Taxonomy of the Determinants of Entrepreneurial Activity
Journal of Economics and Economic Education Research(2015)
摘要
INTRODUCTIONOne of the United Nationu0027s Millennium Development Goals is to halve the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by 2015 (United Nations, 2010). The goal will be challenging with 884 million people worldwide currently lacking access to safe drinking water and 2.6 billion lacking basic sanitation services. An important aspect of this goal is that it specifies sustainable access. Recent literature has demonstrated that sustainable development depends on a high level of community involvement, or more importantly, community management (Clemens, Karp, u0026 Papadakis, 2002; Laverack, 2001; Shortall u0026 Shucksmit, 2001; Wegelin-Schuringa 1998; Rifkin, 1990; Fox, 1992). Differences exist between the developed and developing world (Lasmin, 2011; Violet u0026 Alexander, 2009). The difference between community involvement and community management is that community management involves the community in the decision making process. In community management, the community owns and eventually maintains the systems, leading to a stronger sense of ownership and empowerment. u0027... Local residents must be viewed as the key actors, the subject of their own problems and not as objects for who outside institutions must plan and do thingsu0027 (Espinosa and Rivera, 1994:16). This is one of the key factors of interest in effective development and water development is the method used in this case study to create community empowerment. A similar study concluded that u0027WD [water development] in its present form is a necessary but not a sufficient condition to sustain rural livelihoods. However, WD does carry the potential for enhanced livelihood securityu0027 (Reddy et al. 2004:324). Agua del Pueblo (AdP) is a non-profit, Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) founded in Guatemala with the goal of assisting rural communities to obtain improved water and sanitation systems. Arguably AdPu0027s greatest success is its efforts to empower local communities. AdPu0027s methodology ensures that communities develop themselves, assist other communities in development projects, and successfully maintain their own systems (Evans u0026 Appleton, 1993). The director of AdP emphasizes that the goal of AdP is not merely water or sanitation, but to use these projects as a means to address poverty and underdevelopment (P. Quijivix, personal communication, May 25, 2011).AdP and similar organizations have developed not only Guatemala, but throughout the developing world in order to combat poverty. Kay 1991 explains how the globalization of capitalism has almost forced these types of groups and disparities, even within countries. He goes on to explain the Centre-Periphery economic theory which argues that capitalist growth in the centre (developed countries) allows for growth and development, but simultaneously puts pressures on the periphery (developing countries) which prevent the areas from benefitting from market and technological advances as easily. The three main reasons to which he points are: surpluses in labour, a lack of unionization, and higher export competition when compared to the developed nations (Kay, 1991). A simple example of this problem was the highly variable price in coffee, a major cash crop grown by many in Guatemala. The varying price made living ifficult for many locals, before a supporter of AdP, the late Father Greg Schaffer offered a program where the nearby parish would offer a constant price for coffee. The parish would use any profits from unexpectedly high prices to offset losses from unexpectedly low ones. This program is simple by design, but the ability of farmers to know what their crops would earn them in advance was an invaluable tool which allowed them to apportion their spending accordingly. As such, this program greatly helped improve coffee farmers earnings and allowed them to improve their daily lives over time. This type of solution; simple, but effective and meaningful is exactly what AdP works for and incorporates into towns to allow for growth to spur further growth. …
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