Rural Entrepreneurs as Intermediary Entrepreneurs – A Promising Vehicle for Business and Economic Growth

Abstract

Economic development of a country is a choice loaded on its people. It is individuals who shape up a society and decide its progress and performance. Urban and rural are two sides of the same coin of economic development. Whereas the urban sector has always interested the corporate(s), lately it has been the rural sector which has shown a huge increase in the level of interest shown by the companies. The reasons for this are many and not discussed in the paper. This paper tries to establish a link between entrepreneurial activity and the rural economic development. It then identifies Pharmaceuticals, FMCG, Consumer Durables, Mobile Telecommunications and Life Insurance as specific industries where entrepreneurial opportunities are more intense. Further it builds on the positive correlation between economic development and the level of entrepreneurial activity and emphasizes on giving more thrust on the same especially in the rural context.  The paper finally delves on the kind of entrepreneurs needed in this regard, who can actually explore and exploit the perceived business opportunities existing in these sectors for the overall economic development. The paper concludes by raising the immediate concerns to develop such intermediary entrepreneurs in the rural areas who can actually steer the economic development of the rural community and the country thus.