For whatever it's worth, there was a recent episode of Econtalk in the guest discusses his work with those below the poverty line and how some communities have

For whatever it's worth, there was a recent episode of Econtalk in the guest discusses his work with those below the poverty line and how some communities have been successful in entrepreneurship: http://www.econtalk.org/extra/discovering-positive-deviants/ http://www.econtalk.org/extra/discovering-positive-deviants/ I don't know of a quantitative study and obviously the source is biased, but the guest came himself from a "no safety net" situation and now works with others in a similar situation, so his take is interesting even if one disagrees.