Entrepreneurship In Rural Areas Research Articles

Effect of Agency Banking Services Provision on Performance of Small Business Entrepreneurs at Chamwino District

Purpose: This study endeavours to examine effects of agency banking services provision in rural area on performance of small business entrepreneurs at Chamwino District, Dodoma Region. Urban settings have been the main areas of concentration, leaving out the dynamics and challenges rural entrepreneurs encounter while using agency banking services to expand their businesses, hence the essence of undertaking this study. Design/Methodology/Approach: Cross sectional research design was used, and a sample of 108 respondents were involved in this study. Data were analysed using descriptive and multiple linear regression analysis. Findings: The study findings show that, variables of accessibility, privacy and reliability of agency banking services have positive and statistically significant impacts on the performance of small business entrepreneurs in rural areas. Implications/Originality/Value: The study recommends banking industry in Tanzania to establish standardized fee structures and transaction charges for agency banking services. Also ensure transparency and prevent excessive costs to users of agency banking services. By so doing, it can ease provision and expansion of various online banking services to majority of the underserved communities in rural areas of Tanzania

Digital inclusive finance and entrepreneurship in rural areas: evidence from China

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the impact of digital inclusive finance on entrepreneurial activities in rural areas, as well as the underlying mechanisms and the variations of this impact across regions and household characteristics.Design/methodology/approachUtilizing the China Household Finance Survey Data, this paper applies the Two-Stage Least Squares with instrumental variables to assess the effect of digital inclusive finance on rural entrepreneurship.FindingsThe empirical findings indicate that digital inclusive finance significantly promotes entrepreneurial activities in rural areas by alleviating credit constraints, reducing financial information barriers, and altering risk attitudes for rural households. Additionally, this effect is more pronounced in the eastern region of China and for the “opportunity entrepreneurial activities.” Furthermore, the impact varies across rural households' income and consumption status, as well as the personal characteristics of household heads.Originality/valueFirstly, this study broadens our understanding of the mechanisms through which digital inclusive finance influences entrepreneurial activities, thereby filling a gap in existing entrepreneurship research. Secondly, the study's findings affirm the inclusive nature of digital finance, contributing significantly to the literature on regional equality and illuminating potential pathways toward achieving “common prosperity.”

The role of the service sector in the development of entrepreneurship in the countryside

The article highlights the role of the service sector in the development of entrepreneurship in rural areas. An analysis of the works of Ukrainian scientists dedicated to the development of the service sector in Ukraine, as well as the development of entrepreneurship in the countryside, was carried out. A number of methods that were used in this study are highlighted. It is indicated that entrepreneurial activity in rural areas consists of both traditional entrepreneurship in the production and sale of agricultural products, and in less traditional types of business, in particular, entrepreneurship in the provision of services. The types of services provided in rural areas are highlighted and graphically displayed, in particular, the authors note that there are three groups of such services. Since state organizations are responsible for the provision of social services to rural residents, the authors focused their attention on service provision activities carried out on a commercial basis. It is indicated that a significant share in the provision of services in the village is occupied by sellers of production agricultural services, in particular services in crop production. It is noted that the majority of buyers of production agricultural services are households, as they do not have the resources to purchase all types of agricultural machinery. It is noted that the main providers of production agricultural services are natural persons-entrepreneurs and officially unregistered sellers of such services. It is indicated that other services, the provision of which can become a form of entrepreneurial activity in the village, are household services, in particular, services for repairing clothes, shoes, appliances, transport services, hairdressing services, etc. In addition, it is said that the opening of catering establishments and the provision of tourist services can also exist in rural areas as a form of entrepreneurship. The problem of the lack of adequate statistical information on the activity of entrepreneurial structures in the field of rural services has been established. It is proposed to implement and actively promote the development of alternative types of entrepreneurship in the provision of services in the countryside, in particular, to open small businesses for the provision of household services, as well as touristic services.

Cultural Entrepreneurship and Rural Revitalization: Mapping China’s Development Strategy

Cultural entrepreneurship is the cornerstone of sustainable development in rural China, especially within the realm of cultural industries. This study aims to investigate the pivotal role of cultural industries in China’s rural revitalization and the influence of entrepreneurship on sustainable enterprise development. Using a quantitative approach, the study gathered data from 171 entrepreneurs in China, employing SPSS for analysis. In the first week of March 2023, the survey was carried out throughout China. The research focuses on exploring the impact of rural revitalization strategies on fostering entrepreneurship within cultural industries. Experimenting with an enhanced BP-L-M algorithm, the finding reveals its high accuracy when compared to traditional BP neural networks. The novelty of this study provides valuable insights into the unique challenges and an opportunity faced by rural entrepreneurs in the cultural sector and provides practical recommendations for implementing rural revitalization for entrepreneurship in cultural industries. By emphasizing the significance of entrepreneurship in rural areas and its potential to alleviate poverty and boost economic growth through cultural industries, this research underscores the transformative power of cultural initiatives in shaping the nation’s economic landscape.

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN RURAL AREAS: OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CARE FARMS

Aim: The aim of the research was to find the advantages and disadvantages of running care farms, one of the forms of entrepreneurship in rural areas that drive social innovation. Methods: The study’s analyses consisted of secondary research and a qualitative approach. The target group reached were people interested in or already running care farms in Poland (n = 17). The research was conducted between December 2022 and March 2023. Results: The findings reveal the observed advantages and disadvantages of care farms as reported by those overseeing these centers. Operators of such facilities emphasize the importance of their centers being part of a network of similar entities. Conclusions: The most important conclusions were the need for further regulation to help social farming actors stay in business through networking, better marketing and advertising of social farming operators that support the local community, creating jobs, and improving the quality of life of those in need.

RANCANGAN PEMBUATAN ALAT PRES BERBASIS ULIR PADA MESIN PEMARUT DAN PEMERAS SANTAN KELAPA

The process of grating coconut into grated coconut, and then the process of making grated coconut into pure coconut milk, which is carried out by people living in rural areas to this day is still very traditional. The work is done manually (using hands) to produce 7.2 kg/hour of grated coconut or 3.6 liters/hour of thick coconut milk. To make the process smoother, the squeezing needs to be done mechanically, namely using a grated coconut press machine. The machine is designed based on a Screw Press system with 1⁄4 HP 1450 rpm electric motor power using a pulley belt transmission. Squeezing power refers to the capacity of the grated coconut that can be accommodated in the pressing tube (squeezing power by hand is usually done by coconut oil producers and some traditional food stall entrepreneurs in rural areas). The prototype of this machine is capable of producing .6 liters/hour of thick coconut milk, which has the same quality (color, smell and texture) as that squeezed manually.

CATALYZING URBAN AND RURAL FEMALE ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS THROUGH HRM PRACTICES AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY USE: INSIGHTS FROM LEBANON

This study investigates the influence of human resource management (HRM) practices and digital technology use (DTU) on women’s perceived venture growth. Further, it explores the mediating role of perceived venture growth and whether this factor contributes to the improvement of female entrepreneurs’ economic conditions. The analysis also assesses differences between urban and rural areas. Using a sample of 100 female entrepreneurs in Lebanon, the results indicate that HRM practices and DTU exert a positive, significant effect on female entrepreneurs’ perceived venture growth. The latter also has a positive influence on the economic conditions of these women and acts as a mediator in these relationships. The findings differ between urban and rural areas. For female entrepreneurs in urban areas, perceived venture growth is shown to mediate the relationship between DTU and women’s economic conditions while it mediates the relationship between HRM practices and women’s economic conditions for female entrepreneurs in rural areas. The findings emphasize the collectivistic nature of rural female entrepreneurs, underscoring their reliance on strategic people management for business growth. It also advocates for promoting digital literacy among rural female entrepreneurs to help them grow and expand their businesses.

Fostering rural entrepreneurship: An ex-post analysis for Spanish municipalities

Entrepreneurs in rural areas contribute enormously to these territories, but they also face challenges not encountered by their urban counterparts. These problems include lack of basic infrastructure and fewer opportunities to exploit new technologies and engage in innovation projects. Research into the limitations experienced by rural entrepreneurs is scarce. The present study seeks to provide a better understanding of these problems through an ex-post analysis of an innovative policy designed to foster rural entrepreneurship. This policy adopts a “bottom-up” approach to promoting relationships among different parts of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Among the recipients of this policy, some also benefited from other programs aimed at promoting technological innovation, technology adoption and basic infrastructure improvements. To assess the influence of the policy we conducted a municipality (LAU-2) level analysis using unique data on some 12.6 million beneficiary projects. We employed a recently developed difference-in-difference method to estimate the causal effect of this bottom-up policy on local workers. We did not identify any spillover effects from the implementation of this policy. We found a positive impact which was effective for reducing unemployment in the treated areas. Unemployment levels also reduced significantly in municipalities that received funds for innovation and enhanced infrastructure; however, among the group that received help for technology adoption unemployment levels did not change. This points to the importance of basic infrastructure to enable innovation and increase technology adoption in rural areas. Also, the lower effects found for female workers - one of the most vulnerable groups within the ecosystem – suggest that the policy should be refined to avoid these unintended effects on rural inequality.

A Study on the Socioeconomic Status of Small Business Women Entrepreneurs In Rural Areas Of Thiruvarur District

The major hindrance for the women entrepreneur is their family alone. They have to take responsibility for their household activities and elderly people and along with the business. The responsibility of taking care of the household is holding back the full capacity to do the business in a much better way than now. If these problems are rectified then it will be a revolutionary empowerment of women entrepreneur in our country

Cultural elements for small agribusiness entrepreneurship in rural contexts

With high unemployment rates in South Africa, research into agribusiness entrepreneurship has become relevant. Despite their job creation dimension, agribusinesses are essential for realizing food security in both rural and urban contexts. The study aimed to explore the question: How do cultural elements affect small agribusiness entrepreneurship in rural areas? This question was prudent owing to the restrictions to open business that arose from the Covid-19 induced lockdowns and restricted movements. A rural context was the basis for the study taking note that in most rural areas in Africa, agricultural activity forms the backbone of socioeconomic life. The study followed the qualitative research approach based on the case study design of a selected rural community. The actual data collection method was based on two focus group discussions of the cultural elements that affect agribusiness entrepreneurship among members of the rural community. The findings show that culture is a strong determent of success agribusiness entrepreneurship in rural areas. Evidence collected pointed that the history of a community, family backgrounds as well as the external environment influences its culture which then affects agribusiness entrepreneurship in rural environments. These shape the beliefs, values, behaviour and values of a community. The apartheid era instilled psychological inhibitions such as the rejection of self-identities and the belief that self-employment is not possible among Blacks. It emerged that families influence the orientations of respondents especially through tales, stories and shared totems. The study shows that the external environment and its factors such as globalisation, technology and economic development also influence values, beliefs and agri-entrepreneurship behaviour.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN RURAL AREAS: EDUCATIONAL HOMESTEADS AND AGRITOURISM FARMS

The aim of this article is to characterise two forms of entrepreneurship in rural areas that are an alternative to agricultural activity and an additional source of income: educational homesteads and agri-tourism farms. The main research question was what are the reasons for using the offer of educational homesteads and agrotourism farms. A total of 158 respondents took part in the survey. The research was conducted in August-September 2021. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s Chi2 and Mann-Whitney U tests of the STATISTICA 13.1 PL programme were used to compile the results. Among the respondents surveyed, more than half of the respondents use the leisure offer at least once a year, more than one-fifth of the men and one-third of the women surveyed try to visit agro-tourism farms or educational homesteads several times a year. Among the most important reasons for choosing the offer of rural enterprises are: „peace and quiet” offered by the rural enterprises’ offers, followed by „rural scenery”, „opportunity to learn about local culture” and „family atmosphere”. Respondents spoke highly of the level of service provided in the enterprises they used, but in their free opinions suggested that it would be good to establish cooperation between agritourism farms and educational homesteads: combining relaxation in a rural setting with education in order to benefit as much as possible from their stay in rural areas.

Virtual small business entrepreneurship opportunities

For small business entrepreneurs in rural areas to survive in the digital contexts, research is essential on the challenges they face and how these challenges can become opportunities for other entrepreneurs. In this study, small business entrepreneurship opportunities at a township in the Eastern Cape were explored. The basis of the study was that entrepreneurship opportunities are embedded in business challenges and entrepreneurs who can provide services or products that address identified challenges can have viable entrepreneurship ventures. The study used two-phased sequential interviews to collect data to address the purpose of the study, which was: to explore the small business entrepreneurship opportunities in the Eastern Cape in the context of digitalisation. In the first interview challenges, faced by 60 entrepreneurs at an identified small business Mall, were recorded, and the most common challenges were noted. After noting the most common challenges and suggestions for possible business opportunities, associated with addressing the challenges, interviews with eight entrepreneurs in the Mall were then undertaken to gather more information. The study found evidence that small business entrepreneurship opportunities existed in areas related to providing essential support services, such as small business education and training, infopreneurship, and digital infrastructure retailing including providing alternative power options, such as solar power for the enterprises. With the high unemployment and high rate of small business failure, the study recommends the effective exploitation of the identified business opportunities to ensure that existing enterprises survive and new ventures also arise.

Dynamics of solar energy entrepreneurship in rural Bihar, India

Access to energy provides numerous opportunities to enhance well-being and alleviate poverty. In rural and energy-poor areas, alternative technology solutions such as solar off-grid products, storage systems and energy-efficient devices can complement the unreliable electric grid to fulfil energy needs. Localized entrepreneurship in rural areas can play a significant role in increasing energy access. However, studies on the dynamics of rural entrepreneurship and low-cost energy access in poor households are scarce. This paper explores the local entrepreneurs' perception of social, economic, and technological factors that impact entrepreneurship dynamics in rural poor communities of India, and to identify strategies to help further improve the existing institutional support. A community-based system dynamics (CBSD) approach was used to engage community members to understand their perspective of entrepreneurial development. The study participants were twelve local rural retailers in the state of Bihar in India who were previously trained and employed in a decentralized solar project, and have since become solar entrepreneurs. Participants were engaged in group model-building sessions to develop a causal loop diagram (CLD). Based on the basic structure identified in CLD, a simulation model was developed and calibrated using data from solar project operations and surveys of solar users and entrepreneurs. Results indicate that training and subsequent experience in the project and business helped reinforce the entrepreneur's skills. Repair service and sales of energy products contributed in building trust and awareness in the community, thereby increasing demand for solar and energy-efficient products. The simulation-based scenario analysis shows the positive impact of better business practices, bulk procurement, and continued repair services on the income of the solar entrepreneurs. Findings from this study can inform subsequent energy entrepreneurial development in rural Bihar.

B&B accommodation entrepreneurship in rural China: How does embeddedness make a difference?

Bed and breakfast (B&B) accommodation invested by nonlocal entrepreneurs has been gaining increasing attention, but research on how entrepreneurship effectively interacts with the rural context to reach sustainable outcomes is still in dispute. This research explored the social embeddedness and institutional embeddedness of rural B&B entrepreneurship by taking two villages with similar contexts in China as case studies. By comparison, the results revealed that institutional embeddedness is fundamental; otherwise, social embeddedness tends to have a negative impact on entrepreneurship in rural areas and causes social conflicts. Tripartite collaborations involving local government (and its institutions), entrepreneurs and community effectively support rural B&B entrepreneurship, in which local government and its local institutions play pivotal roles in improving the rural entrepreneurship climate. This study unpacks embeddedness in two heterogeneous components and offers further insight into entrepreneur-context interactions. Finally, some suggestions are presented for rural B&B accommodation development.

The Role of Financial Information Literacy in Strategic Decision-Making Effectiveness and Sustainable Performance among Agribusiness Entrepreneurs in Nigeria

The current financial environment is characterized by frequent innovations and complex financial products and services and this poses particular challenges for agribusiness entrepreneurs in rural areas. This study examined the sources of financial information available to agribusiness entrepreneurs in rural areas and how financial information literacy impacts performance sustainability and strategic decision-making effectiveness among agribusiness entrepreneurs amid complex and frequent innovations in financial environments in Nigeria. Utilizing a probability sampling approach, 397 respondents were drawn from the pool of agribusiness entrepreneurs registered with the Edo State Agricultural Development Programme for the Central Bank of Nigeria Anchored Borrower’s Programme (ABP) for farming businesses. The hypotheses were tested using linear regression analysis. The results from the demographic analysis suggest that agribusiness entrepreneurs have the highest access to radio adverts/programs on financial matters while television adverts/programs exert the highest persuasive influence on these agribusiness entrepreneurs. The outcomes from this analysis indicate that financial information literacy significantly impacts agribusiness performance sustainability among entrepreneurs. In addition, the proposed link between financial information literacy and strategic decision-making effectiveness among agribusiness entrepreneurs was confirmed. It is concluded that financial information literacy is needed for strategic decision-making effectiveness and performance sustainability among agribusiness entrepreneurs, particularly in rural areas, amid frequent innovative financial products and services.

Entrepreneurship opportunities for agriculture graduate and rural youth in India: a scoping review

The majority of the world’s population lives in rural areas whereas, in the case of India, 73% population is dependent on agriculture and related works as their mainstream revenue resources. Entrepreneurship in rural areas could be one of the utmost vital initiatives towards the country’s economic development under the adverse impacts of climate change. Entrepreneurship is a crucial feature for the sustainable survival of small-scale agriculture in a continuously increasing compound international economy. Contrarily, most rural entrepreneurs in developing nations, including India, face numerous problems due to the unavailable primary facilities in remote areas. Several agricultural entrepreneurship technologies have been scientifically studied and introduced by numerous countries. Information regarding the progress in modern agriculture entrepreneurship has become crucial for agriculture graduates and the rural youth engaged in the agriculture sector. Hence, it becomes essential for developed and developing economies to emphasize the large-scale demonstrations of agriculture entrepreneurship technologies. In the present manuscript, several such interventions are highlighted in the form of various points which will be of immense use to the self-reliant movement of India. In this endeavour, helpful information on agriculture entrepreneurship technologies from various research institutions and universities has been generated to benefit agriculture graduates and rural youth.

THE IMPACT OF MICROFINANCE ON ECONOMIC GROWTH IN YEMEN

Microfinance is a financial service that provides loans, savings, and other financial products to low-income individuals and households. It is often seen as a way to promote economic growth by providing access to capital for small businesses and entrepreneurs. This study examines the impact of microfinance on economic growth in Yemen. Data on microfinance loans disbursed and economic growth (measured by GDP) was collected from the World Bank for the period 1990-2022. The data was analyzed using SPSS to determine the relationship between microfinance and economic growth. The results of the study showed a positive and significant relationship between microfinance and economic growth. This suggests that microfinance can play a role in promoting economic growth in Yemen. The study also found that the impact of microfinance on economic growth was stronger in rural areas than in urban areas. This is likely because microfinance can be more effective in providing access to capital for small businesses and entrepreneurs in rural areas, where there are fewer formal financial institutions. The findings of this study suggest that microfinance can be a valuable tool for promoting economic growth in Yemen. The government and other stakeholders should consider supporting microfinance programs to help boost economic growth and reduce poverty.

International immigration and entrepreneurship in rural areas of the Spanish Pyrenees

The academic literature on international immigration into rural areas has clearly identified two main international migration flows: retirement migration and low-skilled migration in farming. Yet, the emphasis on these two types of international immigrants has overlooked other types of incomers, such as professionals, lifestyle movers, immigrant entrepreneurs and self-employed workers who may potentially have positive impacts on local rural economies and societies. Filling a gap in the literature, this paper concentrates on immigrant entrepreneurship in the Spanish Pyrenees. In doing so, it explores connections between local economies, entrepreneurship, and lifestyle immigration. It also analyses the potential of immigrant entrepreneurs to contribute to local economic growth with the different types of capital they possess (e.g. human capital, social capital). Methodology, it is based on a fieldwork carried out in the Spanish Pyrenees between February and May 2022. Specifically, it has been carried out 31 in-depth interviews with foreign-born immigrants in two areas of the Spanish Pyrenees (Girona and Huesca). The non-representative sample is equally distributed among immigrant entrepreneurs, self-employed workers, and employees, and it was also balanced by sex and covered different ages, covering, thus, a broad spectrum of immigrants’ labour incorporations. Our results add new evidence to previous discussions on immigrant entrepreneurship and lifestyle immigration, from the viewpoint of rural mountain areas. Interviewed immigrant entrepreneurs occasionally play a key role in the creation and introduction of innovative products in very specific market niches in farming and tourism in the Pyrenees. In this way, immigrants stimulate local economies, and help to strengthen values on sustainability, community and sense of place. Yet the companies they create are often limited in both size and capital, and these circumstances generally produce only a slight impact on local economic development and job creation in the Pyrenees

DIRECTIONS FOR IMPROVING THE INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT OF THE STATE POLICY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL BUSINESS IN RURAL AREAS

The relevance of the problem of formation and implementation of the state policy for the development of small entrepreneurship in rural areas of Ukraine is revealed, in particular in the aspect of improving the institutional support of state policy in this area. The purpose of the study is to substantiate the ways and means of improving the institutional support of the state policy of promoting the development of small entrepreneurship in rural areas. The directions (1 – macro-level, 2 – regional-level) that should be followed to form and implement the policy of small business development in the rural areas of Ukraine have been determined. It is shown that strategic goals in this area should be formed in the context of the economic independence of its subjects, ensuring the appropriate level of economic security and expanded reproduction of the economic and resource potential of enterprises. It was determined that the leading place in the system of state policy measures in the field of small business development in rural areas is assigned to the institutional support of state policy. It is about institutional-legal and institutional-organizational policy. It was established that in the institutional and organizational plan, the measures that should be implemented are: strengthening the programmatic and normative regulation of the development of small entrepreneurship and helping to increase the level of motivation of local self-government bodies regarding the implementation of measures and achieving success in this area. Accordingly, at the regional and local level, it is necessary to: activate the management functions of the authorities in the direction of the formation of a favorable business climate and a safe business environment; improve regulatory policy, eliminate manifestations of monopoly, “client” relations and corruption in “government-business” relations; to strengthen the level of financial support of small private business entities.

Moving to the Big City: Temporal, Demographic, and Geographic Influences on the Perceptions of Gender-Related Business Acumen among Male and Female Migrant Entrepreneurs in China

Do migrant entrepreneurs from rural areas hold more traditional or more egalitarian gender-role perceptions, when immersed in urban areas? The answer to this question affects China’s within-country migrant entrepreneurs, who are increasingly women, because egalitarian gender-role perceptions increase the resources provided to female entrepreneurs by key stakeholders, including other migrant entrepreneurs. Currently, we know little about the gender equity and gender perceptions evidenced at the intersection of two significant trends in China: (1) rural–urban migration and (2) entrepreneurship. To advance our understanding of the gender bias that female migrant entrepreneurs may encounter, we first analyzed business acumen indicators of a nationally and geographically representative sample of 4660 entrepreneurs in China using Global Entrepreneurship Monitor data (Study 1). Second, we analyzed differences in gender perceptions regarding female business acumen of 293 migrant entrepreneurs based in Beijing (Study 2). The perceptions of all entrepreneurs in rural areas (Study 1) and of male migrant entrepreneurs who were originally from rural areas (Study 2) are the most consistent with traditional gender-role stereotypes. However, male migrant entrepreneurs’ tenure and interactions in Beijing and all entrepreneurs’ exposure to higher proportions of female entrepreneurs were associated with more egalitarian perceptions. Migrant entrepreneurship in China provides insights into the differential influence of gender and home region socialization on the gender stereotypes and business-related perceptions of those immersed in a location with more egalitarian gender stereotypes.