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Relationship Formation and Maintenance Strategies in Network Kansas E-Communities

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Entrepreneurship ecosystem building is an emergent local economic development strategy that has garnered increased attention since 2010. The entrepreneurship ecosystem consists of the local context and the networks of institutions and individuals and how they function interdependently to enhance or detract from local entrepreneurs’ ability to start and grow firms. As an economic development strategy, entrepreneurship ecosystem building focuses on strengthening the local business environment to improve the rate at which entrepreneurs can start and grow firms. This dissertation explores how the elements that constitute an entrepreneurship ecosystem interact. It does this by focusing on relationship formation and maintenance strategies in entrepreneurship ecosystem building. A case study methodology was used to examine three Network Kansas E-Communities, a local entrepreneurship ecosystem building strategy practiced in over 60 county or sub-county local communities in Kansas. The primary research finding reinforces previous research that each entrepreneurship ecosystem is unique and requires unique relationship formation and maintenance strategies. Additional findings indicate that different strategies are used to form and maintain relationships with entrepreneurs versus entrepreneur support providers, the design of the entrepreneurship ecosystem building program influences relationship strategies, and that collaborative action and providing information and awareness were dominant relationship formation and maintenance strategies.
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