The role of rural entrepreneurs in shaping local tradition and image

Abstract

According to constructivist approaches, landscape and its representational elements are socially constructed and constantly reinterpreted. The different representations of rurality reflect the changing functions of rural areas and the parallel transformation of landscape interpretations. Through the analysis of different discourses, media and narratives, the rural representations of different actors, such as indigenous residents or the metropolitan middle class, demonstrate the importance of material and cultural elements of the landscape specific to certain social groups. Among the actors involved in the process of constructing cultural heritage and landscape, our study focuses on local entrepreneurs, key actors with regard to local image. In our study, we present the results of qualitative sociological research conducted in four gentrifying rural areas in Hungary through the analysis of 55 semi-structured interviews with local producers, winemakers, craftsmen, and tourism entrepreneurs. Our analysis sought to answer the questions: what are the differences in attachment to place between local/family entrepreneurs and newcomer/lifestyle entrepreneurs, and how does this affect their entrepreneurial activities? What does each type of entrepreneur consider to be of value in a given rural space? How do incomers fit into the local entrepreneurial community and how do they adapt to local entrepreneurial traditions? What characteristics of the area do they use and how do they enrich the image of the area? As a result of our analysis, three types of entrepreneurs emerged based on their activities and innovativeness in relation to local traditions: (1) image maintainers, (2) image reinterpreters and (3) image creators. Our results show that these types of entrepreneurs reflect the link between entrepreneurship and the rural landscape. In addition to differences in place attachment and embeddedness between in-migrant and indigenous local entrepreneurs, place characteristics have a significant impact on which types of entrepreneurs become the drivers of development in a place and how and to what extent they shape the place in their own image. At the same time, entrepreneurial activity also affects the image of the locality or micro-region, which has an impact on both locals and newcomers.