演講者簡介 : Professor Fernando Vega-Redondo received his PhD from the University of Minnesota in 1984. He is currently a Professor at Bocconi University. His research interests are Game Theory, Evolutionary Theory, Learning, Bounded Rationality Social Networks.
演講摘要 : Can peer interaction foster entrepreneurship in large-scale environments? This paper addresses the question empirically and theoretically. Empirically, we tested the effects of peer interaction on the submission and quality of business plans through a Pan-African RCT including 5,000 African entrepreneurs. The treatment involved the possibility of interacting with peers in different settings, and had positive and significant effects only when interaction unfolded either face-to-face or, when virtual, within nationally homogeneous groups. This result reflects a non-monotone trade-off between diversity and interaction "bandwidth." In contrast, however, we found positive and significant network peer effects for essentially all virtual groups. To understand this apparent paradox, we develop a theoretical model that distinguishes between constructive and disruptive interactions, depending on how reactions to positive and negative peer stimuli compare. We then revisit the evidence and find support for the theoretical prediction that virtual interaction is constructive only when peer groups are nationally homogeneous.
