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ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, AND UNDERREPRESENTATION
Running head: ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, AND UNDERREPRESENTATION
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Entrepreneurship And Business Development Services, And Underrepresentation
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Executive Summary
Knowledge plays a critical role in aiding community development. In most cases, research undertaken by graduate student interns in community development unveils data and knowledge-based provisions that inform on the problems that the community is facing and the most relevant approach towards mitigating them. This paper is based on an underlying dialogue undertaken by the stakeholders to respond to the question “How can I, as a graduate student intern in Community Development, make a contribution to the community by researching entrepreneurship and business development services, and underrepresentation.” The paper will begin by incorporating a guiding literature review that informs on the topic. This will be followed by a statement of the qualitative methodology that was incorporated to aid an undertaking of the stakeholder dialogue. The findings section will incorporate actual responses from the stakeholders and an analysis of the information they provide. The discussion section examines an identified inclusion from the findings that the research will lead to the generation of data that will be used to solve most community-based issues that Stockbridge, GA., is facing.
Introduction
Education plays a significant role in aiding the development of a community’s economic status and so do students who incorporate the knowledge they possess to aid regional growth. Several considerations describe the essence of engaging students in the building of a region’s economic stability. For instance, the contemporary business environment is evolving at a considerable rate, which calls for the contribution of students who possess modern knowledge to aid the implementation of strategies that guide development on a newer scale (Mihaela, Amalia, & Bogdan, 2015). Stockbridge, Georgia, has a profound economic development framework that can is likely to provide sufficient room for students to engage and contribute towards its economic growth. From an entrepreneurial perspective, Stockbridge, GA., seeks to hasten the sustainability of the economic-friendly environment that Henry County provides, which is a perspective that calls for the incorporation of modernity as a means of creating a suitable platform for the erection of small businesses and corporate entities. The essence of this perspective resides in the increased need to formulate channels that allow for the proper representation of all individuals at Stockbridge, GA. Notably, proper input of economic knowledge through the use of functional models comes in handy when the community operates at a point where it seeks to attain a neutral platform where all individuals are represented in its economic framework. This paper will incorporate a detailed look into the role that a graduate student in community development can play to contribute to the community. The paper will be built upon a direct dialogue with stakeholders at Stockbridge, GA., through an examination of their response towards the contribution that graduate students in community development can play through undertaking research on entrepreneurship and business development services, and underrepresentation. The essence of student research can hardly be understated as it unveils essential facts regarding matters that ought to be enhanced, altered, or distinguished to foster economic stability within the community.
Literature review.
Stockbridge’s developmental framework is currently dependent on a knowledge-based approach to ensure that its economic structure attains a point of continuous and stable growth. Looking into the region’s economic tools, Stockbridge’s location quotient is primarily aligned with advancement in the agricultural and manufacturing industry. The calculated location quotient in terms of agriculture stands at 0.9754 and that presented in terms of manufacturing stands at a staggering figure of 0.84164. Notably, Billings and Johnson (2012) state that a location quotient is a relevant tool that provides the analytical measure of a region’s industrial specialization in relation to its larger geographic unit. A stable location quotient that reflects a higher and stable concentration of a given industry stands at a calculated figure of 1.0. However, looking into the figures presented in line with the industry concentration rate at Stockbridge, it is evident that agriculture and manufacturing, being the dominant industries, are under-concentrated. A knowledge-based approach has not only been issued in the calculated outlook but also in the underlying approach that will require immense incorporation of modernized strategies to foster growth at Stockbridge, GA. Palalic et al., (2021) present that incorporating the contribution of students is relevant as it brings the community to a point where data and modernized concepts are put to use to aid economic growth. The region’s location quotient represents a need for the contribution of students to generate contemporary concepts for the handling and management of the most relevant economic aspects.
When knowledge of community development is put to practical use, the community regains its economic footing, which enables it to incorporate specificity in its focus on economic growth. The information put forth by Palalic et al., (2021) has largely been analyzed in this case and examined in a manner that informs the focus that the data and knowledge ought to take. Natcher and Brunet (2020) state that most communities fail to gain their economic footing, hence growth, from the aspect of trial-and-error that comes with failure in attaining a specific degree of stability. For instance, a community that is largely reliant on agriculture might channel its focus to mining and manufacturing during periods when the dominant economic activity fails to stabilize. Such maneuvering always leads to immense confusion in the building of economic platforms thus hindering stable growth within the dominant industry (Schallau, 2019). Looking into the growth pattern of Stockbridge, GA., the contribution of graduate students towards the economy, especially when undertaking research in entrepreneurship and business development, and underrepresentation highlight the specific economic concept that is dominant to the region thus generating a need to invest further and bolster its growth (Farinha, 2018). In this sense, the incorporation of data and knowledge comes in handy as it issues a structure for the proposition of ideas and recommendations that will aid development in the economic concept and region as a whole.
Moreover, graduate students in the field of community development are considered the basic source of human capital in which a region thrives. Notably, community development does not only focus on the economic end of growth but also the structural, social, and political among others. CityTownInfo (n.d.) informs that “Stockbridge, GA., having been incorporated in the year 1895 and stated as a city in the year 1920”, still relies on the traditional aspects of growth. The city has faced instances where growth in its dominant social, political, and economic frameworks has been hindered by its focus on traditional strategies over those that are modernized (Zubiashvili & Silagadze, 2016). With this, undertaking research in entrepreneurship and business development services, and underrepresentation is likely to highlight the need to implementation of human capital from community development students as a means to not only modernize but also bolster regional growth at Stockbridge, GA. It is important to identify that a community that is built on a knowledge-based framework is likely to take advantage of this opportunity to grow into the targeted future (Schiliro, 2012). Among other considerable aspects that are likely to emerge as opportunities include the likelihood to capture the new skills and technical knowledge to create new job opportunities, develop businesses, and block the loopholes that are likely to have a negative impact on the functionality of the existing industries.
Incorporating a proper strategy towards internal and external interconnectedness is relevant in ensuring that a region stabilizes its economic growth pattern. Looking into previous analysis, it is evident that Stockbridge, GA., is likely to bolster the concentration of its manufacturing industry. However, extensive success in the industry is expected to emerge through the region’s ability to open its external gates, especially in neighboring areas such as Henry County and Georgia. From a traditional perspective, this concept can be attained through the complex path of economic negotiations and financial exchange (Daniela, 2021). However, with Stockbridge’s state as a growing region, the incorporation of a knowledge-based approach, such as the formulation of an economic-friendly environment, can be formulated to aid proper and effective growth. Khartishvili et al., (2019) state that structural knowledge from institutions at Stockbridge can aid an understanding of ways that the region can foster its tourism industry while ensuring that all individuals are represented to, further, form suitable external relations that serves its insights toward economic growth. From a look into Stockbridge’s TAC, which stands at 4.404, it is clear that the region is performing well and making suitable steps in attracting non-resident retail shoppers. With this, the incorporation of the knowledge from students will enable the region to further its internal and external framework thus fostering economic growth.
Method
The research paper is built upon a deeper examination of stakeholder information regarding the main question and point of focus. The question that forms the basis of the research is “How can I, as a graduate student intern in Community Development, make a contribution to this community (or organization) by carrying out a specific research assignment?” The main topic or research directive in the assignment is aligned with the aspect of entrepreneurship and business development, and underrepresentation. It is important to identify that as I sought to present the question to the stakeholders, I was highly driven by the need to incorporate a high degree of specificity and essence to ensure that the underlying research can be applied. With this, I did not only focus on the role that my position as a student in Community development will play but, as seen through the literature review, I developed the study under a need to research the aspect of entrepreneurship and business development, and underrepresentation.
The study was undertaken using a qualitative approach and examined through inductive reasoning. The main units of observation, or rather the stakeholders, included the citizens of Stockbridge, GA., students, local businesspeople, institutional workers such as teachers and other staff members, local government officials, community leaders, small business owners, and job seekers. The research focused on a high degree of diversity among the units of observation as it sought to derive responses that are relevant and sensible. The units of analysis were the main points of research, including the aspects of entrepreneurship, business development, underrepresentation, and the role of students in researching the aspects. The main tool of research included well-formulated open-ended questionnaires that were represented formally or informally based on the specific unit of observation. Some of the individuals were approached in person, including the local citizens, job seekers, students, and small business owners, others were contacted through arranged meetings, such as the institutional workers and staff, and others were reached over arranged telephone conversations, including the community leaders and government officials.
Aspects such as consent and a prior statement of the need for the research were highly considered to foster the essence and relevance of the study. The collected responses, as presented through the finding, were examined and utilized in the formulation of the recommendation and conclusion.
Findings
The represented findings incorporate input from the dialogue I had with the stakeholders and a further evaluation of their statements. Using direct observation, it was evident that some responses were influenced by the underlying status of the respondents. However, the eventual examination that led to the findings included a deep analysis to ensure that the utilized qualitative data was relevant and highly applicable. The subtopics utilized to structure the findings present an outlook of the questions that were posed to generate the response.
The role that student interns in community development contribute to the community?
Me: “It is clear that the community of Stockbridge, GA., has seen considerable growth over the past years. What role do you think student interns in community development can contribute to the community?”
Davidson: “Stockbridge has developed over years of knowledge and expertise in its systems. Most of the socioeconomic and political structures are built on traditional platforms but continue to rely on modernity to retain their stability. This, therefore, generates the need for new skills, knowledge, and expertise that can only be collected from students and utilized to guide growth. With this, I believe that student interns in community development play a very critical role in informing growth in Stockbridge, GA.”
Mr. Galliue: “Being a teacher in the local institution, I believe that a well-informed and knowledgeable populace is likely to accept the civic engagement, information, and participation within the community. Communities that want to grow and stabilize in terms of businesses, leadership, and structure have to accept the contribution of students, especially those who have focused their knowledge on the field of community development. Therefore, the contribution of students is not only focused on the elevation of the need for education but also the desire to see actual growth in the society.”
Jerry: “Right now, the world is living with a need to adopt futuristic directives. I, being one of the people seeking jobs in Stockbridge, GA., believe that the most satisfying jobs have a specific speck of the future in terms of technicality and service. I believe that there does not exist any better lot to generate such a futuristic state for the community than students in the field of community development. The respective students possess knowledge, skills, and directives that are relevant towards creating the job opportunities that we seek to acquire as we focus on serving the future of Stockbridge, GA.”
Dialogue underlying identification of the contribution that student interns in community development towards the growth of Stockbridge, GA., was very informative. A considerable percentage of the respondents present information aligning with an idea put forth by Hope and Figiel (2015) that students in community development are equipped with the relevant skills and knowledge that are relevant to societal growth. An essential presentation was put forth by Jerry who informed that human capital and knowledge are relevant towards capturing and aiding futuristic growth. Modern learning institutions have made notable strides in ensuring that academics capture and instill futuristic insights and ideals thus enabling students to attain relative skills.
The dominant industry in Stockbridge, GA.
Me: In our studies, we managed to utilize economic components such as the input-output model and the shift-share analysis to identify the industries that are performing well and those that are not. I believe that the best-performing industries, based on the location quotients, are considered dominant. What do you think about the industrial structure of Stockbridge, GA.?
Mary: “Being a student in the field of Community Development, the knowledge I possess is as good as yours. Therefore, I will pose my response based on observation than classroom knowledge. The people of Stockbridge, GA., have largely engaged agriculture as their main economic source. The region is well-known for the production of pecan, groundnuts, cabbage, squash, melon, and corn. Moreover, the people have largely engaged in the rearing of livestock for both private and commercial use. However, I find that the region has largely concentrated its agricultural production on internal sales other than external marketing, which will be relevant towards economic growth and stability.”
Hon. Alexander: “I find the question to be very precise and informative in that it informs on a major point of concern that Stockbridge is currently facing. Being a local leader, I find that Stockbridge is doing extremely well in manufacturing. However, I will talk about the second-best-performing industry which is agriculture. For years, Stockbridge has responded very well to agriculture and stood out as a notable producer in Henry County and Georgia. However, with the rising need to adopt modernity in city structures and service provision, the city has engaged in a battle with private landowners who believe that the space they possess should be left for production with minimal interruption from the City Council, who, obviously, want to see the development of structures. The respective cases have led to lagging in agricultural production thus influencing the dominance of the industry. However, while both agricultural and structural industries have specific points of relevance towards the growth Stockbridge, GA., it is relevant to find a balance to, further, create a proper and reliable solution.”
Michael: “Stockbridge is doing well in its manufacturing and agricultural industry but there is a need to incorporate new skills and knowledge to bolster the functionality of lagging industries such as the military, employment, and mining.”
Looking into the dominant industry in Stockbridge, GA., allowed me to examine the area where student interns of community development can base their research to ensure that it serves the specific need of the area. As presented in the previous analysis, Stockbridge’s dominant industries are agricultural, with an LQ of 0.975, and manufacturing, with an LQ of 0.84164. However, failure to reach an LQ of 1.0 shows that there is a need for improvement in the respective industries to ensure that they possess a status where they can be termed completely stable and dominant. On the other hand, Stockbridge, GA., needs to assert proper measures to ensure that it sees growth in industries such as mining, military, federal and state government, and farm employment.
Role of graduate student interns in entrepreneurship and business development services, and underrepresentation.
Me: To register growth in industries, it is important for the city of Stockbridge, GA., to incorporate growth in entrepreneurship and business development services while mitigating underrepresentation. What role do you think graduate student interns play in reaching this point?
Jerry: “As I said earlier, students are the main hope that Stockbridge, GA., has to develop a futuristic business environment. This is mainly based on their possession of knowledge and skills that are updated and able to inform proper entrepreneurship and business development services while “fighting” the vice of underrepresentation. I find that this role is very profound in ensuring that Stockbridge, GA., attains stability in line with its economic growth.”
Brenda Hallz: “An essential recipe towards stable economic growth is the acquisition of knowledge towards social cohesion. The basic tenet of successful entrepreneurship, business development services, and individual representation is sufficient social cohesion. I believe that contemporary studies have identified this essence and incorporated it as the basis of learning. You find that graduate students in the field of community development have proper skills in engaging and encouraging cohesive existence within the society that they reside in and serve in both academic and practical terms. With this, I believe that their role in guiding entrepreneurial and business growth is immense.”
Bolton: “Being a member of a local agency that oversees the inclusion of youths in social growth, I can attest to the fact that student interns in community development play a critical role in economic growth at Stockbridge, GA. You find that our agencies rely largely on the directives put forth by the respective students as their findings are mostly identified as knowledge-based and highly supported by data. With this, their contribution has been satisfactory in most of the strategies that Stockbridge, GA., has put forth in aiding entrepreneurship and business development services, and mitigation of individual underrepresentation.”
Students possess the relevant academic and practical knowledge that is relevant to economic growth. The relevance of their contribution is mainly aligned with the fact that it is based on knowledge and highly supported by contemporary insights (Amuka et al., 2019). Students interns in community development understand the specific needs of the community and possess the relevant human and academic resources that, when tapped into, will lead to notable growth in entrepreneurship and business development services.
The essence of the research assignment in the development of the community
Me: “How can I, as a graduate student intern in Community Development, make a contribution to this community by carrying a research in entrepreneurship and business development services, and underrepresentation?”
Hon. Gantt: “From an extreme look into the structure of your research, I find it very relevant in informing a critical issue that Stockbridge, GA., is currently facing. The community is facing a huge problem from underemployment, failed economic directives, and financial battles between the public and private sectors. The research you are yet to undertake reveals a path of hope where the new generation responds towards unveiling solutions to a mutual issue.”
Purity: “The modern world has categorized people in terms of their abilities thus bringing forth those who are underrepresented. Among them are ethnic and racial minorities, migrants, women, people with disabilities, and those who do not have proper academic qualifications. While there are several perspectives that I can bring forward to present the essence of the research you are undertaking, I find that addressing underrepresentation in the economic sense of Stockbridge, GA., is the most essential aspect. As Stockbridge, GA. develops its entrepreneurship and business development services, it should utilize findings from such research to identify how it can represent all individuals to create a cohesive community.
The research that is put forth to guide the main subject of study focuses on the three essential concepts of growth which include the development of entrepreneurship, business development services, and the mitigation of individual underrepresentation. The respective concepts touch on the fundamental drivers of regional industries and address how they can be incorporated in a manner that serves the economic needs of the community while building cohesiveness and inclusivity.
Discussion
Research plays a critical role in attaching knowledge-based directives and data to claims to ensure that they attain a state of relevance and applicability. An essential consideration through the dialogue that I undertook with the stakeholders was that the presented responses aligned with most of the academic provisions that I had engaged. Stockbridge, GA., is in a position of immense growth where proper incorporation of entrepreneurial and business knowledge needs to be asserted to foster economic development in its industries (Bedianashvili, 2018). It is relevant to identify that a community that seeks to develop from a knowledge-based platform is more likely to become innovative and entrepreneurial with a notable ability to attract external businesses and investors (Kadagishvili, 2017). Looking into the dialogue, respondents such as Davidson and Jerry have identified the essence of a knowledge-based as a platform for futuristic engagement and the development of new opportunities. The city of Stockbridge needs to take advantage of its academic context to garner knowledge that is relevant to regional growth.
One of the essential aspects towards growth and sustainability of individual representation within the community. Martiarena (2020) informs that most cities have failed to reach a point of stable growth due to the wide growth barrier that exists between the different social groups. The responses brought forth by Brenda Hallz and Purity inform this outlook as they state the essence of relying on knowledge-based directives in mitigating underrepresentation. By undertaking the research on entrepreneurship, business development services, and underrepresentation, data-driven responses will be brought forward to guide an understanding of the intensity of the vice and how it can be handled to boost stability in regional entrepreneurship and business development services. The city of Stockbridge, GA., has notable potential for economic growth in both internal and external frameworks and should, therefore, utilize a knowledge-driven approach to foster relative development.
The main limitation of the study was managing to reach out to government officials to create a dialogue on the represented issue. Most of the leaders whom I contacted were not in a position to respond or authorized their assistant to respond, thus hindering the collection of firth-hand data. However, I managed to get in contact with Hon. Alexander and Hon. Gantt, who were very helpful. I believe that as Stockbridge, GA., seeks to grow further, this research will emerge as proper guidance towards the future undertaking. Future research should use the provisions in this study as a guide while noting how the city of Stockbridge, GA., can include graduate students in community development in its development directives and strategies.
Conclusion
Students reflect the future of any community. The basic provision that informs on the likelihood of growth in a community is the presence of an education system that puts forth the insights of the students within the structures and framework of the community. Stockbridge, GA., has a diverse population that is largely inclusive of students who have profound knowledge in community development and other directives that are relevant towards growth. The basis of the research undertaken in this paper is a dialogue with stakeholders through a need to identify the contribution that I, as a graduate student intern in community development, can make by undertaking research in entrepreneurship and business development, and underrepresentation. Most of the responses that were collected presented a need for research as it represents an informative ground for knowledge-based and data-driven approaches toward growth. The basis of the research can hardly be understated as it unveiled some of the essential facts regarding issues that can be enhanced, altered, or distinguished to foster economic stability at Stockbridge, GA.
References
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