Amish brain gain: Building thriving rural communities through a creation perspective toward work

Abstract

The mass mechanization of farming, coupled with the push to go away for college, has led to rural communities losing many of their most educated and talented workers. This trend, referred to as brain drain, has resulted in rural communities suffering significant population declines and an array of social problems. But one set of rural communities has greatly deviated from this trend: Amish communities. Through an inductive field study of Amish communities and entrepreneurs, we reveal how the Amish have curbed mass exodus and promoted community preservation, resulting in the retention of roughly 90% of their community members and fostering a variety of entrepreneurial opportunities. Specifically, we discover that through a creation perspective toward work, a collectivist focus, and an emphasis on vocational practices, the Amish offer a nuanced approach to community cultivation, thereby reducing brain drain.