A cultural perspective on entrepreneurship and regional development: The case of the bages (Catalonia)

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015. The purpose of this chapter is to analyze, from a qualitative approach, the relationship between institutions, entrepreneurship and local development in the region of the Bages (Catalonia). The main findings suggest in the light of institutional economics that entrepreneurship in this region is greatly influenced by informal institutions (culture, social networks and role models). Also, the results highlight the influence of entrepreneurship on the regional development (jobs generation, economic growth and innovation). The research has conceptual implications (advancing in the application of institutional perspective in the field of entrepreneurship) and practical implications (for the design of governmental policies towards regional development).