Pierre-Andre Julien – författare

Published in 1998. This text is designed as not only a summary of a number of years of reflections by many different researchers, but also a guide for future research and for continuing development of a theory of small business and its environment; a theory that will apply to small businesses everywhere and that will help them become what they hope to be in the 21st century.

Published in 1998. This text is designed as not only a summary of a number of years of reflections by many different researchers, but also a guide for future research and for continuing development of a theory of small business and its environment; a theory that will apply to small businesses everywhere and that will help them become what they hope to be in the 21st century.

For too long, researchers have regarded local dynamism as the result of the actions of certain entrepreneurs. If this were the case, how could we explain the simultaneous presence of 'winning', stagnating or declining areas with very similar socioeconomic profiles within the same region? Departing from this restrictive and somewhat inadequate approach, Pierre-Andre Julien considers entrepreneurship as a collective behaviour specifically related to the dynamism of the milieu in which it develops.The author introduces a complex, innovative theory of local entrepreneurship, demonstrating that the emergence of new ventures and the development of existing enterprises cannot be understood without taking into account certain factors: locale, social capital, networking and entrepreneurial culture within a given area are all crucial to entrepreneurial growth. Expanding upon this theory, the book demonstrates how entrepreneurship can be fostered in order to support collective development. Various forms of partnership among socioeconomic actors are then analysed to highlight the social conventions and entrepreneurial culture that connect and intensify the energies at the root of local dynamism.This highly original book represents a departure from entrepreneurship literature that is largely limited to the study of entrepreneurs' behaviour. Its dynamic presentation of holistic theory will prove an extremely absorbing read for those with an academic or professional interest in business and management, entrepreneurship and regional development.