Monday, August 23, 2010

Study highlights importance of support systems for rural entrepreneurs

Local support groups are among the most important factors in fostering rural entrepreneurship, says a new report from the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs. The report's author Greg Wise, professor and community development specialist and director for the Center for Community and Economic Development at the University of Wisconsin–Extension, reports "the most important factors in developing a culture for entrepreneurship include: building and supporting business skills among entrepreneurs; developing vital resource centers; creating community awareness of and support for entrepreneurs; and building networks and collaboration," says a Newswise release.

The report, "Wisconsin Inventor & Entrepreneur Clubs: Investment in an Innovative Approach to Entrepreneurship," examines the roles reveals entrepreneurial clubs "offer a place for individuals to share new ideas, develop networks, obtain support for their efforts and offer a place to explore new ideas and move them to reality," the release says. The report says Wisconsin's entrepreneurial clubs have become an important place for entrepreneurs "to share ideas, obtain information and make connections with other entrepreneurs." (Read more)

You can obtain a copy of the report by contacting IIRA here.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Rural businesses are threatened with losing Saturday mail service, often cannot get broadband and likely never will be able to get it if they are located too far from the switching office and many of them also have no or unreliable cell phone service. Big business is in the business of ignoring and underserving rural America as much as it is allowed to and the federal government is not much better.