Claiming the centre or settling for the sideline? How the performance of Dutch local entrepreneur associations affect the legitimacy of the national entrepreneur representatives
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2016-02-08
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nl
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Abstract
Retailers play an important role in solving spatial issues in urban areas, as they can provide valuable information on urban issues which otherwise remain out of sight. It is therefore vital for policy advisers to utilise national and local entrepreneur associations and other civil society organisations for a good connection with retailers. However, there appears to be a large decline in membership of national entrepreneur associations (Platform31, 2014; Branchecentrum 2012), coinciding with a general decrease in Dutch affiliated with social organisations (SCP, 2005).
For this thesis, a quantitative research design was used to examine the extent of a possible legitimacy deficit in the Dutch entrepreneur representation network. Using a questionnaire targeting 51 local entrepreneur associations throughout the Netherlands, additional context information has been combined with earlier empirical findings of Platform31 and Branchecentrum. Generally speaking, limited demand exists for the services national entrepreneur representatives can provide to local entrepreneur associations. It was found that this lack of cooperation can be ascribed to the reaction of local entrepreneur associations on relatively new phenomena such as entrepreneurs funds, centre management/managers, and to a lesser extent a weakened position of the Chamber of Commerce and the abolishment of the Hoofdbedrijfschap Detailhandel (‘Central Retail Industry’).
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen