Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/333923 
Year of Publication: 
2025
Series/Report no.: 
Working Paper No. 02/25
Publisher: 
Institut für Mittelstandsforschung (IfM) Bonn, Bonn
Abstract: 
Objectives: The aim of this paper is to analyze the impact of public childcare provision on women's and men's start-up rates in Germany. Going beyond previous studies, we also analyze its impact on the extent of the gender gap in start-up rates. Literature review: The current state of research indicates that public childcare provision generally reduces women's startup propensity. However, recent studies suggest that the relationship between public childcare provision and women' start-up propensity is not that clear-cut. It rather depends on the age group childcare is provided for. As the evidence regarding public childcare's impact on men's start-up propensity is mixed, it is unclear whether public childcare contributes to closing the gender gap in entrepreneurial activities. Approach/Method: We analyze the impact of public childcare provision on the start-up rate of women and men, as well as its impact on the corresponding Gender Parity Score (GPS) at a regional level. To do this, we generated a database based on public statistics covering the years 2012 up to 2018 and estimated Fixed Effect models. Results/Findings: Our results show that the effect of public childcare provision on women's and men's start-up propensity depends on the type of the venture and the age group the childcare is provided for. Moreover, public childcare affects women's and men's start-up propensity differently. All in all, public childcare provision decreases the GPS, indicating a widening of the gender gap. Implications and Value: As important as public childcare provision for women's general labor market participation is, it does neither improve their start-up propensity (quite the contrary) nor contribute to closing the entrepreneurial gender gap generally. Thus, public childcare provision seems not to be a policy for reducing the gender gap in entrepreneurship, apart from establishing economically substantial businesses.
Abstract (Translated): 
Die vorliegende Arbeit analysiert die Auswirkungen öffentlicher Kinderbetreuungsangebote auf die Gründungsraten von Frauen und Männern in Deutschland basierend auf öffentlichen Daten aus den Jahren 2012 bis 2018 auf Regionalebene. Während eine höhere Verfügbarkeit von Kinderbetreuungsangeboten die geschlechtsspezifischen Unterschiede im Unternehmertum insgesamt sogar noch vergrößert, verringert sie diese Unterschiede bei wirtschaftlich substanzhaltigen Unternehmen und bei der Betreuung von Kindern im Alter zwischen drei und sechs Jahren.
Subjects: 
Public childcare provision
Start-up propensity
Gender
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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