Following the conference and now with the publication of this document, it is clear that governments of all kinds still have a significant role to play, even though that role is evolving. This booklet documents well the importance of setting public policy priorities establishing a legislative framework, supporting partnerships, and providing appropriate programming. In conclusion, this document is offered as a contribution to the growing body of information on the role of financing in local development. It is hoped that readers will find it not only informative, but of practical value in their own work. It is much more than the competition and risk taking of starting your own business.
Enterprises create jobs and wealth.
Without the dynamism they bring to the economy, the challenges of globalisation and structural change would be all but insurmountable. Fostering entrepreneurship means channelling entrepreneurial drive into a dynamic process which takes advantage of all the opportunities the economy can provide. This book analyses the factors that favour entrepreneurship and the obstacles that hinder it. It is the first to provide an international synthesis of entrepreneurship policies undertaken in countries as diverse as Australia, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United States. Despite varying degrees of entrepreneurship from one country to another, international comparisons show that success comes from a synergy between a conducive institutional environment, well-designed government programmes and supportive cultural factors.