Abstract
Culture and entrepreneurship are two concepts with identical impact and are considered as drivers of growth. Culture is understood as a group of people with a common set of values and beliefs and entrepreneurship is the driving force for initiating business ideas, expanding enterprises and creating jobs and plays a significant role in enhancing export, tourism and economic growth of a country. In this book, the emphasis is on local cultural and creative entrepreneurship as it contributes to increasing levels of regional innovation and productivity and can facilitate economic and social value creation. The discussion on how Latin American and Iberian culture and heritage can contribute to entrepreneurial activities and enhance economic growth through tourism is an unexplored area and emerging field of entrepreneurship studies. Therefore, the book Latin American and Tourism Entrepreneurship enhances and reminds readers about the importance of culture, heritage and history of region that influences entrepreneurship.
The areas of culture and entrepreneurship has been of great interest not only to researchers and academics but also to policymakers and business leaders. The book edited by Joao Leitao, Vanessa Ratten and Vitor Braga emphasised on the role of entrepreneurship and focused on specific social and political conditions that inspire innovative entrepreneurial activities. An interesting context for entrepreneurship due to unique cultural and historical conditions of Latin America and Iberian region is presented which will be beneficial for people who follow this field.
The book consists of ten chapters. The chapters in the book are written by different authors and the information is supported by research undertaken. The chapters not only highlight the importance of culture and history but also other concepts such as venture capital and technology, world heritage sites and tourism entrepreneurship, role of women in entrepreneurship, role of entrepreneurship education, role of previous experience in international opportunity recognition, role of sports entrepreneurship and use of entrepreneurial strategy. The book provides ample arena for researchers to undertake further research. The book features entrepreneurial opportunities in Latin America and Iberian region specifically related to their culture and tradition, thereby will be helpful for the policymakers to develop policies for supporting entrepreneurs in the region. Managers and business leaders need to understand the importance of different types of entrepreneurships, opportunities related to tourism and use of entrepreneurial strategy. Moreover, as the element of culture is fading away, therefore, to make sure the cultural and traditional elements as well as heritage sites are protected and are more in use, makes it an appropriate time to write this volume devoted to cultural entrepreneurship for Latin American and Iberian region.
Chapter 1 establishes and sets the context dwelling on the role of entrepreneurship in Latin America and Iberia. The cultural linkage and its influence on entrepreneurial capacity are highlighted and future research directions are also provided. Chapter 2 examines whether technology entrepreneurship in Latin America is influenced by availability of venture capital and finds a positive relationship. However, for the sample of high-income countries, no significant relationship is found. Based on this finding, the authors suggest some policies in this chapter to enrich entrepreneurial ecosystems. In Chapter 3, the author explains an interesting way to highlight the importance of heritage in enriching attractiveness of tourism. Chapter 4 investigates the role and importance of technological development in entrepreneurial initiatives that helps to provide elevating experiences to tourists visiting the Douro River areas. Chapter 5 explores whether firm’s innovation is affected by having women on upper management team, board of directors and general shareholders’ meetings in private family businesses. The findings suggested that there is negative and significant impact on innovation when regression analysis was performed on a sample of 339 Spanish private family businesses.
Entrepreneurs play an important role and is considered as basis of forthcoming business foundation. Therefore, Chapter 6 focuses on analysing the factors of accomplishment intention that grows in potential entrepreneurs, by considering a sample from the Global University Entrepreneurial Spirit (GUESSS) Panama for which 3,564 students were surveyed. The findings suggested that there is a high causality between the approach and the observed domination over the desire to apply; and also indirect influence of biased practice is noticed. Chapter 7 emphasises the role of heritage in safeguarding tourism places in Portugal and Spain by discoursing about the world heritage sites and significance of tourism in countries’ economic and cultural development. Chapter 8 examines whether past experiences of 172 Spanish international entrepreneurs are connected to identifying foreign market opportunities and finds positive connection; except for unanticipated discovery of opportunities for which there is negative connection. Chapter 9 presents findings of a study that was carried out to discover amalgamation of situations that creates high and low intrapreneurial plans in staffs of tennis centres. Four solutions were found to be the most explanatory solutions such as the mixture of high levels of learning with capturing a position of inferior obligation, low levels of contentment with acknowledgement, high levels of gratification with connections and high levels of fulfilment with upgrade opportunities. Lastly, Chapter 10 presents findings of an exploratory research that was carried out to investigate the effects of using strategic tools on the performance of a microenterprise in food sector in Arax-á-MG and the results suggested how an educated and proactive manager can make a difference with expertise and teamwork. The strategies used for betterment of the company can provide an example for other companies in the segment.
This book review of cultural entrepreneurship edited by Joao Leitao, Vanessa Ratten and Vitor Braga is focused on culture and heritage that encourage entrepreneurial activities. There is a connection between entrepreneurship, tourism and crafts made in the region. Various entrepreneurial activities emerge and are influenced by the crafts embedded in the communities that have a sense of history. The book is limited to discoursing about cultural entrepreneurship of Latin American and Iberian region only. The book does not discuss agricultural entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial preferences of different minority groups such as women and Indigenous groups, however, have suggested for future research considerations. The book provides detailed evidence on transfer of knowledge and technology from science and technology system into the entrepreneurial communities and explores the intangible assets derived from cultural heritage, historical connections, as well as family and social relationships.
This book will also be beneficial and of interest to students to understand importance of culture and history in entrepreneurship, which is little explored in that field. Students will find this inclusive book valuable and a decent source of practical and theoretical literature. Therefore, this book should help to better understand and explore entrepreneurial opportunities in Latin American and Iberian culture.