The Entrepreneurial Environment of Smaller Island Jurisdictions – A Comparative Study of Systems of Entrepreneurship in Economically Developed Small Islands

Aqutsisoq:
Lars David Turesson

Sammivik suliffillu:
Teknologi / Grønlands Universitet og Fróðskaparsetur Føroya (færøsk universitet)

Qulequtaq:
The Entrepreneurial Environment of Smaller Island Jurisdictions – A Comparative Study of Systems of Entrepreneurship in Economically Developed Small Islands

Allaatigisaq:
The key question in this PhD research project is “How do  context  dependent  attributes of  entrepreneurial  ecosystems  in  economically developed smaller island jurisdictions influence processes of local entrepreneurship?”. The project carries significant importance considering how essential entrepreneurship is to any economy.  Entrepreneurship can, for instance, contribute to economic growth and keep an economy out of stagnation, facilitate for job creation and innovative practices, help diversify economic composition and provide important opportunities in times of large layoffs, among other benefits. To better understand processes of entrepreneurship in different countries, academic attention is increasingly being drawn towards how geographic, economic, social, cultural and institutional elements play together in shaping the varying contexts in which entrepreneurship takes place. This type research is of utmost importance when seeking to improve the number and quality of businesses in a geographical area, but has up until now lagged far behind in the world’s many smaller island jurisdictions. By investigating and comparing the entrepreneurial environments in Greenland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands this project aims to revitalize research tied to entrepreneurship in sparsely populated islands, increase understanding of entrepreneurship in developed island economies and set a novel direction for business research in the West Nordic area.

Inuiaqatigiinnik ilanngussinermik periutsit:
Community inclusion will be a paramount part of the research. Many Greenlandic entrepreneurial individuals, companies and institutions will be part of the study and are naturally assumed to express significant interest in the project and the collective effort of developing the entrepreneurial business environment in the country. Early media coverage will be sought in order to raise project awareness and increase inclusion of even more potential stakeholders. Through teaching activities at Ilisimatusarfik during several semesters I will seek to engage students with the research area as well as with the nature and ambitions of the PhD project.

Inuiaqatigiinnut paasissutissiinermik periutsit:
The dissemination strategy partly includes the common procedure of producing two academic articles for journals, but also providing Ilisimatusarfik with a customized article for publication on the university homepage, as well as holding at least one lecture for the public to attend. Moreover, a report summarizing the project outcomes and results will be provided all participants of the study, who also will be encouraged to spread them through their own networks. The findings will furthermore be turned into a presentation to be held at any request. Media coverage will again be sought to raise interest in project result, as well as for the big dissemination goal of arranging a conference on North Atlantic Entrepreneurship.