Vol. 36 (2026): Volumen 36
Artículos de investigación

Innovation and formal entrepreneurial initiative: a data panel analysis for Mexico, 2007-2021

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  • Rafael Eduardo Saavedra Leyva,
  • German Osorio Novela,
  • Erika Beltrán Salomón
Rafael Eduardo Saavedra Leyva UNIVERSIDAD AUTONÓMA DE BAJA CALIFORNIA

Bio
German Osorio Novela UNIVERSIDAD AUTONÓMA DE BAJA CALIFORNIA

Bio
Erika Beltrán Salomón UNIVERSIDAD AUTONÓMA DE BAJA CALIFORNIA

Bio

Published 2026-09-23

Copyright (c) 2026 Rafael Eduardo Saavedra Leyva, German Osorio Novela, Erika Beltrán Salomón

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Saavedra Leyva, R. E., Osorio Novela, G., & Beltrán Salomón, E. (2026). Innovation and formal entrepreneurial initiative: a data panel analysis for Mexico, 2007-2021. Acta Universitaria, 36, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.15174/au.2026.4799

Abstract

This research studies innovation as a driver of formal entrepreneurship in developing economies. The objective is to analyze the relation of innovation, represented by patent and invention applications, on the emergence of formal businesses in the 32 Mexican states between 2007 and 2021. The quantitative analysis is based on the System Generalized Method of Moments, and it incorporates variables such as unemployment, education, wages, exports, and gross domestic product (GDP). Results show a significant association of invention applications to business creation; however, this is not consistent with patents. The study's contribution lies on the empirical evidence generated on innovative dynamism and its relationship with formal entrepreneurship in developing economies, in this case for Mexico. The limitation is the scarcity of invention registrations; therefore, applications were used as an indicator of innovation.

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