Digital futures of small businesses and entrepreneurial opportunity

Article

Reuschke, D., Mason, C. and Syrett, S. 2022. Digital futures of small businesses and entrepreneurial opportunity. Futures. 135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2021.102877
TypeArticle
TitleDigital futures of small businesses and entrepreneurial opportunity
AuthorsReuschke, D., Mason, C. and Syrett, S.
Abstract

This introduction to the Special Issue discusses the status quo of the literature on digital entrepreneurship and digital economy highlighting the neglect of a significant and growing segment of the small business sector whose futures have remained under-researched: self-employed workers and freelancers who run one-person or micro-businesses and home-based businesses that operate largely or exclusively online. Their digital futures and opportunities cannot be understood in simple dichotomies such as ‘necessity’ versus ‘opportunity’ or ‘use’ versus ‘non-use’ of digital technologies. Instead, it is suggested to consider the spatial and social contexts of these more ‘ordinary’ or ‘unexceptional’ businesses. Attention is drawn to networks and social capital and their spatial embeddedness in complementing human capital.Concepts of the second digital divide, digital generations, entrepreneurial bricolage and spatial proximity and city ecosystems are discussed to make suggestions about the possible digital futures of small businesses and entrepreneurial opportunity.

Research GroupCentre for Enterprise, Environment and Development Research (CEEDR)
PublisherElsevier
JournalFutures
ISSN0016-3287
Publication dates
Online21 Dec 2021
Print01 Jan 2022
Publication process dates
Deposited10 Jan 2022
Accepted18 Feb 2021
Output statusPublished
Accepted author manuscript
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Copyright Statement

© 2021. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Additional information

Refers to: Darja Reuschke, Colin Mason, Stephen Syrett, Digital futures of small businesses and entrepreneurial opportunity. Futures, Volume 128, April 2021, Pages 102714. DOI of original article: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2021.102714. See Repository record: https://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/32191

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2021.102877
LanguageEnglish
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