ABSTRACT
This chapter examines several business enterprises that are deeply rooted in place, drawing their inspiration and identity from the rich fabric of their local surroundings. It provides a remote island off the west coast of Ireland to study several enterprises on Inis Meain, and to England to learn about an “alternative” form of organization that is crusading to stem the loss of that most venerable of British institutions – the local public house. Inis Meain represents, at the very least, an unusual locale for a globally competitive business. Inis Meain’s contemporary designs are deeply rooted in the island community’s long tradition of hand knitting. Place-based enterprises, such as Inis Meain or the British cooperative pubs, are embedded in and interdependent with unique places. If there is one quality that Tarlach de Blacam insists on being at the core of every product that Inis Meain produces, it is authenticity.
