When thinking about rural areas and the diverse range of businesses which operate, a less obvious, yet critical, cultural dimension often goes unrecognised: stewardship, writes Kevin Mole, Deputy Director. Stewardship is arguably deeply ingrained in many rural enterprises, and it may position rural areas uniquely to tackle modern challenges.
At its core, stewardship refers to the responsibility for managing and protecting resources in a way that benefits current and future generations (Berkes, Folke and Colding 2000). Stewardship represents a long-term commitment, often guided by a sense of place and purpose (Pretty 2003).
Stewardship has often been associated with family businesses (Howorth 2020). Family businesses proliferate in rural areas (NICRE 2022). In rural areas, this concept may be evident in positive attitudes to the environment, as seen by businesses placing significance on the environment in decision-making (NICRE 2023).
Rural enterprises often operate with an acute awareness of the interconnectedness between people, the environment, and economic vitality. A farming business, for instance, cannot afford to deplete soil quality for short-term gain; its success hinges on sustainability (Chapin III et al. 2009). Similarly, rural businesses dependent on tourism are motivated to protect their local environment and heritage to maintain their appeal (Lane and Kastenholz 2015).
But stewardship can go beyond environmental considerations - it extends to a holistic understanding of resilience. In rural areas, where infrastructure or external support can be limited, businesses often develop innovative ways to manage resources, foster collaboration, and adapt to challenges (Bosworth and Turner 2018).
Stewardship may help with the shift toward net zero - a transition that demands not only innovation but also long-term thinking. Rural areas have unique potential in this regard. With access to natural resources such as land and renewable energy sources, alongside a cultural predisposition toward stewardship, rural areas could serve as frontrunners in sustainable practices. For example:
These practices reflect stewardship in action, showing how rural areas can balance environmental, economic, and social goals.
While stewardship offers a potential advantage, it is not without its challenges. Rural businesses often operate on tight margins, with limited access to funding, skills, and infrastructure (Phillipson et al. 2019). This can create a tension between short-term survival and long-term sustainability goals.
Additionally, the demand for change can feel overwhelming, particularly when small rural firms perceive their contributions to broader challenges like climate change as insignificant compared to large corporations (Williams and Schaefer 2013). Moreover, critiques of stewardship suggest that it privileges the decisions of those who control rural resources (Duggan and Peeren 2020). Nonetheless, stewardship is a strongly held attitude and may provide opportunities to engage with rural decision-makers.
In a world increasingly focused on sustainability, stewardship may be a rural ideal but also a strategic asset. This cultural attitude might aid rural areas in addressing critical global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainable growth.
Aldrich, D. P. & M. A. Meyer (2015) Social capital and community resilience. American behavioral scientist, 59, 254-269.
Berkes, F., C. Folke & J. Colding. 2000. Linking social and ecological systems: management practices and social mechanisms for building resilience. Cambridge University Press.
Bosworth, G. & R. Turner (2018) Interrogating the meaning of a rural business through a rural capitals framework. Journal of Rural Studies, 60, 1-10.
Chapin III, F. S., G. P. Kofinas, C. Folke & M. C. Chapin. 2009. Principles of ecosystem stewardship: resilience-based natural resource management in a changing world. Springer Science & Business Media.
Duggan, C. & E. Peeren (2020) Making up the British countryside: A posthuman critique of Country Life's narratives of rural resilience and conservation. Journal of Rural Studies, 80, 350-359.
Hargreaves, T., S. Hielscher, G. Seyfang & A. Smith (2013) Grassroots innovations in community energy: The role of intermediaries in niche development. Global environmental change, 23, 868-880.
Howorth, C. 2020. Stewardship and Survival: What can we learn from longstanding family businesses? Warwick available at https://www.enterpriseresearch.ac.uk/publications/stewardship-and-survival-what-can-we-learn-from-longstanding-family-businesses/: ERC SOTA No 46.
Kirchherr, J., D. Reike & M. Hekkert (2017) Conceptualizing the circular economy: An analysis of 114 definitions. Resources, conservation and recycling, 127, 221-232.
Lane, B. & E. Kastenholz (2015) Rural tourism: the evolution of practice and research approaches–towards a new generation concept? Journal of Sustainable tourism, 23, 1133-1156.
NICRE. 2022. The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on rural businesses: experiences and resilience. Newcastle: State of Rural Enterprise no. 1 nicre-state-of-rural-enterprise-report-no-1-january-2022-the-effects-of-the-covid-19-pandemic-on-rural-businesses-experiences-and-resilience.pdf
---. 2023. Rural SMEs and the environment. NICRE.co.uk: State of Rural Enterprise Report. nicre-state-of-rural-enterprise-report-no-5-december-2023-rural-smes-and-the-environment.pdf
Phillipson, J., P. Tiwasing, M. Gorton, S. Maioli, R. Newbery & R. Turner (2019) Shining a spotlight on small rural businesses: How does their performance compare with urban? Journal of Rural Studies, 68, 230-239.
Pretty, J. (2003) Social capital and the collective management of resources. Science, 302, 1912-1914.
Smith, P., D. Martino, Z. Cai, D. Gwary, H. Janzen, P. Kumar, B. McCarl, S. Ogle, F. O'Mara & C. Rice (2008) Greenhouse gas mitigation in agriculture. Philosophical transactions of the royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 363, 789-813.
Williams, S. & A. Schaefer (2013) Small and medium‐sized enterprises and sustainability: Managers' values and engagement with environmental and climate change issues. Business Strategy and the Environment, 22, 173-186.
I am Deputy Director of NICRE and Associate Professor of Enterprise at Warwick Business School. My expertise ranges across a variety of qualitative and quantitative research techniques: on external advice to small firms, the diagnosis of firm problems, policy choices in business support, firm growth and the adoption of new working practices in SMEs. I have worked for the Advanced Institute of Management and client list includes OECD, the government department for Business, past clients included the Small Business Service and Business Link University.
Loading...