Geographia Polonica (2019) vol. 92, iss. 3

Entrepreneurial in-migration and rural development in Czechia: A challenge of integrating the local and extra-local in rural planning

Jan Píša, Vladan Hruška

Geographia Polonica (2019) vol. 92, iss. 3, pp. 347-363 | Full text
doi: https://doi.org/10.7163/GPol.0153

Abstract

Despite the decreasing importance of farming for rural economies, diversification of farming activities is still perceived by the EU as one of the sources of new jobs in rural areas. However, as authors argue, there are more efficient ways for new job generation associated with entrepreneurial rural in-migration. Such migration movement brings new entrepreneurial skills, knowledge, and creativity to rural areas. By presenting the results of our interview survey with urban newcomers to peripheral rural areas of Czechia, we would like to draw attention to this alternative and under-researched way of rural development, especially in the Central and Eastern Europe. This article analyses the contribution of entrepreneurial in-migrants to local economies and examines new ways for better incorporation of rural entrepreneurial in-migration into rural development planning.

Keywords: Entrepreneurship, in-migration, rural space, rural planning, Czechia

Jan Píša [jan.pisa@ujep.cz], Faculty of Social and Economic Studies Jan Evangelista Purkyně University Moskevská 54, 400 96 Ústí nad Labem: Czech Republic
Vladan Hruška [vladan.hruska@ujep.cz], Department of Geography, Faculty of Science, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University Ústí nad Labem, Pasteurova 3632/15, 400 96 Ústí nad Labem: Czechia