ENTERPRISE HOMESTEADING FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT

IN MANY RURAL AREAS, THE RATE AT WHICH NEW BUSINESSES ARE FORMED IS INADEQUATE TO SUPPORT ECONOMIC GROWTH AND JOB CREATION. PREVIOUS RESEARCH INDICATES THAT INDIVIDUALS AGED 30 TO 49 WITH BUSINESS EXPERIENCE ARE MOST APT TO START ENTERPRISES BUT, AFTER YEARS OF OUTMIGRATION, ARE LARGELY ABSENT FROM RURAL AREAS. THE PROJECT WILL DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING NEW ENTERPRISES IN RURAL COMMUNITIES BY RECRUITING EXPERIENCED, MIDCAREER PERSONS WITH ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS AND AMBITIONS FROM METROPOLITAN AREAS. THE RESEARCH EMPLOYS FOCUS GROUPS AND KEY-INFORMANT SURVEY TECHNIQUES TO INDENTIFY AND COLLECT DATA FROM POTENTIAL ENTREPRENEURS IN A METROPOLITAL AREA AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ENTITIES IN RURAL NORTH DAKOTA AND MINNESOTA, RESPECTIVELY. THE RESEARCH WILL EVALUATE THE FEASIBILITY OF TWO HOMESTEADING APPROACHES; ONE WHEREIN ENTREPRENEURS WITH PRECONCEIVED BUSINESS IDEAS ARE RECRUITED AND THE SECOND IN WHICH VIABLE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES ARE FIRST IDENTIFIED AND THE ENTREPRENEURS WITH APPLICABLE MANAGEMENT AND TECHNICAL SKILLS ARE RECRUITED. THE PROJECT WILL DELINEATE A MODEL DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR AN ENTERPRISE HOMESTEADING PROGRAM THAT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED BY ECOMONIC DEVELOPMENT ENTITIES THROUGHOUT RURAL AMERICA.