WHEN IS THE NEXT BUS?: INFLUENCE OF MOBILITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN RURAL INDIA

We propose that, at a fundamental level, social isolation in its many forms (geographical, cultural and information-based) is a key barrier to entrepreneurial opportunity and success, not only by preventing access to material resources and markets, but also to ideas and information about products and services. Multi-modal data (survey and archival) from more than 150 entrepreneurs in contemporary rural India suggest an entrepreneur's travel footprint is associated with the profitability of micro enterprises, even after accounting for village-level differences, and that the communication facilities and information sources available in the village interact with travel effects. The positive effect of travel on profit endures even after accounting for other known correlates of profit: infrastructure, information and communication.