In Networks - the Case of Smes in Peripheral

Endogenous development strategies should not be interpreted as inwardlooking. Small scale economies need to be open in order to perform. The latter has been especially put forward in the case of small state islands (Read and Staines, 2004...). Yet, we deem that the same is true for other types of territories with geographic specificities. It has already been shown that, in many instances, sparsely populated areas have characteristics that liken the ones of islands (Gloersen, 2009). The smallness and loose settlement structure in those areas leads to a de facto isolation of the local economies.