide a benchmark for accessing and defining implementable policies.

At its core, the Law and Entrepreneurship series examines the role of law and legal institutions in promoting and sustaining entrepreneurial activity.