Faith and self-fulfillment among under-resourced tourism micro-entrepreneurs

An individual’s level of self-fulfillment depends not only on personal factors, but also on the strength of their support systems – social capital.  These support systems can range from people in the community to family members, and from public agencies to religious affiliations. These supportive entities are known to provide resources, information, and opportunities to individuals with vulnerable livelihoods.  However, research has also shown that community networks can promote social norms that hinder these individuals’ autonomy and self-fulfillment.  

In this study, we examined the support networks of under-resourced tourism micro-entrepreneurs in select rural communities in North Carolina.  Transcripts from ten structured in-depth interviews conducted between August 2012 and March 2014 were examined using an approach in which we identified themes from studying the data.  We used a method of constant comparison between authors to arrive at a triangulated interpretation of the data.

Morgan Cheek presenting this study at SEER Conference, March 2014

The findings reveal that many micro-entrepreneurs credit their family, friends, and other entrepreneurs as sources of support. Encouragement, information, and marketing help were the top three forms of help credited to community members. We found that family and friends were extremely beneficial and helpful for micro-entrepreneurs. Their support was greatly appreciated, and across the board, micro-entrepreneurs felt empowered by their family and friends. Receiving support from other entrepreneurs also allowed informants to feel empowered. The feeling of independence that stemmed from knowing how to run their business was very important to the micro-entrepreneurs, and this knowledge came largely from other entrepreneurs and not often from local organizations devoted to developing grassroots micro-entrepreneurship.

The role of faith and religion in the lives of people with vulnerable livelihoods is understudied.  Some authors report that women’s livelihood strategies are often curtailed by religious norms, while others suggest that faith and social support from religious groups are critical to the lives of many under-resourced individuals. In this study, findings regarding the role of faith were mixed, with some informants indicating that their belief in God was their driving force in life, while others made no mention to faith.  Micro-entrepreneurs with involvement in religion explained that their faith in God allowed them to reach their self-fulfillment (eg. “…He’s the only one that can put you where you want to be, and so if you have faith in Him, you can have faith in most anything.”).  Additionally, some informants drew a sense of relatedness from the support provided by their religious social groups which further fueled their drive to improve their lives.  In light of the complex findings of this study, further research is needed on this topic.

Morgan Cheek
NC State University Sophomore and P1T Undergraduate Research Assistant