A place-based view on the relationship between local community commercial attractiveness and entrepreneurial interest: a multi-method analysis

The notion of place-based entrepreneurship has become an important concept in understanding modern entrepreneurial behaviour. Within this context, regional and local development and entrepreneurial activity are inexorably intertwined. One critical component in this relationship is a community's attractiveness. This study uses a combination of methods, including real-time participant-driven photo elicitation (PDPE), a co-occurrence thematic analysis, and a Bayesian classification analysis (BDRA), to assess entrepreneurial interest in 110 unique commercial locations. The analysis identifies five 'built-environment' factors important to entrepreneurial location interest, four of which are under the direct control of local governments: commercial signage, landscaping, automobile congestion, and building maintenance and appearance. These findings can assist community planners and regional developers in developing strategies to improve entrepreneurial interest in their local communities.