ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the challenges faced by local government in initiating economic development, together with some prevailing barriers to public entrepreneurship. Such entrepreneurship is essential in creating the enterprise partnerships that underpin urban innovation and development, yet there has been little debate on the influence of public entrepreneurship on local government as an enabler of economic development. The chapter offers a theoretical examination of public entrepreneurship to understand better the shifting role of local government. The central question is whether local government is necessary to deliver economic development. Examining international initiatives, the chapter argues that multi-level governance remains problematic for local actors tasked with successful delivery of economic development.
