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A Cultural Perspective on Entrepreneurship and Regional Development: The Case of the Bages (Catalonia)

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Entrepreneurship, Regional Development and Culture

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to analyze, from a qualitative approach, the relationship between institutions, entrepreneurship and local development in the region of the Bages (Catalonia). The main findings suggest in the light of institutional economics that entrepreneurship in this region is greatly influenced by informal institutions (culture, social networks and role models). Also, the results highlight the influence of entrepreneurship on the regional development (jobs generation, economic growth and innovation). The research has conceptual implications (advancing in the application of institutional perspective in the field of entrepreneurship) and practical implications (for the design of governmental policies towards regional development).

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Acknowledgments

 The authors acknowledge the financial support from the projects ECO2013-44027-P (Spanish Ministry of Economy & Competitiveness), ECO/2663/2013 (Economy & Knowledge Department, Catalan Government) and PAID-06-12 (Sp 20120792) from Universitat Politècnica de València. Also, the authors recognize the support by Marc Bernadich as a coordinator of the fieldwork research (April–June 2012) in the Bages (Catalonia) and the involvement of the PhD students in the course “SMEs in Economic and Regional Development” (2011–2012 academic year) (International Doctorate in Entrepreneurship and Management (IDEM), Autonomous University of Barcelona).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Business Administration, University of Witten/Herdecke, 50, Alfred-Herrhausen-Street, Witten, North Rhine Westfalia, 58448, Germany

    Daniela Gimenez

  2. Business Administration, Universitat Politècnica de València, s/n Camino de Vera, Valencia, Valencia, 46022, Spain

    Marta Peris-Ortiz

  3. Department of Business, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Building B, Campus UAB, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Barcelona, 8193, Spain

    David Urbano

Authors
  1. Daniela Gimenez
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  2. Marta Peris-Ortiz
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  3. David Urbano
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniela Gimenez .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Business Administration, Universitat Politècnica de València Dpto de Org de Empresas, Valencia, Spain

    Marta Peris-Ortiz

  2. University of Chile Dep. Management Control and Information, Santiago, Chile

    José M. Merigó-Lindahl

Appendices

Appendix 1. Firm Questionnaire

  1. 1.

    Did you have previous experience as an entrepreneur before starting this company? What about the founding team? (Information from previous entrepreneurship)

  2. 2.

    Do you think there are some environmental variables that helped create the company? (Family, cultural, etc.)

  3. 3.

    Do you think there are good opportunities for new businesses? Why?

  4. 4.

    What did you use to create your business? How did you assess your business idea? What criteria did you use?

  5. 5.

    How do you think society values business? (The Bages & Catalonia)

  6. 6.

    Has it been difficult to find funding? What difficulties have you had?

  7. 7.

    What kind of different sources of funding did you use?

  8. 8.

    Do you consider your environment (family, friends and institutions) has supported you in addressing business risks?

  9. 9.

    Does your environment (family, friends and institutions) stimulate your creativity and innovation?

  10. 10.

    Have you received help or support from government institutions to create your business?

  11. 11.

    Do you think the government gives incentives for and encourages entrepreneurship in the Bages? How? Does it do enough?

  12. 12.

    What do you know about agencies that support entrepreneurship in the region? How has known and what is your opinion?

  13. 13.

    What are the social networks in the Bages that you know? What were the useful networks (personal, professional or both) for creating your business? Are they still useful?

  14. 14.

    (What are the strengths of the region?) Do you think the Bages has adequate infrastructure (accessibility), sufficient administrative support, training and information for your company, etc.?

  15. 15.

    Did you use the CEDEM, the FUB or another support agency to build your business? What sources did you use?

Appendix 2. Support Organizations Questionnaire

  1. 1.

    What traits or characteristics should an entrepreneur who wants to do business have, in your experience?

  2. 2.

    What technical and business training do entrepreneurs have, in general?

  3. 3.

    Do employers have business experience before starting your business plan? What percentage of them?

  4. 4.

    What knowledge and skills do you think are needed to start and run a business?

  5. 5.

    How should entrepreneurship be encouraged in the Bages region?

  6. 6.

    What kind of support is offered to businesses? Detail and explain.

  7. 7.

    Where do you get funding to help entrepreneurs?

  8. 8.

    How do you advertise to entrepreneurs? How do you promote yourselves? What is your marketing strategy?

  9. 9.

    What support mechanisms do you provide to entrepreneurs to reduce risk?

  10. 10.

    How should entrepreneurs’ creativity and innovation be stimulated?

  11. 11.

    What are the strengths of the region? Do you think the Bages has adequate infrastructure (accessibility), sufficient administrative support, training and information for companies, etc.?

  12. 12.

    Do you think that there are sufficient and qualified personnel (talent) in the Bages?

  13. 13.

    What type of company uses your support services? And what services are they primarily seeking (financial, information/training, networking, etc.)?

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Gimenez, D., Peris-Ortiz, M., Urbano, D. (2015). A Cultural Perspective on Entrepreneurship and Regional Development: The Case of the Bages (Catalonia). In: Peris-Ortiz, M., Merigó-Lindahl, J. (eds) Entrepreneurship, Regional Development and Culture. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15111-3_1

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