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The Theories and Politics of Entrepreneurial Cities - A Theoretical Summing Up and the Next Step Forward

Dannestam, Tove LU (2004) Nordic Sociology Congress, 2004
Abstract
How can theories about the entrepreneurial city contribute to our understanding of local politics? The theoretical framework of urban entrepreneurialism, as well as empirical studies thereof, occupy a rather marginal position within Swedish political science. Entrepreneurialism includes an emphasis on both the content and the organisation of local politics, highlighting how public officials adopt growth oriented policies and form partnerships with private actors to enforce them. The aim of my paper is to highlight the potential, as well as the shortcomings of the theoretical framework in mind. I will use the Swedish city of Malmö as an empirical illustration. This part of the paper will be structured around some key concepts within the... (More)
How can theories about the entrepreneurial city contribute to our understanding of local politics? The theoretical framework of urban entrepreneurialism, as well as empirical studies thereof, occupy a rather marginal position within Swedish political science. Entrepreneurialism includes an emphasis on both the content and the organisation of local politics, highlighting how public officials adopt growth oriented policies and form partnerships with private actors to enforce them. The aim of my paper is to highlight the potential, as well as the shortcomings of the theoretical framework in mind. I will use the Swedish city of Malmö as an empirical illustration. This part of the paper will be structured around some key concepts within the perspective of organisational culture – identified as a perspective that can enrich theories of entrepreneurial cities. Central to my paper is that the entrepreneurial city must be conceptualized not as something neutral and apolitical, but as policy prioritizing specific ideas about the nature of the economy and the role of local government within. Entrepreneurialism will thus be approached as a narrative and connections will be made to the ideological dimension of globalisation, or globalism. In mapping the strengths and weaknesses of the theoretical framework under scrutiny, I will conclude that it could favourably be inspired by not only the notion of organisational culture but also discussions within contiguous traditions in urban theory. Using the concepts of narrative and globalism can be a fruitful way for further research to understand how the politics of entrepreneurialism is socialized, legitimised and implemented. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to conference
publication status
unpublished
subject
keywords
entrepreneurial governance, Malmö, entrepreneurial policy, urban governance, narrative, globalisation, organisational culture
conference name
Nordic Sociology Congress, 2004
conference location
Malmö, Sweden
conference dates
2004-08-20 - 2004-08-22
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
72564ac4-3c7f-42a0-ab05-ed78a530a42c (old id 602634)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 14:26:43
date last changed
2018-11-21 21:20:21
@misc{72564ac4-3c7f-42a0-ab05-ed78a530a42c,
  abstract     = {{How can theories about the entrepreneurial city contribute to our understanding of local politics? The theoretical framework of urban entrepreneurialism, as well as empirical studies thereof, occupy a rather marginal position within Swedish political science. Entrepreneurialism includes an emphasis on both the content and the organisation of local politics, highlighting how public officials adopt growth oriented policies and form partnerships with private actors to enforce them. The aim of my paper is to highlight the potential, as well as the shortcomings of the theoretical framework in mind. I will use the Swedish city of Malmö as an empirical illustration. This part of the paper will be structured around some key concepts within the perspective of organisational culture – identified as a perspective that can enrich theories of entrepreneurial cities. Central to my paper is that the entrepreneurial city must be conceptualized not as something neutral and apolitical, but as policy prioritizing specific ideas about the nature of the economy and the role of local government within. Entrepreneurialism will thus be approached as a narrative and connections will be made to the ideological dimension of globalisation, or globalism. In mapping the strengths and weaknesses of the theoretical framework under scrutiny, I will conclude that it could favourably be inspired by not only the notion of organisational culture but also discussions within contiguous traditions in urban theory. Using the concepts of narrative and globalism can be a fruitful way for further research to understand how the politics of entrepreneurialism is socialized, legitimised and implemented.}},
  author       = {{Dannestam, Tove}},
  keywords     = {{entrepreneurial governance; Malmö; entrepreneurial policy; urban governance; narrative; globalisation; organisational culture}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  title        = {{The Theories and Politics of Entrepreneurial Cities - A Theoretical Summing Up and the Next Step Forward}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/6362005/602647.pdf}},
  year         = {{2004}},
}