Study to inform the mainstreaming of business support in the rural North East

This study seeks to:

  • Identify the reasons why rural, and particularly land-based and fishing businesses in rural areas do not access/use public sector business support to the same extent as their urban counterparts;
  • Inform the mainstreaming of rural business support, including how to mainstream support for the land-based and fishing industries within the new IDB model of business brokerage from 2007;
  • Recommend potential solutions which will increase accessibility to and uptake of mainstream business support by rural entrepreneurs/businesses.

The study involves several different elements, including a literature review on the issue of rural business support (including a review of academic articles and policies and programmes related to enterprise development and business support in rural areas), interviews with economic development professionals in the North East and beyond, and a survey of non-users of business support in the North East.


Project funder: One NorthEast (this project is being led by Dipsticks Research)

Staff involved: Terry Carroll and Jane Atterton

Project duration: 2 months (July-August 2006)