Studia Obszarów Wiejskich 2015, volume 39, pp. 103–128 http://dx.doi.org/10.7163/SOW.39.7 kOmiSja ObSzaróW WiejSkich pOlSkie towarzyStwo geOgraficzne www.ptg.pan.pl inStytut geOgrafii i przeStrzennegO zagOSpOdarowania pOlSka akademia nauk www.igipz.pan.pl ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS A POTENTIAL DRIVING FORCE FOR THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL AREAS – GOOD EXAMPLES FROM VISEGRAD COUNTRIES Tamás EGEDY1 • Denis Cerić2 • Michał KONOPSKI2 • Silvie rita Kučerová3 Marián KULLA4 • Janetta NeStorová-DiCKá4 • romana SvoboDová3 1Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences Geographical Institute, Budaörsi str. 45, H-1112, Budapest, Hungary
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[email protected] 3Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem, Faculty of Science Department of Geography, České mládeže 8, 400 96, Ústí nad Labem, Czechia
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[email protected] 4Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Faculty of Science Department of Geography, Jesenná 5, 040 01, Košice, Slovakia
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[email protected] Abstract: Entrepreneurial human capital and entrepreneurship are crucial elements for the further develop- ment of rural areas. In order to understand the role of rural enterprises it is essential to learn the characte- ristics of successful companies in local economies. The main aim of this paper is to demonstrate through the introduction of the activity, everyday practice and production procedure how non-agricultural and non-tourism enterprises can foster the development of rural and peripheral areas in the Visegrad countries. Nine local enter- prises of different size, profile and development pathway were examined in order to highlight main experiences and lessons being vital for and adaptable in other disadvantaged areas.