Search results

1 – 2 of 2
Article
Publication date: 7 October 2014

Tomi Ovaska, Louw Van der Walt and Robert B. Anderson

The purpose of this study is to focus on the development experience in the global world of two small communities, Viimsi in Estonia and Magog in South Africa. These two…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to focus on the development experience in the global world of two small communities, Viimsi in Estonia and Magog in South Africa. These two communities were chosen as exemplars because the authors were familiar with both, and understood them to be illustrative of differing outcomes of interaction of small communities with the global economy offering the prospect of generalisation of findings to the framework and theory. Twenty years ago, both were poor, since then Viimsi has become wealthy, while Magopa remains poor. It is not believed that becoming the wealthiest community in Estonia was Viimsi’s per-determined destiny. What people of Viimsi did to make their community a success relative to the surrounding peer communities is a story of the visible as much as the invisible attributes.

Design/methodology/approach

These attributes are examined using a framework the authors’ originally developed to explore the participation of Indigenous communities in the global economy in pursuit of development as they defined it. A thorough investigation was done on the interactions among various community stakeholder groups in an attempt to describe the social fabric of these two communities, and this was used to explain why Viimsi was able to take advantage of globalisation, when Magopa was not.

Findings

While it will be hard, no doubt, to translate all the success attributes of Viimsi to a different location and time, some of the lessons that were uncovered from the study are universal in nature, making them potentially useable for other small communities trying to find their way in the global world.

Research limitations/implications

Studying only two communities means that the generalisation of the findings is limited to theory. None can be made directly to the population of similar communities, except indirectly through exploration using the theory being developed to test its validity in other circumstances.

Practical implications

The findings from this paper will increase the understanding of the factors that contribute the a community’s success of lack of, in participating in the global economy.

Originality/value

This is an under-researched area within development literature.

Details

Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, vol. 8 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6204

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 July 2010

Tomi Ovaska and Robert B. Anderson

The purpose of this paper is to present a qualitative study of economic development attempts to uncover the critical factors behind the recent economic rise of Viimsi, Estonia, to…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a qualitative study of economic development attempts to uncover the critical factors behind the recent economic rise of Viimsi, Estonia, to that of the wealthiest community in the country.

Design/methodology/approach

The roles of and interactions among various community stakeholder groups are explored through two sets of resident surveys. From these surveys, and a rich set of secondary material, a narrative emerges as to the factors behind Viimsi's success since 1991, when Estonia regained its independence from the former Soviet Union and its system of economic central planning.

Findings

It was found that among the key components explaining why Viimsi has become the wealthiest community in Estonia are its extraordinary openness in embracing the market system, combined with a consensus‐based plan among community stakeholders on balanced development, a dependable government, and a level of solidarity among fellow residents in facing change.

Originality/value

This paper describes one small community's experience in the global world, and offers observations on successful strategies for a community navigating in it.

Details

International Journal of Development Issues, vol. 9 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1446-8956

Keywords

Access

Year

All dates (2)

Content type

1 – 2 of 2