Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Sonne, Lina
Author-Email: sonne@merit.unu.edu
Author-Workplace-Name: UNU-MERIT
Title: Pro-Poor, Entrepreneur-Based Innovation and it’s Role in Rural Development
Abstract: Innovation spurs economic growth and development. Pro-poor innovation in 
	 rural areas is more likely to occur through small-scale ventures and 
	 entrepreneurs than industrial research and development. Whilst previous 
	 rural development policies have focussed on small-holder agriculture, 
	 the fact is that most rural poor are landless poor and therefore 
	 unlikely to benefit greatly from agriculture-based policies. Instead 
	 most poor are entrepreneurs, running micro ventures, often at 
	 subsistence levels in both agriculture related and non-farm sectors. 
	 Though most rural poor are entrepreneurs out of necessity, a few are 
	 opportunity entrepreneurs pursuing a profitable business, innovating and 
	 looking to grow. These are the growth focussed entrepreneurs that are 
	 likely to have a large indirect effect on the poor by providing 
	 employment opportunities as well as improved good and service. This 
	 paper discusses the concept of propoor entrepreneur-based innovation 
	 (PEBI) by reviewing existing literature on rural development, innovation 
	 and entrepreneurship.
Classification-JEL: O18, O31, Q18, R51
Keywords: Pro-poor innovation, entrepreneurship, rural development
Series: UNU-MERIT Working Papers
Creation-Date: 2010
Number: 2010-037
File-URL: https://unu-merit.nl/publications/wppdf/2010/wp2010-037.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 275 Kb
Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2010037