The unique Regional Studies Association Research Network on Citizen Entrepreneurship (RSARNCE) will carry out critical and systematic research and development activities on the involvement of citizens, as, producers, users, innovators and environmental gatekeepers of new forms of entrepreneurial activity in urban regions. The network’s distinctive proposition centres around an extended definition of regional entrepreneurship, based on the collaboration of citizens with entrepreneurs, policy makers, and urban activists to create sustainable capacities for entrepreneurial governance of regional and local resources, as part of the urban commons. Building on antecedents provided by Citizen Economics and Citizen Science, the network introduces a novel dimension to the idea and practice of regional innovative entrepreneurship through the engagement of citizens. The network will build on an inaugural presentation of the key concepts and early framework of the project at the EU Regions Week in Brussels in October, 2019.
Aims and Objectives of the RSARNCE Network
The aim of RSARNCE is to develop an enhanced and critical research and development capability for investigating the pro-active involvement of citizens in different forms of business, social and public new venture creation and development. To this end the main objectives are to:
- Study the phenomena of CE, exploring how and why citizens are engaged as producers, consumers, users, innovators and environmental gatekeepers, individually and collectively, to foster sustainable development in the urban commons;
- Exchange effectively the results of studies already done in various parts of the world;
- Develop a robust conceptual framework and an evaluative space for CE;
- Elaborate a set of relevant methodologies for conducting various studies, comparing and contrasting, and where appropriate, reconciling the territorial, institutional and cognitive diversity in the cases studies;
- Organise regional R&D, engagement and dissemination events to develop and promote the capabilities of researchers; and 6) Work towards developing regional CE plans in conjunction with regional institutions, entrepreneurs and government for alternative forms of sustainable economic and social development in local communities.
Background
The network’s programme of ideas is influenced by the ideas of Elinor Ostrom’s (2014) ‘Commons’ and, by extension, the ‘Concept of “Commoning” and ‘Sharing Cities’ in the context of the urban commons, Amartya Sen’s (1993;2008) capabilities approach linked to a Schumpeterian approach to organisational innovation and entrepreneurship for economic development (Schumpeter,1927;1930;1931). The underpinning literature provides for the prospect of defining entrepreneurship and innovation as the process of creating social goods, the development of which is enabled by the contribution, collaboration and co-creation efforts of citizens. Citizen involvement in this process engenders the achievement of their capabilities as a skilled, knowledgeable and empowered urban collective engaged in entrepreneurial governance of economic and social activities.
The organizers will select cases from Germany, Poland, Denmark and the UK to show a comprehensive, multifaceted picture of CE in the EU and demonstrate how multiple ways of CE engagement can contribute to achieving social and economic cohesion and integration. All four countries have well-established citizen engagement initiatives that address critical issues of economic and social sustainability, such as improved ways of living (Hanover, Germany), greening economic, social and personal spaces (Sonderborg, Denmark), neighbourhood improvement (Lodz, Poland) and crime reduction (Glasgow, Scotland). We see the possibility of some synergistic overlaps with existing (2019-2022) EU Cohesion Policy #CPnet and (2017-2020) Polycentric Urban Regions (PURs), as well as the Co-Cities and Mapping the Commines projects. Our distinctive contribution centres on citizen engagement with multiple forms of regional entrepreneurship.
Underpinning Research Questions
The project is exploring five research questions:
- Research Question 1 (RQ1): What determines the pro-active involvement of citizens in productive and entrepreneurial social and economic projects that offer new ways of using technology, and harnessing a common pool of resources?
- Research Question2 (RQ 2): How can citizens’ entrepreneurial aspirations as users, producers and consumers be effectively harnessed in collective action at local and regional environments?
- Research Question 3 (RQ 3): What policies tools and instruments are necessary to develop a Citizens’ Entrepreneurial Plan for the design, creation, development, implementation and governance of sustainable entrepreneurial initiatives at the regional and local level?
- Research Question 4 (RQ4): Why is it necessary to develop a replicable and polycentric research network project especially across disparate regions?
- Research Question 5 (RQ5): Which factors determine the specificity of CE in various territorial contexts and which mechanism of collective action are universal or plural?
The Project Team Members
- Professor Jay Mitra: jmitra@essex.ac.uk
- Dr Mariusz Sokolowicz: sokolowicz@uni.lodz.pl
Past events
20th International Entrepreneurship Forum Conference: Connecting Technology, Innovation and Society: An Entrepreneurial Citizen-Focused Approach – 9-11th September 2024, Porto, Portugal
Workshop on Citizen Entrepreneurship & Grand Challenges: Reflections on the RSARNCE Network’s Activities, New Developments and Where Next? – 9th June 2023, Germany – Workshop report
Citizen’s Entrepreneurship: Research/Data Analytics to Support Entrepreneurship Research, Policy and Practice – 6 April 2023, India – Conference summary
Regional Studies Association Research Network on Citizen Entrepreneurship (RSARNCE) Workshop “Lessons from Citizen Entrepreneurship”– 25th October 2022, Poland – watch recording here
Engaging Citizens in Research: Design, Methods and Data, 26 May 2021 – you can watch a recording of the workshop here:
Regional Studies Association Research Network on Citizen Entrepreneurship (RSARNCE) Online Workshop, Jun 26, 2020 – you can watch a recording of the workshop here: