Mobile Telephony and New Business Formation Rates in BRICS and Beyond: Does Human Capital Matter?

Abstract

This study examines whether and to what extent ‘domestic’ education level mediates the relationship between mobile phone diffusion and new business formation rates across the developing world, that is, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) and non-BRICS developing countries. Drawing on the knowledge spillover theory (KST) of entrepreneurship, we suggest that the recent rise in domestic education levels might explain the positive association between mobile phone diffusion and new business formation rates. Utilising country-level panel data on 66 developing countries, the results indicate that the mediating effect of education on mobile phone diffusion and new business formation rates is not just limited to developing countries (including BRICS) but that this pattern can also be found in non-BRIC developing nations too, with the exception of the least developed countries (LDCs). We conclude with implications for theory and policy.