We investigate the changes in women's participation patterns across 15 EU countries over the last 20 years using individual data from ECHP and EUSILC databases. Our findings show that the observed trends in female participation differ substantially both across countries and across different groups of women. We explore such heterogeneity in trends by looking at the effects of policies and labour market institutional factors on the participation of women with different family and individual characteristics. Our estimates reveal a role of policies and institutions that is stronger than what has so far been assessed. Labour market institutions and family-oriented policies explain almost 25% of the actual increase in labour force participation for young women, and more than 30% for highly educated women. Surprisingly, changes in the institutional and policy settings contribute less in explaining the participation of low-skilled women. We also find that reforming the institutional framework towards a model of "flexicure" labour market is effective in enhancing women labour supply only when deregulation is accompanied by sufficient social compensation.JEL Classification: J11, J21, J2

We propose a model of entrepreneurial innovation that rationalizes its pattern of boom and bust. In the model, a successful entrepreneurial project is the result of a search and matching process between entrepreneurs and capitalists. A strategic complementarity between the entrepreneurs'demand for funds and the capitalists'supply arises both on the extensive and on the intensive margin. Using data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, and collecting data on the venture capital market of 23 OECD countries plus China for the period 2007-2015, we …nd robust evidence of complementarity across the two sides of the market. We also provide a quantitative estimate of a multiplier e¤ect originating from such complementarity.

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Italy exhibits a dramatic level of territorial heterogeneity in terms of socioeconomic dynamics and in the economic position of women. We employ this territorial variance to assess the impact of selected policies and institutions on men's and women's employment using microeconomic data. Such an analysis provides results partly different from what was expected on the basis of cross-country aggregate evidence on industrialized countries. Aggregate growth and tertiarization of the economy are surprisingly found beneficial only to men's employment, while culture and discrimination are relevant for women's. Social Assistance is found highly significant too, with the provision of services being more beneficial to women's employment than monetary transfers