Abstract

Entrepreneurial regions display characteristics that are consonant with economic
prosperity and growth. They have high levels of business start-up, often of high quality
ventures, and an adaptable and flexible indigenous population of firms that are
innovative and trade extensively outside the region as well as creating new economic
opportunity within it. These regions represent, as such, a desirable ‘local economy’ in
which economic development and growth can be sustained.
This paper explores the notion of the entrepreneurial region, and in particular the
relevance and appropriateness of this concept to the East Midlands. Via an assessment
of existing data and studies, an outline framework is developed that depicts aspects and
dimensions of an entrepreneurial region. This framework is then applied to the East
Midlands to gauge how entrepreneurial the region is.