The Entrepreneurial Process in a Remote Island Context: The Case of Madeira

Abstract

This paper studies the entrepreneurial phenomenon on a remote island to assess the effects of the spatial location on the entrepreneurial process. A qualitative approach was adopted to conduct this research, through a multiple-case study of 8 entrepreneurs from the island of Madeira, an autonomous Portuguese region in the Atlantic. The primary goal of this study is to characterize the entrepreneurial process in remote islands. This study adopts Bygrave’s (2009) definition and model of the entrepreneurial process. The findings show that the geographical environment on remote islands influences most phases of the entrepreneurial process. The identification of business opportunities will vary greatly between sectors of activity. Additionally, island-based entrepreneurs were more motivated by push factors, which suggests that the entrepreneurial landscape in remote islands will be populated by necessity entrepreneurs. Moreover, findings also demonstrate that remote island entrepreneurs are more preoccupied with firm survival than they are with growth. Finally, this study also discusses the impact of advances in information technologies on the entrepreneurial process on small and remote islands.