Title: Coordinating technology introduction and entrepreneurial activities in rural areas

Authors: Jan Eise Fokkema; Bartjan J.W. Pennink; Togar M. Simatupang

Addresses: Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Groningen, 9700AV Groningen, the Netherlands ' Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Groningen, 9700AV Groningen, the Netherlands ' School of Business and Management, Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung, Indonesia

Abstract: The main purpose of this research is to investigate how technology introduction projects in rural areas should be coordinated in order to achieve local economic development and the role of social capital and entrepreneurial activities. Characteristics of three approaches were considered including topdown conventional coordination, communities of practice (CoP) and social entrepreneurship. Previous literature suggests the last two methods can lead to increased bridging social capital, which generates a relationship between social and commercial entrepreneurship. By qualitatively researching two successful case studies in Indonesia, it was found that for a top-down approach using CoP elements, bridging social capital was developed leading to both profit and nonprofit entrepreneurial activities. However, the reverse was also found, even though it was less obvious. For a top down approach with a local leader functioning as a social entrepreneur, bridging social capital was also developed leading to both profit and non-profit entrepreneurial activities.

Keywords: social capital; entrepreneurial activities; technology push; cultural capital; coordination; communities of practice; CoP; social entrepreneurship; rural.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2017.084869

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2017 Vol.31 No.3, pp.451 - 473

Received: 09 Feb 2016
Accepted: 09 Sep 2016
Published online: 01 Jul 2017 *

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