Wealth Constraints and Self-Employment: Evidence from Birth Order

I revisit the question of whether entrepreneurs face liquidity constraints in business formation. The principle challenge is that wealth is correlated with unobserved ability, and adequate instruments are often difficult to identify. This paper uses the son’s birth order as an instrument for household wealth. The instrument would likely not be useful in Western data, but it is in many non-Western cultures where primogeniture remains important. I exploit the data available in the Korean Labor and Income Panel Study, and find evidence of liquidity constraints associated with self-employment in South Korea.