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A study into the localization of rural businesses in five European countries

Abstract There is a growing realization among scholars and policy-makers of the role of local contextual factors and circumstances in influencing the behaviour of key economic agents, including the entrepreneur. This approach has stretched the boundaries of academic inquiry well beyond mainstream conceptualizations of economic agency as isolated from its setting. This paper, drawing upon the findings of extensive research in 10 rural areas across five European countries sets out to explore the localization of dynamic entrepreneurial ventures. It is argued that although the degree of localization may be significant in rural areas, delocalization is an essential element of the enterprise strategy among certain entrepreneurial ventures. This is particularly the case among larger, firms located in areas with developed transport and communications infrastructure, that are led mainly by individuals with a distinct demographic profile.