Regions displaying a demographic density (population per square kilometer) and especially an economic density (GDP per capita, economic development levels) well below national averages. Low density territories thus combine characteristics of demographic and socioeconomic fragilities and, often, physical and relational distance in relation to the main decision centers. These territories are often negatively affected by the spontaneous market dynamics and tend to push people and resources towards the areas where economies of agglomeration may be exploited.
Published in Chapter:
Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Low-Density Regions: Business Incubation Practices in Alentejo
Maria da Conceição Rego (Universidade de Évora, Portugal), Maria Raquel Lucas (Universidade de Évora, Portugal), Carlos Vieira (Universidade de Évora, Portugal), and Isabel Vieira (Universidade de Évora, Portugal)
Copyright: © 2018
|Pages: 30
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-3525-6.ch003
Abstract
Low density regions face many development challenges. In the Alentejo region of Portugal, and in many other Southern European regions, such challenges have been intensified by the cumulative effects of the financial and economic crises, and the subsequent austerity. In such context, and to promote region catching up and sustainable development, a number of policies designed to promote local entrepreneurial ecosystems have been reinforced. In this study, we focus on one of these policies' instruments – business incubation - and on the region of Alentejo, and describe five incubators implemented by a local regional development association (ADRAL), some municipalities, a national association of young entrepreneurs (ANJE), and a local association of entrepreneurs (NERE). We assess the incubators' distinctive characteristics and those of some incubated projects, aiming at identifying the specificities of this approach and its success determinants.