ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the concept of urban growth coalitions, and the theoretical approaches and explanations developed in the USA. It discusses some examples of research into motives. The chapter focuses on the macro context in which individuals function. Individuals are part of a larger context or society which determines norms and values about the roles and functions of government and business in society. The chapter also focuses on the potential link between actors and their context and relates this link to the question of motivation. The possible explanatory value of this relationship between motivation and place relation is examined by using the theory of place attachment. In several theories, the growth coalition concept is used to define a situation where local public and private parties come together in pursuit of urban development. The willingness and motivation of entrepreneurs and business people to play an active role in local or regional well-being has turned into an important research topic.
