Title: The support paradox in community enterprise experiments in the Netherlands

Authors: Reinout Kleinhans; Maarten Van Ham

Addresses: Department OTB – Research for the Built Environment, Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology, Julianalaan 134, 2628 BL Delft, The Netherlands ' Department OTB – Research for the Built Environment, Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology, Julianalaan 134, 2628 BL Delft, The Netherlands; Department of Geography and Sustainable Development, School of Geography and Geosciences, University of St. Andrews, North Street, St. Andrews, KY16 9AL Fife, Scotland, UK

Abstract: In many European countries, community-based entrepreneurship is increasingly considered as a means to initiate small-scale urban regeneration. However, residents in deprived neighbourhoods are often viewed to lack key entrepreneurial skills. Most research on community entrepreneurship support is based on cross-sectional studies and overly focussed on government support. This paper extends current knowledge by reporting a unique national experiment in the Netherlands with community enterprises receiving support from a private foundation. The paper aims to investigate how active citizens perceive the benefits and drawbacks of this support. Using a unique longitudinal approach, the paper analyses transcriptions of repeated semi-structured interviews (panel design) from community enterprises in several neighbourhoods. While positive feedback is found, the study provides strong evidence for a 'support paradox': the support that was intended to overcome a number of entry barriers and difficulties on the road to community entrepreneurship has significantly hampered progress among several community enterprises.

Keywords: community entrepreneurship; community enterprise; social enterprise; austerity; active citizenship; urban regeneration; self-organisation; neighbourhoods; support; The Netherlands.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2017.085425

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2017 Vol.31 No.4, pp.570 - 589

Received: 05 Feb 2016
Accepted: 06 Feb 2016
Published online: 26 Jul 2017 *

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