Research Seminar Series: Dr. Harun Alp

Seminar Title:

Transformative and Subsistence Entrepreneurs: Origins and Impacts on Economic Growth

Event Details:

📅 Date: 23 April, 2026 (Thursday)

⏰ Time: 12:30pm to 1:30pm

📍Venue: CR-W3-02, Asia School of Business

💻 Zoom Link: https://asb-my.zoom.us/j/98521464076?pwd=VbXzBT72C2wasJQlLPATPGLcbFjwAj.1

Meeting ID: 985 2146 4076

Passcode: 687099

Abstract

This paper explores the symbiotic relationship between transformative entrepreneurs and inventors, which is crucial for economic growth. We utilize microdata from Denmark to demonstrate that while the relationship between IQ and general entrepreneurship tends to be negative, it is strongly positive among transformative entrepreneurs. Transformative entrepreneurs, often with higher IQ and education levels, significantly drive R&D and business growth, thereby providing substantial opportunities for inventors. In contrast, average entrepreneurs are more influenced by their family’s entrepreneurship background. Our economic model links these dynamics to overall economic progress, highlighting how higher education influences career paths in entrepreneurship and invention. We identify talent misallocation caused by unequal education access, particularly affecting lower-income families. Our findings indicate the most effective policies strengthen the interplay between higher education, innovation, and entrepreneurship to foster transformative businesses and achieve long-run economic growth.

Speaker’s Bio

Harun Alp is an economist at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. He earned his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania in 2020. His research focuses on firm dynamics, productivity, innovation, and economic growth, with particular emphasis on developing economies and the role of policy and market frictions.

His work has been published in leading journals such as the American Economic Review, and he has contributed to a broad research agenda covering entrepreneurship, regulation, and technology adoption. Prior to his doctoral studies, he worked as a researcher at the Central Bank of Turkey.

We look forward to your participation in this insightful research seminar.

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