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Reframing entrepreneurship: an upside-down pyramid perspective on community-led social and cultural sustainability

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This study examines how community-driven and culturally embedded forms of entrepreneurship contribute to sustainable development beyond market-oriented models. We propose an “upside-down pyramid” methodological approach that combines a bibliometric analysis of 1,155 scholarly articles with a qualitative and sociological analysis of 15 interviews to stakeholders from Officina Keller , a community-oriented cultural and creative enterprise in Southern Italy. The bibliometric analysis identifies five thematic clusters, covering environmental governance, inclusive innovation, and cultural regeneration.. The qualitative analysis highlights the role of community cohesion, territorial reactivation, and cultural memory in driving entrepreneurial innovation, while revealing persistent challenges linked to weak institutional and techno-economic support. By connecting large-scale scholarly discourse with situated practice, the study advances a more inclusive understanding of entrepreneurship and calls for policy frameworks that better integrate social and cultural dimensions into place-based community initiatives, particularly in contexts of place-based transformation and community-led regeneration.

Source: International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal

DOI: 10.1007/s11365-026-01166-0

Authors: Giusy Sica, Chiara Spiniello, Maria Palazzo, Giovanna Lusini, Alessandra Micozzi

Institutions: Mercatorum University, University of Oxford, University of Naples Federico II

Language: English

Topic: Entrepreneurship Studies and Influences

Subfield: Management of Technology and Innovation

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Decent work and economic growth, Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,190