Empowering Entrepreneurial Communities and Ecosystems

Morgan R. Clevenger, EdD, MBA is Associate Professor of Management at Hiram College, Ohio, USA, as well as Professor of Management and Post-doctoral Fellow in Corporate Social Responsibility and Global Business Ethics with Monarch Business School, Zug, Switzerland.Michael W-P Fortunato, PhD is an internationally published scholar, researcher, author, entrepreneur, community developer, educator, public speaker, and innovator, and CFO and Founding Partner of Texas-based community consulting group Creative Insight Community Development (CICD).

"Clevenger and Fortunato’s latest book adds depth, context, and nuance to their 2017 volume with depth from new research into the key constructs of their model and context from the seven case studies from states and provinces in North America. It is a must-read for thinkers and doers interested in developing entrepreneurial ecosystems and entrepreneurial communities."Jerome Katz, PhD Robert H. Brockhaus Chair of Entrepreneurship Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA "Bravo to Clevenger and Fortunato for writing this book. I am old enough to remember when everyone said ‘entrepreneurship’ but no one knew what it really was. How many times did I hear business model used by smart people who all used it with different definitions and constructs? I would suggest entrepreneurial ecosystems is the new jargon in entrepreneurship. This book addresses the often overlooked level of entrepreneurial communities. The work slays the dragon through research, thoughtful exploration, and excellent case study illustrations with great precision and innovative insight."Jay Krysler Entrepreneurship Instructor Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), Canada "Clevenger and Fortunato provide exceptional clarity and insight useful toward understanding the complex nature of entrepreneurial communities, ecosystems, and empowerment. The skillful incorporation of complementary case studies only intensifies the effort while by providing a pragmatic perspective to anyone interested in engaging the true diversity of today’s evolving entrepreneurial landscape." Mark T. Schenkel, PhD Professor Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA Past President & Justin G. Longenecker Fellow, USASBE

• Foreword Theodore R. Alter Preface Chapter 1 An Introduction to Entrepreneurial Ecosystems and Entrepreneurial Communities to Empower Entrepreneurs Chapter 2 Prologue to the Case Studies Chapter 3 A Case Study Exploring Entrepreneurial Communities in Northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA) Chapter 4 Raising Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: Three Nebraska Case Studies Chapter 5 A Small-Town Music Movement as an Economic Driver and Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Development Strategy in Indiana Chapter 6 The Culture and Individual Nexus of an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: The Impact of Culture on What Necessity-Driven Entrepreneurs Believe is Possible as Illustrated in a Case Study from Nova Scotia, Canada Chapter 7 Called to a Community Venture: Entrepreneurial Mindset and Empowerment through Networking as Illustrated in a Case Study in Abilene, Texas Chapter 8 A Framework for Decolonizing Community Economic Development and Entrepreneurship in Native Nations in Minnesota Chapter 9 Little Town, Layered Ecosystem: A Case Study of Chattanooga, Tennessee Chapter 10 A Meta-Analysis and Conclusions: Relevance of Developing Entrepreneurial Communities to Empower Entrepreneurs