Page 241 - 1-Entrepreneurship and Local Economic Development by Norman Walzer (z-lib.org)

230 Don Macke

help your community develop. Look around and explore communities in
regions that seem further ahead of others. Learn from others who are pio-
neering entrepreneurship strategies. Finally, make room in your community
for a shared discovery process that enables a broad cross-section of the com-
munity to become part of your strategy. 10

CONCLUSION

Thomas Friedman (2005) in The World Is Flat makes a powerful case for
how a globalizing economy and society are impacting all of us. Rural Amer-
ica ranges from attractive landscapes adjacent to growing metropolitan ar-
eas to very isolated and challenged places in the Northern Great Plains. De-
velopment opportunities in a world economy and society will vary greatly
depending on which rural region one calls home.
Whether you are in a struggling rural community or one experiencing
growth opportunities, the RUPRI field research supports the view that entre-
preneurship may offer one of the best strategies for sustainable and appro-
priate development. Investing in local people and supporting their entrepre-
neurial talents can enable a more diversified and prosperous economy and
healthier society to emerge over time. This chapter provides many resources
that can help community leaders in their pursuit of effective entrepreneurial
programs and initiatives, keeping in mind that local action is essential to
achieving results.

NOTES

1. For more information, contact www.kauffman.org.
2. For more information, contact www.rupri.org.
3. Other support was provided by the Nebraska Community Foundation in Lin-
coln Nebraska; Partnership for Rural America; the National Rural Development
Partnership; and the National Commission on Entrepreneurship.
4. Members of the RUPRI field team included Don Macke, Deborah Markley, Erik
Pages, and Jay Kayne. Numerous other individuals and organizations greatly con-
tributed to this work.
5. Information on Valley County and HTC can be obtained through the HTC
Website at www.htcnebraska.org.
6. A copy of the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship/EntreWorks case study of the
Kansas Sirolli Project can be obtained by contacting Taina Radenslaben at taina@ru-
raleship.org.
7. For more information on Northern California, check out www.ruraleship.org,
the Library, and Eship Across America/California.
8. Additional information on HomeTown Competitiveness or HTC can be found
at www.htcnebraska.org.