Place Attached Entrepreneurs as Place-Based Leaders

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AbstractThis chapter analyses the nature of entrepreneurs’ attachment to places and the ways in which places influence entrepreneurs to be place-based leaders in geographic peripheries. The theoretical backbone of the study consists of theories of place attachment and identity combined with the latest place-based leadership discussions. The empirical part focuses on two peripheral counties in Estonia: Saaremaa (island) and Valgamaa (cross-border county). The distance from the capital and the population in the two counties are almost the same, but their territorial characteristics and historical background are different, which creates the presumption that the cognition of place identity and attachment is also different in the case study areas. During the 24 in-depth interviews with local entrepreneurs, it became clear that place identity is more distinct in Saaremaa than in Valgamaa. In Saaremaa place identity has fostered place attachment at the island level, while interviewees in Valgamaa feel attachment at the village or town level. The entrepreneurs’ attachment to place has encouraged them to take part in community actions, to invest in the place and inhabitants, and shape local reputation. The study results indicate that if a place is part of an entrepreneur’s identity then they feel stronger place attachment which creates the preconditions for being responsible to the place and the community.KeywordsPerson-place bondPlace identityPeripheryEnterprisesManufacturing companies