Entrepreneurship among Socially and Economically Backward Communities: An Adaptive Mechanism and a Means to Social Integration when Other Paths are Closed - Empirical Evidences

Abstract

Business has been found to be a better source of earning for centuries. But during the past, industry and commerce were communalized. In other words socially and economically forward communities only were allowed, recognized and engaged in business activities. But contrary to these, recent studies have shown that industry and commerce can no longer be inherited or reserved for want of higher social and economic orders. Entrepreneurship is not a characteristics endowed with some society, group or a caste or a religion. Research studies reveal that entrepreneurial quality has been widely distributed among people across different castes, religion, cultural backgrounds, and different countries in the world. The employment seekers particularly through reservation policies either in government or in public sector undertakings are under a heavy pressure to understand that they are no more dependent on Governments for employment opportunities rather they explore their own income generating opportunities either through self-employment or entrepreneurship for which competencies are the market mantras today rather other criteria. The implication is that industry and commerce are open for anybody irrespective of cast, colour, creed, religion and so on. Entrepreneurship provides not only economic development but also an upward social movement and ensures dignity of life at par with others. Therefore, there should be a mental revolution among socially and economically backward communities to break open their mind-set for traditional occupations and understand that they are no more restricted from making a shift from their traditional occupations to socially and economically viable industrial and trading activities through entrepreneurship.