Community development and micro-enterprises: fostering sustainable development

Micro-enterprise efforts have focused mainly on economic development, although ignoring the social and environmental consequences can jeopardize success. This essay examines the characteristics of successful groups and the barriers they face. The lessons learned from successful micro-enterprises suggest that the key is to bring together the elements of sustainable development with the importance of the key fact that the micro-enterprises are community based. The thesis proposed is that micro-enterprises can foster sustainable development if, and only if, they are integrated in a view of community development that links the social, economic and environmental dimensions. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment