Innovations in Ethnic Landscapes: A Study of Innovations in Three Municipalities in Northern Norway

Are people in the extreme periphery able to innovate? This study covers three multi-ethnic municipalities in Northern Norway, and the research question is to what extent local institutions are linked to innovative processes. Two dominant institutions are addressed: The local government institution,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of small business and entrepreneurship 2005-01, Vol.18 (2), p.171-187
Main Authors: Nyseth, Torill, Aarsæther, Nils
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Entrepreneurs
Innovation (Economics)
Municipal government
Native peoples
Traditional knowledge
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Summary:Are people in the extreme periphery able to innovate? This study covers three multi-ethnic municipalities in Northern Norway, and the research question is to what extent local institutions are linked to innovative processes. Two dominant institutions are addressed: The local government institution, and the ethnic traditions (a mix of Sami, Kven, Norwegian) of the municipalities in question. The research uncovered a substantial number (42) of innovative processes in these municipalities, and seven of these have been selected for a followup study. The selection is based on an assessment of the transformative character of the innovation, and the researchers have tried to cover a broad innovation field, including also public sector and civil society innovative processes, in addition to commercial innovations. It turned out that most of the selected innovations had strong links to the specific ethnic contexts of these municipalities, and that the municipal institution also played a significantrole in their implementation. Further, Kåfjord, the most deprived of these three municipalities-the one suffering a severe population loss 1980-2000-turned out to be the one with the largest number of innovations reported, and also showing innovations profiting from a interlinking of technology, tourism, identity politics and networking with the outside world. In sum, the study points to the potentials also of very small and remote communities in the future, to the extent that they are able to combine traditional elements-in the case of Kåfjord an ethnic revival as Coast Sami people-with commercial, political and technological elements.
ISSN:0827-6331
2169-2610
DOI:10.1080/08276331.2005.10593338