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(Why) Do digital startups move to rural regions?

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  • Jane Wuth

Abstract

While especially rural regions struggle to grow economically, startups – important drivers for regional economic growth – mainly settle in cities. Business founders usually start a firm where they live and only afterwards decide where to locate the business on a long‐term plan and on the basis of economic considerations (Feldman, 2001). Existing literature explains when and why startups usually move (Stam, 2007) but does not differentiate between rural or urban regional aspects. On the basis of a descriptive analysis of 6,550 German startups and several in‐depth interviews, this article discusses indicators that can support or inhibit the increasing settlement of specifically digital start‐ups in rural regions. Results show that nearly the same total number of digital startups move from urban to rural regions and vice versa. Further results raise the assumption that digital startups in particular are not as bound to local access to aspects such as customers or suppliers. Digitization could increase the potential for rural regions to become more competitive with urban regions than before. Mientras que las regiones rurales luchan en especial por crecer económicamente, las empresas emergentes, importantes motores del crecimiento económico regional, se asientan principalmente en las ciudades. Los fundadores de empresas suelen poner en marcha una empresa donde viven y sólo después deciden dónde ubicar la empresa siguiendo un plan a largo plazo en función de consideraciones económicas (Feldman, 2001). La bibliografía existente explica cuándo y por qué se suelen trasladar las empresas emergentes (Stam, 2007), pero no distingue entre aspectos regionales rurales o urbanos. Este artículo utiliza un análisis descriptivo de 6550 empresas emergentes alemanas y de varias entrevistas en profundidad, para analizar los indicadores que pueden apoyar o inhibir el creciente asentamiento de empresas emergentes digitales, en particular, en regiones rurales. Los resultados muestran que casi el mismo número total de empresas emergentes digitales se desplaza de las regiones urbanas a las rurales y viceversa. Otros resultados plantean la hipótesis de que las empresas emergentes digitales, en particular, no están tan vinculadas al acceso local a aspectos como los clientes o los proveedores. La digitalización podría aumentar el potencial de las regiones rurales para ser más competitivas que antes frente a las regiones urbanas. 特に農村地域は経済的に成長するのに苦労しているが、地域の経済成長の重要な原動力となるスタートアップ企業は主に都市部に定着する。起業家は、自分の住んでいる場所で会社を立ち上げ、その後になって初めて長期的な計画と経済的考察に基づいて事業の場所を決定する(Feldman, 2001)ことが多い。既存の文献では、スタートアップ企業は移動することが多いが、それはいつ、なぜ起こるのかが説明されている(Stam, 2007)が、地方と都市との地域的側面の違いの区別はしていない。本稿では、ドイツのスタートアップ企業6,550社の記述的分析と詳細なインタビューに基づいて、特にデジタルスタートアップ企業の地方での定着の増加を支援または抑制する指標について説明する。結果から、都市部から地方に移動するデジタルスタートアップ企業と、その逆もほぼ同数であることが示される。さらに、特にデジタルスタートアップ企業は、顧客やサプライヤーなどへのローカルアクセスにそれほど縛られていないという仮説が提起される。デジタル化によって、農村地域の都市地域との競争力が以前よりも高められる可能性がある。

Suggested Citation

  • Jane Wuth, 2023. "(Why) Do digital startups move to rural regions?," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(4), pages 845-862, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:rgscpp:v:15:y:2023:i:4:p:845-862
    DOI: 10.1111/rsp3.12589
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