Integrating low socio-economic minorities in a mixed region into technological entrepreneurship and high-tech activities

Abstract

This study attempts to identify the necessary conditions for promoting the integration of very low socioeconomically disadvantaged minorities in mixed regions into technological entrepreneurship and high-tech activities and the relevancy of the smart specialization model in this process. The study focused on the mixed region of Beersheva-Rahat and the surrounding Bedouin diaspora in Israel, where the minority population is ranked at the lowest level on the socioeconomic scale. The study is based on an earlier study by Shilon et al. ([2021], “Smart Specialization: A Spontaneous Four-Step Process in the Mixed Arab-Jewish Region of Haifa and Nazareth.” Regional Studies). The findings in that study show that for smart specialization in mixed regions to occur, a pre-phase of social-relationship and business-network building between the majority and minority populations is required. The findings of the present study indicate that in mixed regions with a minority population that is ranked very low on the socioeconomic scale and has a low level of readiness for technological entrepreneurship and high-tech activities, a pre-preliminary-phase is needed in order for smart specialization to work – a phase in which entrepreneurship in high-tech related fields is becoming an accepted and valid occupational trajectory.

KEYWORDS:

• Smart specialization
• mixed regions
• disadvantaged minorities
• integration
• innovation
• entrepreneurial knowledge

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Ms. Smadar Nehab for her contribution to this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Israeli Science Foundation [grant number: 836/16].

Notes on contributors

Ronen Harel

Ronen Harel is a Senior lecturer at Peres Academic Center. His research focused on Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Small businesses. He serves as a member of board of directors at some leading public Israeli corporations, and bringing with him over two decades of versatile management and business experience, as a CEO of several companies in Israel, building and implementing new strategic plans and managing successfully their exit strategy. He holds B.A. in Economics (Cum Laude), M.B.A. and M.A. in Philosophy (Cum Laude) from Tel Aviv University, Ph.D. from Ben-Gurion University and has completed the International Management Program at N.Y.U. School of Business Administration.

Dan Kaufmann

Dan Kaufmann is an Associate Professor at the Sapir Academic College. His research is focused on innovation and innovation policies with a specific focus on SMEs. He is also a member of the governmental committee for advancing innovation within SMEs of the traditional sector. Before entering the academia he managed the Innovation and Growth unit at the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies and consulted the World Bank on R&D Policies.

Dafna Schwartz

Dafna Schwartz, Director of Research Authority, Adelson School of Entrepreneurship, Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, Israel (previously at Ben Gurion University). Her specialization areas are Entrepreneurship, Innovation, High-Tech, Startups, SME’s, Regional and Local Economic Development. Professor Schwartz is an economic consultant and has been involved in economic consulting and projects in Israel and abroad.