ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the main findings of research undertaken in the Polish case study areas (CSAs) of Bialystok and Zary, set in their national context. Village and rural areas in Poland are defined for administrative purposes as settlement units outside the administrative boundaries of towns. Non-agricultural activity in rural areas is focused primarily on the development of food processing industries. The chapter discusses various problems that provide the context within which the restructuring of Poland's rural areas is taking place, which has the following requirements: The restructuring of villages and agriculture should be treated as an integral part of transforming the entire rural economy. The economic priority is to diversify economic development, with a view to reducing unemployment and increasing prosperity. Entrepreneurship in rural areas is characterized by its small scale and relatively poor financial and economic standing. Analysis of the perception of entrepreneurship among the local community was focused on the intention of starting a new enterprise.
