Local government as a platform for altruistic microbusiness: A case study of a children’s cafeteria in Japan

ABSTRACT

Grassroots and altruistic entrepreneurship is essential for a healthy community after COVID-19; however, they do not know the way to contribute. The world’s large businesses are effecting a change from offering products to offering platforms. Likewise, the business model needs to be transformed into “local government as a platform,” where mainly potential entrepreneurs, including commercial firms and individuals, would offer new services. In this article, the roles of administrators in promoting social entrepreneurship are considered through a literature survey and case study of a children’s cafeteria. It is found that the regional welfare platforms formed by local government, institutions, colleges, private companies, and other private sections will help trades among the members. In addition, the culture of humane entrepreneurship is important; transformational leadership is required.

KEYWORDS:

• Platform
• altruistic entrepreneurship
• local government
• subject classification codes: MSME ecosystem
• humane entrepreneurship
• social entrepreneurship

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP18K01821.