Conference proceedings article
The King of the Forest as a Money-maker: a case study of entrepreneurship from northern Sweden.
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Author list: Vinberg, Stig
Publication year: 2003
Start page: 17
End page: 34
Number of pages: 18
Abstract
It is common to emphasize the important role of entrepreneurship when issues like job-creation and long-term survival in rural areas are discussed. How then could such an entrepreneurship look like? Is it possible to use the characteristics of a sparsely populated area, nature and the local culture, as resources for entrepreneurial activity? In this paper I will present and analyze an unusual way of making a living, a micro enterprise in Orrviken, a rural area in the county of Jämtland. The enterprise (Moosegarden) is based upon the elk, a big wild animal in Sweden also called ""the King of the Forest"". It is no overstatement to say that the elk is an important part of the local and regional culture. The elk is used as a heraldic symbol and in tourist guides, and elk-hunting is almost to be considered as a popular movement in the northern part of Sweden. The entrepreneur Sune has built an elk-farm, a large enclosure with approximately ten elks of different age. The enclosure is beautifully situated with a view overlooking a big lake and a mountain area. Sunes business concept is however not only to let people (mostly tourists) get in close contact with the elks. Sune has in fact also figured out a method to produce exclusive ""elk-paper"" made of droppings from the elk! This paper has attracted much attention in many countries. The elk-paper is also refined and used in the production of ""money"", Christmas cards, business cards, etc. Even the milk from the elk-cows is taken care of and sold as an exclusive beverage, a kind of potion. In 2002 Moosegarden attracted almost 13 000 visitors. Sune, the entrepreneur, has succeeded with his idea and the elk has become a double producer of money, indirectly by attracting paying visitors and directly through the elk-paper-based money. Some relevant theories of entrepreneurship are presented and tested against the case study in order to answer questions like: How can an entrepreneurial process look like in a rural area? To what extent can and can not ""classical"" entrepreneurial theories explain the process? What are the driving forces, the powers that compel a person to start a company?
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