Entrepreneurship and Local Economic Development

Norman Walzer retired from Western Illinois University as professor of economics and founding director of the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs. He currently is Senior Research Scholar in the Center for Governmental Studies at Northern Illinois University.

Interest in entrepreneurship has exploded in recent years. Communities are establishing new support systems, financial tools and education programs to promote entrepreneurship. Yet we know very little about the outcomes and impacts of these programs. This excellent book brings together researchers and practitioners to summarize what we know about entrepreneurship programs and to summarize best practices in this field. This book should be useful for researchers, practitioners, and local officials interested in this topic. There is no other source that provides such a broad and useful account of entrepreneurship.

• Chapter 1. Introduction and OverviewChapter 2. Entrepreneurship as Rural Economic Development Policy: A Changing ParadigmChapter 3. What's Culture Got to Do with It? Strategies for Strengthening and Entrepreneurial CultureChapter 4. Entrepreneurship and Small Business GrowthChapter 5. The Drivers of Regional Entrepreneurship in Rural and Metro AreasChapter 6. What Makes a Successful Entrepreneur?Chapter 7. Building Communities Through Entrepreneurship Development: Financing Entrepreneurs and Entrepreneurial Support SystemsChapter 8. The Difference Makers: Entrepreneurial Young PeopleChapter 9. Effective Entrepreneurship Education ProgramsChapter 10. Economic Development Via Understanding and Growing a Community's Microbusiness SegmentChapter 11. Energizing Entrepreneurs: Lessons from the FieldChapter 12. Transforming Rural Economies through Entrepreneurial Networks: A Case StudyChapter 13. Getting Started in Community-Based Entrepreneurship