As a resident of Ohio, I am well aware of the changing economic conditions within the manufacturing belt. For the past decade, I have worked with organizations within the manufacturing belt and observed first-hand the impact of the decreasing manufacturing focus in the area. Many point to entrepreneurship as the mechanism for revitalization.
As I have watched entrepreneurship add jobs in the area, I have noticed that entrepreneurs emerge from those displaced from other jobs, those returning to the area and new people attracted to the area. Knowing that resource acquisition is the key to success for most businesses in the startup and growth phases, I became interested in seeing if each type of entrepreneur approaches and acquires resources in the same manner.
My hope is that by understanding more about how entrepreneurs engage within the social network and acquire resources, agencies working to create economic development can learn how to best construct opportunities for resource attainment. In the future, I plan to focus my research on topics that give insight into the dynamics of business in the manufacturing belt and assist the manufacturing belt in its revitalization efforts.
Theresa M. Lechton
