Entrepreneurship in the Periphery: Geography and resources

Abstract

This paper acknowledges that many peripheral regions are in a state of transformation due to globalization, shortened spatial, technological and even cognitive distances. Likewise, entrepreneurial activity in peripheral regions is in a state of transformation often benefiting from these changes. What is often thought to be a bastion of non-novel, imitative entrepreneurship, the periphery is showing signs of flourishing entrepreneurial activity that is at times quite creative. In some cases, if entrepreneurial action is not necessarily creative, it still holds benefits to the individual or community in question. To better understand entrepreneurship in the periphery, this paper places four different types of peripheries in a matrix comparing them to the structures of entrepreneurial resources (institutional, industrial, human capabilities, and socio-cultural). By doing this, the resource palette of a region can be examined as to it’s viability in sustaining desired forms of entrepreneurship. It can also isolate specific resource weaknesses before entrepreneurship development programs are carried out.